Daily Times

The new track ‘Naina’ by Strings is finally out and the song is no less than sensational. ‘Naina’ is the seventh track from the band’s much-admired album ’30’ (named in recognition to completion of their 30 years in the music industry).

The song features ‘Sona Mohapatra’ as female lead vocalist alongside Strings. ‘Naina’ is a remake of old school-popular qawwali ‘Ghar Nari Gawari’ written by legendary Amir Khusrow and popularly recited by Ustad Bahauddin Qawwal.

It is not an easy job to transform a qawwali into a well paced song but Strings has done justice to the heartwarming lyrics by blending it with a satisfying melody. To top it all, music composition is what gives Strings a distinct identity and it is in full display in this track. The cinematography has also been brilliantly executed and gives a nostalgic and heart-felt vibe.

With the world moving with blistering speed, and people drifting apart from classic and Sufi music, Strings brings a much-needed relief to folk music lovers. This aesthetically gorgeous and delightfully composed song is bound to send one down memory lane. The thought-provoking lyrics and appealing vocals remind us how rich and expressive our eastern heritage really is.

There is a soul in their music, which seems to be missing from today’s music. The lyrics, the melody hit the right chord and the song is bound to go in every playlist until the last song of album ’30’ hits the internet. Everything has changed in these 30 years, except Strings creating magic.

Published in Daily Times, January 22^nd 2019.