Eluvium and Margalla
by Zeldaru
August 10th,
2012
I interviewed Pakistani musician
Asfandyar Khan out of Islamabad, Pakistan via email; I was unable to have a
video call interview with him. Throughout this ethnography I will refer to his
email response. To see his responses in full please see the last two pages. On
a side note, I did not receive permission to release a picture of him.
Historical and
Musical Background
Pakistan was created from the
Partition of 1947 where the country was split from India as per both countries’
agreement with the British. Though Pakistan is relatively new, the country has
history dating back to its days as a part of British India and earlier. The
Muslim influence in the country is strong and Muslim traditions firmly
influence both behavior and law. Many Pakistani laws are in fact based on
Sharia, or Muslim law. Many other customs also result from Islam. For example,
pork and alcohol are not served in restaurants. Another example is the cultural
stigma against unmarried couples.
The Muslim influence carries into
the music: Pakistan is known for Sufi musicians that play devotional Islamic
music. A well known form of Sufi music is known as Qawwali. Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, a singer from the Punjab region in Pakistan, is considered to be one of
the greatest Qawwali singers of all time. These Sufi musicians do not, however,
represent the only forms of Pakistani traditional music. The North Indian
tradition of Hindustani music plays a large role here and introduces
instruments such as the tabla, which bears Islamic influence.[1]
Asfandyar notes, “Traditional Pakistani music has always been very vocals
oriented.”[2]
Singing is quite important to the traditional music from this region.
Modernization has brought an influx
of Western musical influences into Pakistan. Many modern Pakistani acts either
incorporate Western elements or play it. Traditional music still, however,
plays a significant role. Some bands, such as Laal and Junoon, play a style
known as Sufi Rock[3] that is inspired by
musicians such as Ali Khan. At the same time Coke Studio[4]
provides public attention for musicians that fuse traditional elements with hip
hop beats, rock influences, and other modern sounds.
The Musician Himself
The musician I chose, Asfandyar
Khan, I found with the help of my older sister who had actually met him before.
Another coincidence was that I had already been listening to this musician for
a while before given a chance to interview him. At the same time I was curious
to hear about what exactly he cited as an influence. He lives in Islamabad, the
capital of Pakistan. Relative to the other major cities of Pakistani, Karachi
and Lahore, Islamabad is a stable, safe place, though it is considered to be
fairly expensive as far as living costs go. He utilizes bandcamp[5] to
distribute his material himself.
Asfandyar uses his own name rather
than an alternate stage persona of some kind. He grew to want to create music,
specifically noting that he lacked this desire when he was younger. At age 16
or so he realized that he wished to make music, so he taught himself guitar
using Youtube, forgoing the usual guitar lessons. He did not have any formal
training of any kind other than from the internet. Over time he grew to
appreciate the piano as well as an instrument to play. He lists his motivation
to make music as “a combination of wanting to create something inherently
artistic and wanting to give voice to all these ideas/structures/melodies I had
in my head.” Furthermore, he makes instrumental music due to his musical
preferences and his belief that he cannot sing.
Asfandyar Khan’s music can be best
described as a mixture of ambient music and post rock[6]. He
plays the guitar and keyboard, both of which he plays in his music. These
instruments both present influences to his music. In his words, “[T]he guitar
influences me more in terms of experimenting with sound and structure, whereas
the keyboard/piano inspires me to write very straightforward, heart-on-the-sleeve
sort of minimalist classical music.” He listed the cello as having a vague
influence as well. Musically his sound, and the instruments he plays, places
him in a global music-culture that stems from the Western perception of music.
At the same time he is accepting of music reviewing sites such as Allmusic and
Pitchfork that quantify music; in this respect these sites are quite Western.
These reviewing sites, though they primarily review albums, bring light to
up-and-coming musicians by giving favorable reviews. In particular, Pitchfork’s
Best New Music section showcases what the editors consider to be the best music
currently being released.
His stated influences are not
traditional; many of them are actually quite modern. He lists Western Classical
and rock as music he grew up with. The only (intentional) traditional
influences on Asfandyar’s music appear to be Norwegian folk music. Asfandyar
describes traditional Pakistani music as being very vocals oriented; he favors
more instrumental-based music, indicating that this music is not a conscious
influence. As a result all of his favorite bands and inspirations “reside to
the West of Pakistan.”
Eluvium, Philip Glass, Tim Hecker,
and Stars of the Lid inspire Asfandyar’s music the most, which makes complete
sense. Philip Glass is known for creating experimental minimalist music while
the other three bands compose soothing ambient music; both of these styles
heavily play a role in Asfandyar’s music. Another influence is the nature
around Islamabad including the neighboring Margalla Hills[7]; to
him the city he lives in is gorgeous and serene, rather than boring or ugly.
The musician sums up the role of nature in his music-making quite nicely.
Asfandyar said, “Nature generally puts me at ease, which in turn lets me write
music without the inanities of life poking and peering in.” Nature is not a
conscious influence but it indirectly helps him write music. For Asfandyar
surroundings play a role in shaping the music and are not complete distinct
from the music-writing itself.
The Act of Creation
Ambient music is a production based
form of music[8] and as a result making an
ambient piece requires one to heavily consider how production will occur. A
recording can be drastically changed in production to create a different sound,
which makes musical approach very important for this style. Asfandyar says that
he tries to “grow musically by incorporating ideas and themes into my music
that I previously wasn't aware of, or didn't have the guts to do.” As an
ambient musician he has the power to make many changes after a recording.
Another approach he mentioned is taking an instrument and creating a drone,
thereby stripping the instrument of its original timbre and characteristics.
The four main musical influences he
listed each inspire his musical approach. The main idea behind minimalism –
using repetition to take a motif and build upon it – inspires his approach,
which is why he considers Philip Glass so influential. Tim Hecker’s ability to
take noise and still create something beautiful also inspires Asfandyar. At the
same time, Stars of the Lid and Eluvium’s ability to create melodic, beautiful,
and memorable music provides an influence as well. In his music Asfandyar
creates atmospheric and meandering yet soft pieces that relate back to these
influences, especially Stars of the Lid.
Through these influences and his
approach to music, Asfandyar hopes to grow musically. To hear his music, check
out his bandcamp page or listen to the YouTube video linked in the musical resources
section.
World Music?
Strictly speaking, Asfandyar Khan’s
music is not world music due to its lack of regional sound or instrumentation.
This strict definition of world music overlooks the complexity of regionalism
and its impact upon the music-making process. His music features Western
instrumentation but there are subconscious influences from his surroundings.
Living in Islamabad has an impact upon his music and though the world is
globalizing regionalism still has a strong role. Consider the band Wolves in
the Throne Room who hail from Olympia, Washington: they cite the Pacific
Northwest as one of their major influences.[9] Other
examples exist, including Calexico[10] who
makes music reminiscent of the desert. They are from Arizona, which makes this
influence pertinent. At the same time, my own music, made under the moniker of
Zeldaru, oftentimes has a cold, rainy sound to it. My song “Statues” was
written about the eruption of Mt. St. Helens[11], a
volcano in Washington, and as a result carries an icy sound. Asfandyar Khan may
not utilize traditional instrumentation but his music still reflects
regionalism. In the interview Asfandyar noted that the Margalla Hills were an
influence along with Eluvium and that Islamabad’s serenity was another
influence. Serene is an appropriate word to describe ambient music as well, so
one can see how the influence coincides with the music itself. Furthermore,
knowledge of an artist’s background can, especially where they life, impact how
a listener perceives music. Arguably, yes, Asfandyar’s music is world music in
some respects if regionalism is considered.
Asfandyar Khan does not make
traditional music but at the same time he creates a distinctive sound by
integrating his influences with his style and his own views about music. He
does not use folk instrumentation but at the same time he still connects with
Islamabad, where he makes music. Interviewing him gave insight into the
mechanics of music-making in spite of his music not resembling the folk
traditions from a partial region. This music ethnography explored a more modern
sound but one that is Pakistani in origin. Pakistan’s modern music-culture is
vibrant and more significant than simply a carbon copy of Western music.
Musical Resources:
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with guitarist Michael Brook: “Mustt
Mustt”
Nusrat is considered one of the greatest and most prolific
Sufi singers. He was also interested in fusing traditional and modern music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGS--kKQXH4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGS--kKQXH4
Asfandyar Khan: “Hello, Morocco”
To see more of his music, check out his bandcamp account.
Junoon: “Saeen”
Junoon is one of the leading Sufi Rock groups.
Eluvium: “Leaves Eclipse the Light”
Eluvium (Matthew Cooper) is an ambient musician from
Portland, Oregon.
Tim Hecker: “The Piano Drop”
Tim Hecker is a Canadian ambient musician who utilizes
elements of noise.
Stars of the Lid: “Sun Drugs”
Stars of the Lid are a Texan ambient group.
Zeldaru: “Statues”
Zeldaru is a musician out of Portland, Oregon who fuses
ambient, modern classical, and rock music.
Mogwai: “Superheroes of BMX”
Mogwai is one of the most well known post-rock groups.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PUYL039PBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PUYL039PBw
Calexico: “Ballad of Cable Hogue”
Calexico fuses Mexican music with an American indie rock
style. The desert appears to be a significant influence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mIdSUlHmiI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mIdSUlHmiI
Wolves in the Throne Room: “I Will Lay Down My Bones Among
The Rocks and Roots”
Wolves in the Throne Room is a black metal band from Washington inspired by nature; they also show a distinct ambient influence in their approach.
Wolves in the Throne Room is a black metal band from Washington inspired by nature; they also show a distinct ambient influence in their approach.
The E-mail Interview With Asfandyar
*Conducted over email: Questions sent on August 4th
and answers were received on August 6th.
Q: What inspired you
to start making music? Did you study it through a formal teacher-and-lesson
with an instrument or did you just decide 'what the heck, I'll just do it?' What
instruments did you start with?
A: I'm not entirely certain what exactly made me want to
start making music. I think it was a combination of wanting to create something
inherently artistic and wanting to give voice to all these
ideas/structures/melodies I had in my head. I didn't always want to write music
however. That is to say, I didn't want to make music when I was 8 or 10. My
desire to play an instrument and make music came, as a result, fairly late,
when I was 16. I started with a guitar, but I didn't have any formal training.
The internet was all I had.
Q: What instruments
do you play? How does playing these instruments inspire your music? Do any
instruments that you do not play inspire your music? If so, which ones?
A: I play the guitar and the keyboard. Both these
instruments do inspire me. More the piano than the guitar these days, because
I've gotten immensely used the sound of the guitar and the piano just sounds
impeccable and pristine. Both instruments do however inspire me differently -
the guitar influences me more in terms of experimenting with sound and
structure, whereas the keyboard/piano inspires me to write very
straightforward, heart-on-the-sleeve sort of minimalist classical music. I
think the only other instrument that inspires me in this regard would be the
cello, and it too inspires me in a manner similar to that of the piano.
Q: How has Pakistani
traditional music influenced - whether directly or subtly - you if it has at
all? What about contemporary Pakistani music?
A: Unfortunately I can't say whether traditional or
contemporary Pakistani music has influenced me, because it hasn't consciously
done so. Now whether there's that traditional/contemporary element in my music
is something I'm not certain of, but if it does exist it definitely wouldn't be
because it was a conscious decision. I grew up on Western Classical and rock
bands like America, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie etc. Traditional Pakistani music
has always been very vocals oriented, and I have never been one for that. As a result
all my favourite bands and inspirations reside to the West of Pakistan.
Q: What about the
contemporary and/or traditional music from other countries?
A: I don't think any traditional/local music of other
countries has influenced me either, except maybe some Norwegian folk music like
Tenhi.
Q: What do you think
of sites like Pitchfork and Allmusic? Do they play an important role of any
kind in the music process?
A: I think sites like Pitchfork and Allmusic are brilliant. I think all music sites and blogs are brilliant, because they're giving space to lots of unknown indie bands as well as supporting scenes/genres/ideas. I don't think any one site is better than another however, because though you'll have a site like Pitchfork for the bigger indie bands and all, you'd also have blogs like nofearofpop.com for acts like myself who aren't famous but who still (allegedly) make music that's good enough to be heard.
A: I think sites like Pitchfork and Allmusic are brilliant. I think all music sites and blogs are brilliant, because they're giving space to lots of unknown indie bands as well as supporting scenes/genres/ideas. I don't think any one site is better than another however, because though you'll have a site like Pitchfork for the bigger indie bands and all, you'd also have blogs like nofearofpop.com for acts like myself who aren't famous but who still (allegedly) make music that's good enough to be heard.
Q: What bands/artists
influence you and why do they have such an influence?
A: Eluvium, Philip Glass, Tim Hecker and Stars of the Lid are probably my greatest inspirations when it comes to the sort of music I make. Eluvium (or Matthew Cooper) because I think his approach to writing music is fantastic because it's intelligent and well though out. Moreover I don't think anything he's ever made has been mediocre. Philip Glass is a significant reason why I'm a minimalist - I love the idea of repetition in music and of taking a motif and building on it. Tim Hecker because he employs lots of noise in his music but does it in an incredible manner where his music still remains enormous amounts of melody. Stars of the Lid because they just make the most beautiful, gentle music one can imagine. All these guys feed into ideas about the sort of music I'd love to make - music that's effortlessly melodic, melancholy and beautiful (SoTL, Eluvium), music that incorporates the very worthwhile ideas minimalism operates under (Glass) and music that's able to deconstruct itself and implement something like noise yet still retain all its properties and ideals (Hecker).
A: Eluvium, Philip Glass, Tim Hecker and Stars of the Lid are probably my greatest inspirations when it comes to the sort of music I make. Eluvium (or Matthew Cooper) because I think his approach to writing music is fantastic because it's intelligent and well though out. Moreover I don't think anything he's ever made has been mediocre. Philip Glass is a significant reason why I'm a minimalist - I love the idea of repetition in music and of taking a motif and building on it. Tim Hecker because he employs lots of noise in his music but does it in an incredible manner where his music still remains enormous amounts of melody. Stars of the Lid because they just make the most beautiful, gentle music one can imagine. All these guys feed into ideas about the sort of music I'd love to make - music that's effortlessly melodic, melancholy and beautiful (SoTL, Eluvium), music that incorporates the very worthwhile ideas minimalism operates under (Glass) and music that's able to deconstruct itself and implement something like noise yet still retain all its properties and ideals (Hecker).
Q: How are you
growing musically?
A: I try to grow musically by incorporating ideas and themes
into my music that I previously wasn't aware of, or didn't have the guts to do.
I try to experiment with sound and instruments - e.g taking a piano based
melody, editing it and turning it into a drone, thereby stripping it of it's
original qualities and sound.
Q: Why did you choose
to make instrumental music?
A: I chose to make instrumental music primarily because I can't sing. I do believe that I'd have made ambient music even if I could sing, or was in a band however.
A: I chose to make instrumental music primarily because I can't sing. I do believe that I'd have made ambient music even if I could sing, or was in a band however.
Q: Any major
non-musical influences? (For example, some music I've made has been inspired by
nature, rather than a particular artist or band.)
A: Nature does play a significant role in inspiring me. I love the fact that the city I love in, Islamabad, is gorgeous and rests just beneath the Margalla Hills. It makes for a good life when I can step out of my room, or look out the window and see the Margallas. Nature generally puts me at ease, which in turn lets me write music without the inanities of life poking and peering in.
A: Nature does play a significant role in inspiring me. I love the fact that the city I love in, Islamabad, is gorgeous and rests just beneath the Margalla Hills. It makes for a good life when I can step out of my room, or look out the window and see the Margallas. Nature generally puts me at ease, which in turn lets me write music without the inanities of life poking and peering in.
Q: Does living in
Islamabad influence your music?
A: Absolutely. As stated in the last answer, I love the
calmness of this city. Though others decry it as 'banal' or 'dead', Islamabad
has a serenity to it that no other major city in Pakistan does. It's relaxed,
meandering and almost carefree.
Works Cited
1.
Reck, David B. “India/South India.”
Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World’s Peoples.
Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World’s Peoples.
Jeff Todd Titon.
Schirmer CENGAGE Learning.
179-213. Book.
179-213. Book.
3. Ashgar, Rob. “A Rock And Roll
Jihad For The Soul of Pakistan.” Huffington
Post.
6
May 2009. Web. 9 Aug 2012.
8. “Bio.” Wolves in the
Throne Room. Wolves in the Throne Room. Web. 9 Aug 2012.
[1] Hindustani music is the
classical music of North India; it bears a Muslim influence from the Moghuls
who fused elements indigenous to India
[2] See “The Email Interview
With Asfandyar Khan.”
[3] Sufi Rock is the fusion of
Sufi classical music and rock. The term is most associated with the Pakistani
band Junoon.
[4] Coke Studio is a Pakistani
music television series which features live studio-recorded music performances;
the show is produced by the Coca Cola Company.
[5] His bandcamp page: http://asfandyarkhan.bandcamp.com/
[6] Post rock is a modern
movement of instrumental rock; it is considered to be an extension of ambient
music.
[7] The Margalla Hills are foothills
of the Himalayas located outside of Islamabad.
[8] Ambient music features a
lot of sound manipulation. I know this fact from personal experience.
[9] Wolves in the Throne Room
is a black metal band who take influence from the woods that dominate a lot of
the Pacific Northwest.
[10] Calexico mixes
traditional Hispanic musical elements with an indie rock sound.
[11] Mt. St. Helens erupted on
May 18, 1980 in the morning.
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