If there is a light you can’t always see/And there is a world we can’t always be/If there is a dark that we shouldn’t doubt/And there is a light, don’t let it go out.” – ‘Song for Someone’ by U2

We must disengage ourselves from the notion that only artists who appear (or have appeared) on mainstream music platforms like the longstanding music series Coke Studio or the slicker and recent Velo Sound Station are worth our time. The latter has made a comeback after two years, with an original season standing as a rule in what is visually a neon, infrared starry-eyed surprise. It also has a larger goal, which is to represent the best of contemporary music as well give some emerging artists a chance to rise and shine.

Sawali may not be a featured artist on these prominent shows, but he certainly has the potential. As for the term ‘best’, it is subjective when applied to performing arts including music. When you dispense with it and keep an open mind to other countless possibilities, what will become apparent is that the sheer volume and variety in music (of and from) Pakistan will still surprise you.

Reflecting on the evolution of music within a global sense and local sense, the burgeoning electronic, indie, counterculture movements have found a way to make a mark without leaving a horrid sensation in your ears.

A case in point is Cape Monze Records, an indie and electronic record label based out of Karachi. Whenever they release music from an artist, it arrives like a gift from Santa Claus – whether it’s the joyous occasion of Christmas or not.

To that end, the most recent Cape Monze Records (CMR) release is another ferocious example.

You could be enduring blistering days that might feel like some menacing inferno has descended upon you or enjoying rainy days that the monsoon season brings without the fear of a tropical cyclone such as the recent Biparjoy. In both cases and more, what might alleviate your mood is a release from CPR.

Enter Sawali.

In terms of sound, the story of Sawali is one that is as interesting as the music he makes.

“Born in a small village in Sindh, Pakistan, in 1997, Sawali grew up in a family of Sufis. Fascinated by the seamless blending of genres, he developed a deep desire to learn the art of DJing.”

This may have been the start but it also paved the way for his consistent interest in music that culminated in his debut album, Distant Memories in 2019.

From organizing a rave at Ranikot in 2022 to finding and exploring music as he traveled abroad, Sawali has dropped his first EP titled Conveyance with Cape Monze Records.

The years Sawali spent in London from 2016 before returning to Pakistan in 2020 expanded his musical consciousness and were a huge learning opportunity for the artist.

A nod to a nomadic lifestyle and restlessness, the record is a multi-genre effort with electronic, minimalism hints of other genres like jazz, blues and house. Sawali’s EP consists of five songs and he is the latest artist to release music via Cape Monze Records, founded by Daniel Arthur Panjwaneey. It also involves Sana Nasir as Art Director, who moonlights as an individual, brilliant artist.

Since Cape Monze Records has a penchant for releasing terrific music, giving their latest release a listen isn’t a bad idea. Sometimes it is good to get away from what you think you know and go in an unfamiliar direction to find treasure you didn’t even know existed.

– Photo and artwork by Sawali