(or Sufi folk rock)
The notes change “clothes” per place, but never their true composition …
How it sounds
Like Indian food without curry.
A mix of Indian folk with psychedelic rock and a bit of Anatolian rock with AOR and pop-rock of the ’80s.
All this in languages such as Urdu, Pashto, Punjabi, Sindhi, Persian, and Turkish.
It is basically melodic poetry by Arab poets such as Rumi, Hafez, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah, and Kabir.
Why listen to it
It has an interesting and unique approach to rock in general and can offer ideas for new musical paths.
Why not
Because in the countries it was created it does not lend itself to evolution and is generally rather subdued in relation to the musical ingenuity of the “westerners”
Where we meet it
Pakistan, India, and Turkey
When did it start
From the mid-’90s
Who are the pioneers
Essentially the Junoon, who combined rock music with Sufi folk music*.
The term was first used by Pakistani journalist Nadeem F. Paracha to describe the sound of the band above
You have to listen
Mekaal Hasan Band, Swaraag, Zeb and Haniya, Haider Rahman, Ali Zafar.
Days of glory
These countries have had a stable audience since the 1990s.
Red card
The thriving political situation of the countries, as well as their superstitions and prejudices, greatly limits their musical expression.
Language is also a limiting factor.
What is it confused with
With Anatolian rock, many more times with pop and folk of these countries.
How do you describe it to an irrelevant
Some Pakistanis and Indians try to play rock from the ’60s, but it looks more like traditional Anatolian music.