Raahi’s journey nearing no end

Band to put out debut studio album by 2016

KARACHI: After an extended hiatus that speaks perfectly for the way of life of its members, Raahi is once again set to embark on the journey from where it was left off. The band is currently working on its debut album that is expected to go on the floor by 2016.

During a conversation with The Express Tribune, the band’s percussionist Louis J Pinto, popularly known as Gumby, said production is currently under way and his band mates are deciding upon the tracks that will be included in the album.

Despite being in its final stages, the former Noori drummer cautioned it is highly unlikely the album will be out ahead of schedule. According to Gumby, the yet-to-be-titled record will comprise nine to 11 original tracks with one additional tribute single. He meanwhile also hinted at collaborations with local artists for some of the songs.

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The band has already been performing many of its compositions at gigs occasionally and the songs that are likely to feature on the album include Aasman Ki Oor, Dil Ka Raahi and Tarana.

Having released the video for Aasman Ki Oor, the prolific drummer said more videos will be out once the album’s release date draws closer. Even though most of the musicians are opting to release their albums independently in the current scenario, Noori’s latest record being a case in point, Gumby did not rule out the possibility of cutting a deal with a distribution company. “We’ll see what kind of deals the labels offer us.”

Answering a question, the former member of Coke Studio’s house band said his fellow Raahi mates were swamped with side projects, making it “increasingly difficult” to function as a regular band. “Omran [Shafique] has his own projects going on whereas Sameer [Ahmed Bakhtiari] and Ahsan [Bari] are busy with Sounds of Kolachi. I am also producing music for other artists. All of us have our own commitments. Raahi is basically a collaborative project for us.” Gumby is also gearing up to take charge of the drum throne for singer Ali Azmat’s latest album which is currently in the “planning phase”.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2015.

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