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Reviews

Qayaas – Cut My Wings & Doobtay (KM Single Reviews)

By Hasan Faridi

The name ‘Qayaas’ certainly rings a bell in the Pakistani music scene. Because music-lovers recognise them as being one of Pakistan’s finest rock bands to emerge from the country.

Their main highlights include a well-received debut album “Uss Paar” topped off with various music videos already released. They’ve won multiple awards, featured in Coke Studio, have been included in the Metal Asia Compilation (for being so kick-ass) and have made various radio and TV appearances.

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Reviews

The Sketches ft Gumby, Faraz Anwar & Jono – Main Sufi Hoon (Single Review)

By Hasan Faridi

It was the year 2003 when Saif and Naeem decided to step into the world of music to create a band named The Sketches that would bring people together through folk and Sufi music.

The Sketches released their debut album back in February 2010 by the name of “Dastkari”, and since then, they’ve come a long way these past two years (even having more than 70,000 fans on Facebook).

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Articles

Top 10 Don’ts For Pakistani Artists

By Hasan Faridi

This list is not aimed merely for Pakistani musicians, but for musicians, artists and performers all around the world. Here’s a list of things that artists and bands should avoid before trying to make a name for themselves.

10. Think everything’s easy

A lot of upcoming artists think getting into the music industry is easy. All you need is a guitar, good looks and a computer. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as you think. It takes effort, time and passion to make it big.

Mr Justin thinks: “Mein aik gaana likoonga. Mein baby baby baby gaoonga aur mein famous manoonga.”

Then again, sometimes if you write rubbish, you can still make it big. Like Mr Justin here.

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Articles

10 Promotion Tips For Pakistani Musicians

Musicians face many challenges in the world today. But the ability to promote your music is one of the most important skills you can have if you want to stay ahead of the game. This article will give you 10 tips on how to promote your work to the masses.

1. Utilise social media

Without a doubt, the Internet is now the number one technique to reach out to the masses. It’s easy to use and most of all, effective. It helps you promote your work, engage with the audience, and build a community.

Make a Facebook Page, make a Twitter account, invite people and share your work.

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Female Artists Reviews

Zoe Viccaji & Imam Hamdani – Neend Aati Nahin (KM Single Review)

By Hasan Faridi

Zoe Viccaji is a Pakistani singer who has been writing her own music and playing the guitar since the age of 15. She used to be a painter, but realized music was her aspiration. She joined her first band (the Ganda Bandas) when she was 17, and did a show with them.

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Electronic Indie/Experimental Reviews Underground

Zohaib Kazi – Butterfly In Space (EP Review)

By Hasan Faridi

Zohaib Kazi is a Pakistani artist who extracts elements from modern Western influences and blends them with mystical and appealing Eastern music. This compilation of sounds has earned a new genre name. It’s called ‘Ambient Electronica South Asia’. It’s not common, but it’s certainly one of a kind.

Recently, Zohaib released his EP “Butterfly In Space”, that features six tracks that bring this interesting genre to life.

Categories
Electronic Indie/Experimental Reviews Underground

Basheer & The Pied Pipers – Basheer (KM Album Review)

By Hasan Faridi

Some people say it’s good to step out of your comfort zone once in a while. After listening to Basheer & the Pied Pipers new album named ‘Basheer’, you begin to wish you did it earlier. Especially seeing as it’s been released for free.

Basheer & the Pied Pipers is a live drum and bass duo based in Karachi and Islamabad who make ambient experimental music using a variety of sounds.

The album starts with “Yes”; a song blends a variety of instruments to compose an almost-hypnotic track. The track also seems to have a video-gaming essence, as some dazzle noises play behind the fast-paced guitar picking. It all comes to life at the end when a sound effect that comes from Street Fighter says ‘You win… Perfect!’

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Reviews Underground

DissBelief – Pen-Chor (KM Single Review)

By Hasan Faridi

Before their official release of “Pen-Chor”, the upcoming rock/metal band DissBelief released a teaser that got a great response. When they released the official video, it got a Hell of a response.

The band consists of Sumair Saeed on vocals, Fahad Humayun Chohan and Hammad Khalid on guitars, Uloomi Karim Shaheen on bass and Najeeb Aftab on drums.

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Interviews & Radio

Adnan Malik Talks About His Profession, Upcoming Projects & Coke Studio [Interview]

By Hasan Faridi

Adnan Malik may not always be in the limelight, but he’s definitely one of the people who brings things into the light. He is the director of AMP, a Video Producer at Pakistan’s renowned music platform Coke Studio, a television host/model and an Asia Society Young Leader of the World.

I got the chance to interview him and ask him about his profession, his work at Coke Studio, and his current (and upcoming) projects.

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News

Roxen’s Statement on Misuse of Name & Clarification on Mustafa’s Self Proclaimed Fiancé

By Hasan Faridi

We don’t often see artists and bands giving out professional press releases in Pakistan, but Pakistani rock band Roxen has released a press release recently trying to notify and warn fans about certain issues that have got out of hand,

“Apparently we have found out that a lot of individuals have not only been misusing our name by portraying themselves as our agents but also there are a lot who keep on digging into our personal lives and hence it has forced us to release an official statement on behalf of ROXEN’s lead singer Mustafa Zahid…”