It has to be said that none of us were expecting Mr. Faisal Kapadia to release a full-fledged solo album at all. But he has done so in the first quarter of the new year to our collective surprise.

Our reasoning for not having such an expectation is simple: releasing singles, music videos, and EPs is how music is released now, especially in this part of the world.

The purpose of artists who do so is to not get lost in the unprecedented number of releases that appear each year and increase with newer artists joining the ranks. The idea, for every artist, is to ultimately stand out. They hope to leave a lasting impression on each and every listener.

For example, just think of last year and you will realize that for every LP that came out, twice as many EPs and/or singles were released.

There are always exceptions like Talal Qureshi (Turbo), Natasha Noorani (Ronaq) and Slowspin (TALISMAN) – all of whom released LPs in 2023 and found a spot in our permanent collection of music.

Others, too, did make valiant efforts.

But releasing an LP in the beginning of the year is a bold call. And yet, Mr. Kapadia has done just that without creating too much brouhaha. Props to him for having the courage to do so.

In the case of Mr. Kapadia, his comeback as a solo artist (after Strings disbanded) was solidified with releases such as ‘Jaadu’ and ‘Hum Na Rahay’ (with Zoha Zuberi).

But an album is a whole other ballgame.

However, now that we have registered it, let’s see what else we know.

Releasing singles, music videos, and EPs is how music is released now, and the trend grows each year with newer artists joining the ranks. The idea is for every artist to stand out. But releasing an LP in the beginning of the year is a bold call. And yet, Faisal Kapadia has done just that without creating too much brouhaha.

Both of his solo efforts: ‘Jaadu’ and ‘Hum Na Rahay’ (with Zoha Zuberi) are part of the record but they’re not the only collaborations.

The record, titled, Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye, features 8 songs in total and out of those songs, there are 4 solo songs and 4 collaborations.

It would be best if you discover each and every song on your own. We will dissect the record, minutely, in the coming days ahead, but for the time being, we are rejoicing in the sheer notion of a Faisal Kapadia album. His voice is so unique that it may as well have its own audience.

Another fact is that Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye has been released by Mr. Kapadia on his own record label, Twenty Nine Records. What fruit is borne of it also remains to be seen.

Just like no one foresaw Mr. Kapadia’s collaborative appearance in Coke Studio 14 with Young Stunners for the song ‘Phir Milenge’, the album leaves one with similar euphoria, amplified to a higher degree. Whether he flies or not will be determined in the coming days.

Our advice: listen to the record and decide for yourself if Zindagi Jahaan Le Jaaye has the potential to find a space in your collection of permanent records or is draped in hubris and can be discarded easily. Our bet is that it will fall in the former category.