Kailasa - A Soulful Masterpiece

- Aakash Gandhi           Let us know what you think about this article

Rarely, if ever, has a debut album embodied the pillars of power, soul, and magic to the extent that Kailasa does. Kailash Kher has dedicated nothing less than his entire soul to the creation of this groundbreaking album, which features Sufiyana sounds mixed with club beats, rock ballads, and earthy vocals.

Kailasa, meaning Heaven, is the name of Kailash Kher’s newfound band (comprising of Kailash Kher, Naresh, and Paresh Kamath), and is most suitably the name of their debut album. After listening to Kailasa, one can’t help but forecast a very successful and fruitful career for this very uniquely sounding group of musicians.

Enough small take, let’s take a look see at what makes Kailasa the special piece of art that it is.

1) Teri Deewani
This mesmerizing song is lit with the trademark vocals of Kailash Kher. What follows is a very colorful tune, filled with acoustics hovering over a light rock ballad. Filled with play of the piano, strings, and flute, Kailash Kher pours his heart into the rendition to come up with a gripping piece on sacrificial love. Beautifully written by Kher himself, this is a song that should gain worldwide recognition at the least!

2) Tauba Tauba
Yet another highly original track, Tauba Tauba will have you on a beat from its very get-go. Thanks to the Arabic influences, this one is an amalgamation of acoustic guitar, synthesizers, and Kher’s Earthy multi-track vocals. But the biggest asset this club piece has is its infectious melody, which once heard will linger in your ears possibly for months! The extremely ingenious additions of “uff” are simply wicked! Written by Kher again, this piece will fast climb its way up ALL the charts.

3) Tauba Tauba (Remix)
Fortunately, the remix version isn’t altered in ways that harm the original (as is so often the case when it comes to the other music Industry, Bollywood). All this does is make the piece a bit more danceable. The ultimate club number, it will be heard nonstop at the discs and should be devoured by the young masses.

4) Dilruba
Don’t let these rather ordinary sounding titles fool you. Dilruba is a prime example of musical beauty in the most simplest of forms. With traces of the qawwali genre, this piece is filled with great renditions, the traditional harmonium, and an unbelievably catchy harmony. The ni sa sa sa refrains are nothing but addictive! To top it all off, Kher structures his rendition flawlessly over the smooth rhythms. This piece is nothing but a pleasure.

5) Jana Jogi De Naal
This is where the genre of Sufiyana makes its presence felt the most. Kabir and Bulle Shah write about inclusive surrender to the almighty longings of one’s soul. The traditional percussions and deep bass play off each other to create a heavenly flow of music upon which Kher and his chorus bow to the loneliness of journey. The piece is an awakening of sorts for the very privileged listener.

6) Kaise Main Kahoon
This piece makes a rather breezy entrance into this very unique group of songs. A fabulously composed piece, Kher writes on a girl’s state of confusion of what love really is. A rather arduous task for having an all male crew come up with such an intimate song about the feelings a woman goes through while in love, they handle it with ease. With a Rajasthani gloss to it, this piece will have you shaking a leg in no time. Kher’s very tamed vocals along with the multi-track rendition only add to the enjoyment of this very light-hearted number.

7) Naiharwa
Yes! This proves that Kher is amongst the most talented musicians in all the lands. His extremely soft and touching composition coupled with his ever-so delicate rendition makes for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Infiltrated with innovative sounds, this outburst of emotions will set your mind, body, and soul free. Lean back, close your eyes, and let this gorgeous work of art do the rest. Wow!

8) Albela Sajan
It’s time for that seductive style of composition to return after Jana Jogi De Naal. This time however, a bit more emphasis is given to the finer percussions, with Yusuf Mohammad’s table stealing the show. Kher once again superimposes his perfect rendition over the luring composition to create an invincible track all over again. The song is further accentuated by the very unique words, which portray the image of beauty in a completely unique light. The classical chorus gives the piece a touch of grandeur and further compliments this very soulfully wealthy composition.

9) Allah Ke Bandhe (Live)
And to wrap it all up we have the piece that put Kailash Kher on the map, the Vishal-Shekhar composed Allah Ke Bandhe. However, this one is quite different from its original even though it maintains that acoustic spine that makes the track so unique. Kher gives it a classical touch with his alaap interludes throughout the piece, which only further impress (if even possible). However, the piece falls short of its original composition mainly due to the lack of the deep backbone – the bass guitar. However, if you want a more classical/traditional version of this chartbusting number then this delivers right on time!

Kailasa is a never-to -be-repeated offering. Rarely will you find an album that has such an assortment of varying sounds. For lovers of Sufiyana music (and for even those who aren’t), Kailasa is a mesmerizing piece of work that showcases the love and dedication these men have for music. Kailasa, the band has already set itself apart from all other bands, and we can only wait until they take us to yet another part of their musical heaven.

Deep in the valleys of heaven emerges music that defies the boundaries of brilliance: Kailasa – A Soulful Masterpiece.

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