We hear a lot about the supposed clash of cultures these days. Seemingly intractable ideologies and world views banging heads like rams with massive horns battling for the prized female and ever more territory. Some say it was always thus. Others say it doesn’t exist. But yet the crashing and crunching noises reach our ears with no sign of ceasing anytime soon.



Pakistan is probably the country where in recent years this clash (or whatever you want to call it) has had the most transformative effect. As conservative ‒ let’s not call them traditionalist ‒ elements have been encouraged to take over the public discourse, creative types have been pushed further to the margins or pressured into fearful submission of willful inexpression. And the world has been the poorer for it.



But in those marginal areas and underground hideouts, a minor renaissance of sorts has begun to become evident. Individuals of wealth and taste, bazouq afraad, have always served as patrons of the arts in a country where the governments have rarely invested much in promoting or preserving its deep culture. And once again a handful of individuals are setting up recording studios, cultural lounges and record labels to scratch back a bit of territory from the severe and antiseptic arbiters of public space. This is true in publishing, film making, visual art and music.



In the major cities of Lahore, Islamabad and especially Karachi, a whole bundle of bands are making their music, playing live, recording and uploading their music. Their audiences are small (miniscule, might be more accurate) but for each other they are a community. A group of like-minded individuals who see the world and their country differently. Who see the possibility of a future that does not have to be obscurantist or anachronistic. Listen to this small selection of bands and you’ll understand that the clash of ideas is still alive in the Land of the Pure.



DALT WISNEY

Plums from Pluto







Sheryar Hyatt, regarded as a founding figure of the Karachi musical counter culture, works under various noms de guerre, including the delightfully subversive DALT WISNEY. He creates swirls of electronic sounds, more ambient than dance, to weave an imaginary world where Spaceghosts look with Star Eyes while they suck on Plums from Pluto.



Bumbu Sauce

My Punjabi Love for You







Despite the accompanying video to this track which would have you believe this is a band with a message, Bumbu Sauce see themselves as a band that is deliberately non-political. In a country where politics defines and colours everything, it is not surprising that bands like Islamabad’s Bumbu Sauce choose to occupy parts of the landscape that have been ignored by the Establishment. “People love us because we are NOT political,” said Sheryar, the head Bumbu man. Anger is not the driver to Bumbu Sauce’s music. “We love to have fun, be ridiculous and joyful.” As for the heavy themed video, “It was made by someone without our input. But we love it!”



Sikandar ka Mandar

Main Idhar Khara Hoon







Another Karachi rock band fronted by Nadir Shehzad, who grew up in the cloistered environment of Malir Cantonment near Karachi. Initially into making short comedy videos he began his musical journey singing folky stuff which drew the attention of MTV. For a while he produced and hosted a show for them (until MTV Pakistan collapsed) but now channels his creative energies through Sikandar ka Mandar.



Mole

Brother







In the ’80s and ’90s, Pakistani bands were known for their angry molten love affair with heavy metal, raging against the machine. But the current crop seems to be content to work on a more mellow vibration where melody and sonic atmospheres are a priority over lyric and rhythm. In this clip, Mole, evokes the hand claps of qawwali while creating a sound and sensibility akin to Lemonjelly and other late 90s electronic combos. Mole is also from Karachi.



//orangenoise

On the Run







The link between the heavy sounds of the past and the present day, this “shoegazer” Karachi outfit, //orangenoise illustrates again that the best music west of Wagah maybe made underground but it celebrates fun. And is damn good too.



