Ghabhraahat Intensifies from Delhi returns 2 years later with their latest album, “Shab-E-Ghabhraahat,” with an immersive 10-track Alt Hip Hop album. Its visually stimulating lyrics, organic sounds, and magnetic allure invite listeners into the city’s hood with them.
Clocking in at 19 minutes and 15 seconds, “Shab-E-Ghabhraahat” is best described as an audio film. Each track is an act that seamlessly unfolds into the next, each beat serves as a line of dialogue, and every voice is a distinct character. Ajitesh Singh leads the vocals while Vivasvaan Srivastava orchestrates the production, creating a compelling narrative that keeps listeners on edge.
Ajitesh hails from a law background whereas Vivasvaan is part of a car dealer business. Both work all around the year, finding pockets of time to create music. They have also worked in the ad film industry and share their love for drama and theater. Vivasvaan’s family is a great admirer of music & arts. The duo shared anecdotes about how involved and supportive the family is of their work. They say that “Shab-E-Ghabhraahat” is music for the future, born from the present. It breaks down barriers by inviting the older generation to be a part of the evolving hip-hop sound (A clear influence of their family members being such a close part of their musical journey). This project is not just an album but an experience that shouldn’t be missed. It is an intricate, multi-layered audio film that engages, entertains, and binds you to think.
Ajitesh and Vivasvaan, with their Purvanchali roots, are keen observers of life, and this eye for detail is vividly reflected in their music. During the conversation, many characters jumped about from their lives from their everyday conversations and have managed to weave their way into their art. The album tumbles out as a gripping saga of the human experience, narrated through the memoirs of a diverse cast: an anguished loafer, a dowry-hungry groom, a quack healer, a jilted lover, revolutionary students, and modern-day demons. The influence of internet memes and pretentious personalities adds a layer of satirical commentary, making their music both thought-provoking and relatable.
The album opens with the tracks “Dhokla” and “Fakedas” which narrate the events of a typical wedding scene, the song blends into each other with a beat switch that brings a cloudy atmosphere to life. The lyrics seem to roll off the artist’s tongue and you can just imagine the act unfolding before your eyes. “Dahej Kahan Hai” continues the marriage story with the hook asking where the dowry is.
“Viraj Dobriyal” brings in the ‘perfect interlude’ followed by my favorite album song “Nali Ka Kayi”. The song gives voice to the female counterpart of the story, brought to life by the bold and striking vocals by Arushi Mathur. While talking about this song, the duo mentioned how much they liked it and thus had to include another rendition in the end.
“Hanji Haneef bhai” and “Ghinn” seamlessly uplift the soundscape into another dimension with capturing features by Faizan and Isha Chakravorty respectively. Now that all characters appear on stage it’s time to bring them all to a themed party. “Asura Nach” is an urban demon dance number that brings all mythical creatures next door to your house.
After delivering such a packaged and complete story, the duo has one more tale to tell. This one comes from the student protests that occurred in Delhi, capturing the raw emotions in a protest anthem and narrating the chaos of the events. Featuring Yung Waris, “Pathar Kandi” has eerie samples and gritty slapping lyrics that exude the anger and rage you’d expect from such a track.
Both Ajitesh and Vivasvaan find their haven in winters to come together to tell stories through their music. Their rich experiences working in the ad film industry significantly influence their music, giving it a cinematic quality. Their flair for theater is evident in every song, adding depth and drama to their storytelling. The duo’s alternative hip-hop style is a fusion of diverse influences, making their sound unique and captivating.
