Bearing an artwork that seems to portray New Delhi producer-singer Suryakant Sawhney aka Lifafa with a halo behind him (but also a subtle red splatter on his coat), Jaago comes across as a beautiful statement of mortality, philosophy and even spirituality.
Sawhney – who is also the frontman of gypsy/waltz/psychedelic rock band Peter Cat Recording Co. –takes a fair amount of influence from bhajans on his second album. It is not just the Hindi lyrics drawn out wispily on the opening title track, but also the appropriate use of harmonium, which reappears as a central instrument on ‘Candy’, his collaboration with fellow New Delhi producer Hashback Hashish.
‘Candy’ is a dreamy treat that arrives just at the middle of the eight-track album, and it is preceded by dance floor-friendly synth and disco vibes on songs such as ‘Chaku Chidiya’, ‘Mere Saath’ and ‘Nikamma’. In these tracks, Lifafa settles into his signature blend of yesteryear Bollywood (think Mohammed Rafi) and American vocalists like Frank Sinatra.
On the first four tracks, there is much rumination and deliberation on youth and the feelings that accompany young life, twisted into familiar (yet unspoiled) Bollywood metaphors about betrayal and love. While ‘Nikamma’ is undeniably upbeat, Sawhney expands his sonic palette best with acid-drenched synth and horn sections over disco beats on songs like ‘Din Raat’ and ‘Ek Nagma’.
Sawhney seems to use his voice as both an instrument and for lyrical prowess. He sings wistfully about love and intoxication on ‘Ek Nagma’, with a cascading synth pattern becoming the hook.
On the closing track ‘MJRH’, which opens with a sample of a train, Jaago perhaps broodingly returns to the dawn that it started from, layers of synth, guitar and harmonium falling over each other as Sawhney laments his loneliness. For those who know him from Peter Cat Recording Co., there are several ideas on Jaago that you couldhear transposed into a band setting, but Sawhney, as Lifafa, makes it uncomplicated, effective and worth several replays.
Get the album on lifafa.me. Peter Cat Recording Co. and Lifafa perform at Fandom at Gilly’s Redefined on March 2.
