::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Music

Taking a step aside

Elita Karim

The Geetanjali music store on level 6 of Basundhara City was crowded with music lovers and fans eagerly waiting for autographs on their copies of Krittodasher Nirbaan, Tahsan's second solo album, released on Christmas under the G-series banner and sponsored by Pepsi.

Tahsan has been described as a romantic, a dreamer who has put a bit of his spiritualism and mysticism in every track. Not only is he a talented composer, singer and keyboard player, Tahsan Rahman Khan is now very popular for his role in Kaacher Manush, a serial on ntv. Having appeared on a television advertisement a while ago, he is also known as the 'cool' TV anchor along with Kushum Shikdar on the Lux Photogenic Contest.

Tahsan was working on Krittodasher Nirbaan for some time now. While the lyrics and the basic compositions were made immediately after the release of his first album Kothopokothon, he had begun the arrangements on his instruments only six months ago.

There are obvious differences in this album compared to the first one. For instance, the pure acoustic sound that has been used, besides the fact that Tahsan has made an extra effort to experiment with new sounds, ideas and vocals.

Out of the 12 tracks in the album, music lovers would probably be attracted to Shosta Khob, Kichukhon, Chander Haat, Sroter Sheshe and Ayna. Listeners will be thrilled to experience Tahsan's acoustic piano, flute by Zubaer (Shosta Khob) and Guitars by Russel (Krittodasher Nirbaan and Chayar Shorir). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by GM Zooel.

Tahsan informs that Chander Haat, track 9, is probably one number from the album, lingering within him even now. "It was truly a challenge singing this number," he says. "This song has been composed in four scales and I had a lot of fun singing it."

Shosta Khob, track 2 in the list, is a soothing number where Tahsan mingles the melodies of Zubaer's flute and acoustic guitars. His voice stretches out right in the end mixing with the harmony. The flute piece, very small yet heart-warming, leaves the listeners asking for more.

Tahsan has been trained in music at Chayyanaut and has had an exposure to traditional instruments and compositions as a young boy. This is apparent in Nirannoboy, track 6 of the album, where sounds of the tabla and other classical instruments have been used. His voice has also taken on a deep, throaty texture, which compliments the arrangement and the composition of the particular number.

Something which is very much obvious in this album is Tahsan's ability to experiment with elements of music and a variety of ideas, thus having the listener getting the feel of his emotions in every number. For instance, his Ekattor, track 8, is about the liberation war and the atrocities that the people of this country had to go through to win their freedom.

A graduate from IBA, Tahsan is now a student of the MBA programme in IBA. However, he plans to go abroad and study Sound Engineering. "Sound quality is extremely significant to any musician," he explains. "The Late Mobin bhai had a vast knowledge on sound engineering and how to deal with sound quality. I probably would not be able to be as good as him, but he has surely inspired me enough to take the step."

Tahsan plays the keys and sings with the band Black. How is his solo career going to make an impact on his 'band identity'? "Every musician has his or her own identity within and undoubtedly I along with the others in the band, make up Black," he says. "However, I also have ideas quite different and diversified as compared to Black as a musical genre. My solo projects are merely explorations of the inner creativity and dimensions of music that I have within me. I don't think it would make a major impact on my 'band profile' whatsoever."

Clearly, Krittodasher Nirbaan is a small compilation of Tahsan's thoughts and his reflections of life. Heavily influenced by Coldplay and Sting during the making of this album he remarks "We all believe in evolution of some kind or the other. I believe in the evolution of the soul. Most of my compositions have been based on this philosophy," he says with his boyish smile.