The word Pakistani band is probably synonymous to 'Junoon' and 'Jal' for most, but 'Mekaal Hasan Band' is one act that cannot be ignored for any reason whatsoever. Especially when they come out with a new album.
This fusion group based in Lahore knows its instruments well, and also the way to use them to conjure magical music. Their new album is proof enough of the fact that fusion, if done well enough, can make for some blissful listening.

The album begins on a gentle and soft note -- Chal Bulleya. The tune has an instant appeal and the innocence in Javed’s voice holds you throughout the disc. And the music evokes beautiful images of the Indian heartland and its villages. And this is where the album scores a maximum.

Javed’s fast-paced harkatein on Bandeya and Ranjha are certainly astounding, even though Mekaal’s guitar tone could have been just a bit varied and more prominent on the mix. Given the Bollywood influence, the Punjabi lyrics breed a loveable familiarity, yet manage to stay blissfully away from the standard Punjabi-Hindi mish mash oft heard in Hindi film songs. The album just refuses to stay down, unlike most fusion albums, where the compositions tend to get lost in the war of instruments, leaving the average listener feeling lost.

Up next is Jhok Ranjhan, which is a happy tune; one that will touch your heart. With Sanwal the mood shifts to melancholy and when you're just recovering from its mesmerising vocals, an upbeat fusion...

funk track Bhageshwari will catch you off guard. Watch out for the bass work on this one.

While Huns Dhuns puts a spotlight on Javed Bashir’s vocal expertise, the band juggles between Sufi and folk in Waris Shah. The following track, Andholan, is sure to sweep you away in its sheer force of song-writing and elegantly powerful guitar play. And the band goes full out progressive (for once on the album) on Mahi. Just hear the song out for yourself. Lastly, absolutely nothing need be said about Albella. Yes, it’s the same song sung by Ustad Rashid Khan, to which Bashir does full justice.

Saptak is a don’t-miss album for all music lovers; especially for the ones without a proclivity for any particular genre. Even if you’re not much into fusion and folk, try it out once. You will definitely be hooked on to it and once it grows on to you, you’ll find yourself unable to resist this temptation drug. Well, it is a jolly fine addiction, isn’t it?