The weekly mixtape, 08

In this week’s edition of learning just a little bit more about the diverse listening habits of local musicians, Instep speaks to co-founder of Rushk, Uns Mufti; Mekaal Hasan (founder of Mekaal Hasan Band and a gifted producer) and (filmmaker/indie music giant) Nadir Shehzad Khan, about music on their playlist.Uns MuftiOne such name and a man of many talents including co-founding Rushk is Uns Mufti. His taste in music may feel dialectic, a little like the songs he makes but it’s a fascinating list of music. When responding to the question of 5 artists and/or 5 tracks he’s been listening to lately, Uns revealed that the 5 albums he has been listening to are: “Lux Prima by Karen O and Danger Mouse, Crack the Skye by Mastodon, Flamagra by Flying Lotus, Veteran by JPEGMAFIA and Cowboy Bebop original soundtrack by Yoko Kanno.” For the top 5 tracks that Uns has been listening to, the songwriter chose to share with Instep: “‘Be Honest feat. Burna Boy’ by Jorja Smith, ’20/20’ by Kojey Radical, ‘No Halo’ by Brockhampton, ‘Really Don’t Like You feat. Kylie Minogue’ by Tove Lo and ‘Triumph of a Heart’ by Bjork.”Nadir Shehzad KhanNadir Shehzad Khan of Sikandar Ka Mandar, who is also pursuing a career in filmmaking, told Instep about the music on his playlist. “I’ve been listening to a lot of singer-songwriters these days for songwriting inspiration. Here’s a list of people I’ve been listening to: Mac Demarco – his simple song structures and his devil may care attitude is infectious; he’s like a good friend that I never had.Father John Misty – another really profound (yet oddly very funny) songwriter that I admire a lot. He also makes me very sad because of his perspective of society. Childish Gambino – Childish Gambino sort of bridged the gap between rap and alternative music in contemporary music. He’s another songwriting genius that I love.Tyler the Creator – Tyler is nuts, he’s one of the most unique rappers currently and has one of the best live sounds (in my opinion) when it comes to his genre.Red velvet/BTS and a special mention to K-pop and how it’s taken over the world. K-pop has a very disciplined approach towards songwriting, production and performance. ‘K-idols’ are trained for years by production companies before they release stuff to the public, and their infectious melodies and production value really shows and I respect K-pop for what it is. Red velvet and BTS are a couple of my favourite K-pop bands.” Mekaal HasanMoving on to master musician, songwriter, guitarist and producer, Mekaal Hasan – also known for his group, MHB – when asked about what music he is listening to, well, the answers showcased his knowledge as both producer and an artist. Mekaal Hasan noted a number of names that he feels others should explore. “European Mantra: This is Hungary’s top prog-rock band and I was introduced to them by their drummer, Gergo Borlai, who is one of the absolute greatest drummers around. Their record, The, is [available] on iTunes and I highly recommend them to fans of rock and progressive music. The compositions, playing and ensemble playing is world class.”Some other artists Mekaal Hasan recommended include names such as Herbie Hancock. “I love Herbie Hancock’s music and his impact on the jazz world and the world of music is immeasurable and immense. The records I’ve been hearing again and again are the immortal Maiden Voyage and Empyrean Isles records. These are timeless works and a great introduction to jazz for people curious about where to start and who to listen to. Newer listeners of jazz should definitely start with Maiden Voyage to hear a great example of the best of modal jazz and post-bop jazz.”Mekaal further noted, “Madeline Peyroux: The modern day reincarnation of the legendary Billie Holliday, Madeline Peyroux is a sublime interpreter of songs that are considered classics. Her outstanding band is with her every step of the way in their interpretations of classics, be it a Ray Charles composition or a Bob Dylan song or an Elliot Smith tune. I’d recommend starting with the Careless Love record and then moving onto Secular Hymns and The Blue Room. All her records are beautiful and will bring a sense of serenity and calm to you. If you’ve not checked out jazz and blues music, then this lady’s work would be a great start!Solid Air by John Martyn; this 1973 record was discovered during the days when I was working with Zeb and Haniya on their debut record. Haniya asked me to check out John Martyn and when I heard this record, it became one of my absolute favorites. The writing and musicianship is sublime, and John Martyn’s superb acoustic guitar playing and his hypnotic, brooding voice makes this one of the finest folk jazz records you could ever hope to experience.”

from The News International - Instep Today https://ift.tt/2ltq9w1