Zayn Malik and Ashoka

Today I have some music for you by an artist that has blown up even after his time being on one of the biggest boy bands in the world. Zayn Malik has finally broken away from the pack and is riding alone. I love that though! It has given him a time to do other things and develop his own personal song style. And even though I would classify him as a more R&B singer, he still manages to make this style something completely his own. From the way the beats sound to the overall synthesizer sound of the album, to the fact that he definitely took the time to mess with the mixing and producing of the song is pretty awesome. This song is one that has not been played on the radio and I don't believe it dropped as a single either. Well that is kind of cool! Now speaking of  performing and singing, the best thing about this album is that the songs got better and better and even more unique. When the singles for this album dropped, I was expecting those songs to be the only ones that were unique on the album. Part of me thought a lot of the songs would sound similar or would be about similar things, that there would not be a vast array of emotions and sounds to listen to. But I was very wrong, because this is one of the greatest albums I have heard all year. Zayn Malik did such a fantastic job with this album, as did his musicians and producers. Because this album is so beautifully diverse, so brilliantly composed, we get to hear the vast range that Zayn Malik has in terms of pitch and style. The main trademark is the clipped beats, intriguingly mysterious and hazy embellishment, and the stunningly crisp falsetto vocals. But along with that, we get a lot of funk, a lot of depth, and things from slow ballads to more energetic romantic songs. Now this song especially stood out for me on the album. Zayn Malik is a man who takes his heritage very seriously, someone who fully embraces and loves his heritage. And with that, we get a song that is sung completely in the language Urdu. Throwing in a new language, that is something unseen and unheard of. The lyrical meaning of the song makes it something that is indescribable and profound. This is unlike the rest of the album, and I haven't seen this kind of language mixing from any other popular artist. That creates something special for the audience, exposing them to something  new and wonderful. It also gives the listeners a chance to understand the artist on a deeper level, beyond that of just an idol or figure. But for those of us who understand the language, this becomes something special and hits the heart. Knowing that Zayn Malik completely embraces his culture is something that our generation can look to for our own cultural feelings. And listening to a song with emotive and meaningful lyrics is simply beautiful.  But this song was so incredibly beautiful because it mixed modern contemporary sounds with older, more exotic sounds. Zayn Malik does a great job with his solo vocalization, bringing in so many elements of his home and culture. And that is something rare. Zayn Malik definitely shows us his softer side, the kind of person that can talk to people insistently on the mechanics and then you. This album is so lush and full, showcasing different musical talents and voices. Today's instrumental song is from a Hindi movie called Ashoka, and is one that is absolutely magical. This is a song that features the Indian flute as the main instrument, alongside other traditional instruments. But this song is one that has always moved me, left me with this quiet peace. I love how the flute is so clear and carefree, smoothly giving way to the violin, as it sings the melody of the original song. This is a song that is very close to my own roots, and I found it to be a special compliment to the first song.  I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!