Pakistan’s first hang drum album set for release

Leading percussionist Aziz Kazi talks about one of a kind passion project ‘Cacan’

KARACHI:

For any musician especially those that for the most part have approached their craft through a Western prism, an alien instrument presents certain challenges; both from a technical and philosophical standpoint. To balance creative preference and positionality is truly a feat quite a few are able to achieve in this regard. This, of course, does not apply to the lot that sees to use ‘other’ art forms as exotic spices for a very much cosmopolitan product.

But the altruistic creative would have to tread carefully. For the pursuit to achieve something ‘groundbreaking’ could very well lead to an appropriation (Read bastardisation) of an art form in the eyes of those that might hold reverence for it in a rather transcendent way.

Given that in Pakistan even the country’s own indigenous instruments are perceived as world-music-esque by the urban producers, something fairly recent and foreign like a hang-drum to be thought of as more than just icing on the cake is unimaginable.

 

Renowned percussionist/ drummer Aziz Kazi of Coke Studio fame and the team at A for Aleph have risen up to the challenge of producing the very first hang drum album to come out of Pakistan, Cacan. Taking a rather purist approach, Cacan is an instrumental album with the hang drum as the sole instrument. “I initially wanted other instruments to be a part of it. But after much discussion with Umair (producer) and Anas ( producer) we decided otherwise. We want the audience to experience the instrument in its entirety,” Aziz said.

“While we used many sources to record the instrument, what you hear is a single-track recording. That was the idea to get a very pure and intimate experience of listening to the handpan in the most natural way” he added.

With the hang drum itself coming from a family of melodic percussive instruments, to add varying layers even if it were to be in an accompanying role would rob the listener of an immersive experience, both the artist and producers believe.

 

“It’s not just a percussive instrument, it has notes on it. The instrument itself has a lot of layers to it. This isn’t like any other hang drum album. We have taken the time to explore the instrument from every angle,” said Umair Dar one of the producers of the album.

Aziz believes that the minute imperfections are as necessary as the melodic structure, for a wholesome experience. “At some points, you’ll feel it’s not tuned or off time. But that’s the nature of the instrument. We want it to keep that way. We want people to listen to it as it is.”

The first single from Cacan, called Shantaram released earlier this month. According to Aziz it’s a track that foreshadows the pure experience the album stands to offer. “Shantaram was the first track which I composed when recording the album and it paved way for the purest sound of the whole album,” Aziz said.

 

Cacan being named after a childhood nickname of Aziz was made with anything but a conscious effort from the start. The throwback to childhood seems befitting considering the spontaneity through which it came about.

“I wanted to buy a hang drum for a long time. In one of my trips to Bali I ended up purchasing two hang drums. One of them I got custom made from a village in the outskirts of the city. I told him to make it one in Cminor 432 Hz tuning,” Dar said.

Not being a percussionist himself, on his return, Dar gave one of the Hang drums to Aziz with the prospect of the latter mastering it that could allow the two to work on something in the future. “He took over a year to familiarise himself with the instrument. I had been keen on recording him ever since he got comfortable with the instrument. And now we just did it,” Dar said.

 

“I had briefly tried out the instrument in Berlin, some 12 years back. It was a little too expensive for me back then. The hang drum is also a melodic instrument, unlike most percussive instruments. Being a percussionist mainly, it took me time to figure out the scales on the instrument,” Aziz said.

Talking about the contrast between Cacan and his work at Coke Studio, Aziz pointed out how the latter has been more of an in the moment thing.

“Coke studio is more of a job for me in the long run. There’s a role I have to play there that is according to the composition that already exists. It’s almost like fitting into a role. Here it’s completely different. We are sitting like friends having a chat” Aziz said.

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