Quadrum’s percussive power captivates Karachi audience

The National Academy of Performing Arts on Monday evening became a resonant chamber of rhythm and movement as Quadrum, a four-member percussion ensemble, delivered a performance that was as visceral as it was meticulously crafted.

The quartet Atif Saeed, Daud Randle, Saad Sarfraz and Umer Saud guided the audience through a wide-ranging exploration of percussive sound, drawing on instruments from multiple musical traditions, including the djembe, claves, dhol, doumbek and bass drum. Their set unfolded not as a rigid program but as a narrative shaped by energy, improvisation and exchange.

The evening opened with Tribal, a composition that established the group’s muscular, rhythm-forward style. This was followed by an improvised piece developed on stage, later christened NAPA in homage to the venue where it took form. Subsequent performances, Calypso Beat and Table Talk shifted textures and tempos, revealing the ensemble’s ability to move fluidly between playful syncopation and tightly controlled complexity.

The mood intensified with Base Attack, a thunderous composition that leaned heavily into low-frequency resonance, before transitioning into Arabic, which drew on Middle Eastern rhythmic patterns. The set concluded with Agram Bagram, but the evening’s final moment belonged to Wach, a special collaboration featuring guitarist, composer and music producer Shallum Xavier, whose layered melodies added a new dimension to Quadrum’s percussive core.

The capacity audience responded with sustained applause, rhythmic clapping and, at moments, spontaneous dancing, a testament to the physical pull of the performance. Quadrum had traveled from Lahore for the concert, underscoring the growing intercity exchange shaping Pakistan’s contemporary live music scene.