Muh Dikhai | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 20, 2015 | |||
Genre | Pop, Sufi, devotional, folk | |||
Length | 51:02 | |||
Label | Times Music | |||
Shafqat Amanat Ali chronology | ||||
|
Muh Dikhai: Unveiling the Songs of Eternal Love ( Hindi: मुँह दिखाई; transl. Revealing One's Face) is the third solo studio album by Pakistani classical and pop singer, songwriter, and composer Shafqat Amanat Ali. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It was released in India on March 20, 2015 by the Times Music label. [6] [7] [8] [9]
The album was released five years after Ali's previous album, Kyun Dooriyan, and does not specifically focus on a particular genre or theme. [3] [10] [11] [12] It features an eclectic mix of pop, folk, ghazal, sentimental ballads, and Sufi devotional songs and includes songs in both Hindi and Punjabi. [7] [13] [14] [15]
Rolling Stone (India) characterized the album as "genre-bending" and "rock-ballad-meets-symphony-meets-Hindustani classical." [16] While discussing the overall tone of the album, Ali stated: "I have given a slight twist to the traditional forms in terms of orchestration and arrangements." [13] Ali has stated that the songs "Rang," "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)," "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab," and "Ratiyaan" were especially significant for him, and that they formed the framework for the rest of the tracks in the album. [1] Muh Dikhai received positive reviews for "fusing various genres to create timeless melodies" [17] and several of its songs topped musical charts across both India and Pakistan. [18]
Ali worked on the album for about three years and composed around 16 tracks for it, ultimately choosing nine of them for release. [14] [19] [20] [21] The track "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" is a popular ghazal originally composed by Ali's father, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan [22] and written by prominent Pakistani poet Nasir Kazmi. [23] [24] The song has previously been sung by Ghulam Ali, Asha Bhonsle, and Pankaj Udhas using traditional ghazal arrangements. However, Ali rendered the song in an unconventional orchestral style for the album, [25] using primarily a vocal-and-piano arrangement, in addition to utilizing the cello and oboe. [26] In an interview with Rolling Stone (India), while referring to this track, Ali remarked: "when you think of ghazals, a certain idea comes to your mind; the conventional pattern usually, which involves tabla and harmonium. I wanted to change that. I wanted to do things differently.” [16] Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah featured in the song's music video [27] which was shot in Mumbai, India [28] [26] by renowned cinematographer Manu Anand, director of photography for Hindi movies such as Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Fan, and Zero. [29] The music video also pays tribute to Pakistani singer Noor Jahan, [30] who sang a version of the ghazal in 1984. [31] [32]
The sentimental ballads in the album—"Ratiyaan," "Tere Liye," and "Tum Nahi Aaye"—revolve around familiar romantic and emotional tropes of longing, loneliness, and memories. Consistent with love ballads, each of the three songs is narrative in nature and slower in tempo. They also follow a strophic form and feature musical arrangements that use acoustic instruments such as pianos, guitars, and orchestral sets. [26]
The album features two Sufi tracks – "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" and "Rang." [14] [33]
Most tracks are written and composed by Shafqat Amanat Ali. [1] The title track "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" is written by noted Indian poet Mohan Singh. [13] [21] "Rang" is written by Amir Khusrau. [35] "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" is written by Nasir Kazmi, [24] composed by Ali's father, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, [22] and arranged by Pakistani record producer Shani Arshad. [37]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Dil Kookay" | 4:25 |
2. | "Janiya" | 4:27 |
3. | "Ratiyaan" | 5:51 |
4. | "Sun Lo" | 5:32 |
5. | "Rang" | 4:36 |
6. | "Tere Liye" | 5:36 |
7. | "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" | 6:12 |
8. | "Tum Nahi Aaye" | 5:38 |
9. | "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" | 8:45 |
Total length: | 51:02 |
Muh Dikhai | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 20, 2015 | |||
Genre | Pop, Sufi, devotional, folk | |||
Length | 51:02 | |||
Label | Times Music | |||
Shafqat Amanat Ali chronology | ||||
|
Muh Dikhai: Unveiling the Songs of Eternal Love ( Hindi: मुँह दिखाई; transl. Revealing One's Face) is the third solo studio album by Pakistani classical and pop singer, songwriter, and composer Shafqat Amanat Ali. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It was released in India on March 20, 2015 by the Times Music label. [6] [7] [8] [9]
The album was released five years after Ali's previous album, Kyun Dooriyan, and does not specifically focus on a particular genre or theme. [3] [10] [11] [12] It features an eclectic mix of pop, folk, ghazal, sentimental ballads, and Sufi devotional songs and includes songs in both Hindi and Punjabi. [7] [13] [14] [15]
Rolling Stone (India) characterized the album as "genre-bending" and "rock-ballad-meets-symphony-meets-Hindustani classical." [16] While discussing the overall tone of the album, Ali stated: "I have given a slight twist to the traditional forms in terms of orchestration and arrangements." [13] Ali has stated that the songs "Rang," "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)," "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab," and "Ratiyaan" were especially significant for him, and that they formed the framework for the rest of the tracks in the album. [1] Muh Dikhai received positive reviews for "fusing various genres to create timeless melodies" [17] and several of its songs topped musical charts across both India and Pakistan. [18]
Ali worked on the album for about three years and composed around 16 tracks for it, ultimately choosing nine of them for release. [14] [19] [20] [21] The track "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" is a popular ghazal originally composed by Ali's father, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan [22] and written by prominent Pakistani poet Nasir Kazmi. [23] [24] The song has previously been sung by Ghulam Ali, Asha Bhonsle, and Pankaj Udhas using traditional ghazal arrangements. However, Ali rendered the song in an unconventional orchestral style for the album, [25] using primarily a vocal-and-piano arrangement, in addition to utilizing the cello and oboe. [26] In an interview with Rolling Stone (India), while referring to this track, Ali remarked: "when you think of ghazals, a certain idea comes to your mind; the conventional pattern usually, which involves tabla and harmonium. I wanted to change that. I wanted to do things differently.” [16] Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah featured in the song's music video [27] which was shot in Mumbai, India [28] [26] by renowned cinematographer Manu Anand, director of photography for Hindi movies such as Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Fan, and Zero. [29] The music video also pays tribute to Pakistani singer Noor Jahan, [30] who sang a version of the ghazal in 1984. [31] [32]
The sentimental ballads in the album—"Ratiyaan," "Tere Liye," and "Tum Nahi Aaye"—revolve around familiar romantic and emotional tropes of longing, loneliness, and memories. Consistent with love ballads, each of the three songs is narrative in nature and slower in tempo. They also follow a strophic form and feature musical arrangements that use acoustic instruments such as pianos, guitars, and orchestral sets. [26]
The album features two Sufi tracks – "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" and "Rang." [14] [33]
Most tracks are written and composed by Shafqat Amanat Ali. [1] The title track "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" is written by noted Indian poet Mohan Singh. [13] [21] "Rang" is written by Amir Khusrau. [35] "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" is written by Nasir Kazmi, [24] composed by Ali's father, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, [22] and arranged by Pakistani record producer Shani Arshad. [37]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Dil Kookay" | 4:25 |
2. | "Janiya" | 4:27 |
3. | "Ratiyaan" | 5:51 |
4. | "Sun Lo" | 5:32 |
5. | "Rang" | 4:36 |
6. | "Tere Liye" | 5:36 |
7. | "Muh Dikhai (Teri Khoj)" | 6:12 |
8. | "Tum Nahi Aaye" | 5:38 |
9. | "Dil Dharhaknay Ka Sabab" | 8:45 |
Total length: | 51:02 |