First a poet, then a singer: Irfan Ali Taj hits the mark with “Thak Gaya Hoon” – Culture

33-year-old Irfan Ali Taj has hit the nail on the head with “Thak Gaya Hoon,” his latest single with Varqa Faraid.

There was a time when Taj would regularly respond to song requests at jam sessions in Karachi. When he played ‘Thak Gaya Hoon’ on his acoustic guitar, he would transport you to the idyllic Chitral Valley. You could feel his soul dancing somewhere between his quiet hometown and the bustling metropolis that was so dear to his heart.

Taj is no ordinary artist – he is very wise for his age and grateful for his gifts. I say this because he has used them well. The singer strives to preserve the traditional Chitrali sound and redefine it. So far, his attempts have been successful without becoming superficial.

The artist came with Mahala full Chitrali-language album in 2022. The catalogue is his best work yet – ‘Khoshan’ is my personal favourite – and he knows it. But ‘Thak Gaya Hoon’ is a departure from everything he’s done before, and a testament to his ability to seamlessly blend tradition with contemporary sounds.

Built around the festive beats and unusual time signatures characteristic of Chitrali music, the production of ‘Thak Gaya Hoon’ is entirely electronic. The lyrical depth of the piece and Taj’s delivery, which resembles the poetry and flow of Qawwali, coupled with his soulful vocals and catchy music, transcend genres.

“The song is unique even to my audience because while I have always used acoustic instruments like rabab, guitars and sitar in my music, this track has been produced entirely electronically,” Taj tells me. “The difference lies in the sonic preference. The production is relevant and at the same time very fresh to the ears. A key element that I have incorporated in ‘Thak Gaya Hoon’ is the celebratory beat that is commonly used in Chitral music. This rhythm is deeply rooted in my cultural heritage and I learnt it while growing up in Chitral.”

One fine day, while playing the rhythm on his guitar, the melody for “Thak Gaya Hoon” came to Taj’s mind. He wanted to write a happy song using this rhythm, but accidentally played the minor chords, creating a lament and reflection on life, death and the loss of a loved one.

Taj is a poet first and a singer second – you can tell that from almost all of his songs. There is not a single song whose lyrics leave something to be desired. What I found most interesting about “Thak Gaya Hoon” was the poetic depth it offered so gracefully, coupled with the lyrical wordplay. The repetition of “basa” and other rhyming words makes the whole song extremely catchy.

“After the divorce from Mr. Soorat (x7) / After the divorce from Mr. Soorat (x7) (I’m tired of seeing your face in my dreams / I’m tired of playing the tunes of this sad world),” Taj sings laconically.

The decision for a vocal solo is also very qawwali-like, without the vocal acrobatics. When he sings “Wafa ke Sookhey Patton Ko Jala (x7) k Thak Gaya Hoon / Tere Khonay Ka Gham Dil Mein Daba (x7) k Thak Gaya Hoon (I’m tired of burning the withered leaves of trust / I’m tired of holding the sorrow of losing you in my heart)” practically ties the entire song together.

Talking about the unique time signature, Taj said, “In Chitral, people often find the 4/4 time signature more difficult than the 7, 6 or even 5 or 3.5 that are more commonly used. The beat in ‘Thak Gaya Hoon’ reflects this tradition.”

More than a “Chitrali artist”

Fed up of being labelled a ‘Chitralian artist’, Taj sees himself as a musical storyteller with a penchant for crossing linguistic boundaries. “I don’t want to label or restrict my creative expression. I don’t know what language or genre my next song will be in and I want it to stay that way. People in our country like to label others and I have had problems being called a rababist just for using the word rabab in my music or a folk artist for writing a few folk songs. For me, it’s just that I love music.”

Taj draws inspiration from various genres – from folk to jazz – and tries to capture the universal essence of human experience in his songs. Navigating the complexities of the Pakistani music industry, Taj says that while he hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves, “the struggle is very important for any artist to grow.”

“Coke Studio is not the benchmark”

It’s a wonder that someone like Taj isn’t in the latest season of Coca-Cola Studioalthough the show prides itself on its standards of inclusivity. “I think it’s too early to expect Chitrali music to reach the mainstream,” says Taj. “The lack of studios in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan has prevented artists from meeting their production needs. Despite the restrictions, you can find someone in almost every household sitting in the shade of a mulberry tree playing Chitrali sitar. Yet in the rest of Pakistan, this music remains hidden.”

Taj hopes that with bands like Qashqarian and their music reaching a wider audience, artists from Chitral will get a chance to perform on the national stage.”Coca-Cola Studio featured the song ‘Pareek’ featuring the Kalasha girls and that is the only song from Chitral that has been part of the platform so far. Frankly, I hate that people have started using Coca-Cola as a benchmark because it can make the songs sell in millions. Who said that what sells better is better? In this case, bottled water should be better than fresh spring water.”

Taj recognizes Coca-Cola Studio as a “brilliant platform for recognition,” but stresses that this is no guarantee of longevity. “I don’t think I’ve gotten the recognition I deserve, but I know my art will live forever,” he says.

As the sun sets over the majestic peaks of Chitral, Taj’s melodies still echo through the valleys, carrying the promise of a musical legacy that knows no boundaries.