Kyun Dooriyan - Shafqat Amanat Ali
March 5, 2010

After the spellbinding debut, Tabeer, Shafqat’s second album sure comes loaded with expectations. Kyun dooriyan plays it in typical Shafqat-style fusion and is generously helped by Nabeel Nihal’s energetic guitar, while Kya haal sunawan sounds straight out of a Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy soundtrack. Jaayein kahan’s ambitious groove tries too many things, unsuccessfully, but Shafqat’s reworking of Raju’s original track, Mahiya, does the trick, with its beautifully laid out ballad’ish tune that has a strange connection with The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody! After a pensive start, the traditional folk wedding tune in Naukar tere is absolutely scintillating in the way it is arranged. Aamir Zaki’s guitars boom all over the pulsating Naal naal – stupendous sound that is incredibly addictive! Comparatively, Saada dil, while sounding adequately interesting, has the end-of-his-career Ali Haider sound. Paharhi  is where our man lets fully loose his magical vocals wrapped in breathtaking orchestration appropriate for the soulful thumri. Tu hi sanam is largely filmy and is saved only by Shafqat’s vocals, while the 26/11 tribute, Wo jaanta hai is a solemn attempt, lyrically. Tabeer’s Kartar makes it appearance again and is a mesmerizing listen. Kyun dooriyan doesn’t scale up to Tabeer’s high, but is still a compelling listen.