A cure for emotion sickness - music of Sumon, Anila and Topu...Bangladesh

A cure for emotion sickness

Faizul Khan Tanim listens to two of the latest albums by Sumon & Anila and Topu, both produced by Fuad, and realizes how these songs are harnessing the power of our everyday emotional lives

A soul looking for romance, love and affection is a lot like someone craving for a high. We all want the cure which will relieve our emotion sickness; we want that euphoria where there is no emptiness and no loneliness, and we want to feel inundated with love.

Of course, these feelings are only temporary. Soon, the nagging starts and quite often the comical phrase of ‘wearing the three rings – the engagement ring, the wedding ring and the suffering’ comes to life and the relationship drives the innate longing for happiness to seek a new substance all over again.

These feelings are beautifully rendered in the two albums in question. It feels like the musicians, with the production of Fuad, narrate the turmoil in our lives.

In the chorus of Shobar Jonno Tumi, a track from their album Akhon Ami, Sumon and Anila sing, ‘Shobar haat e rakhcho je haat, amar angul shunno rekhe...amar kol e akhono kano, tomar chul er sporsho thakey,’ clearly meaning ‘I am missing you,’ but in the acoustic version of the same song, a twist is added to the chorus, which ends with, ‘Tomar kol e akhono kano, amar chul er sporsho thakey?’ The message is sent so beautifully, that it’s actually not me missing you, but vice versa.

The title song will be loved by those who appreciate sarcasm, and it oozes cynicism. The lyrics, vocal style, music composition and even the saxophone playing were so incredible that one is bound to be reminded of Belle’s witty mockery of Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The song is a beautiful revelation, proclaiming that my life is my own and no one can play with it, nor will it come to a halt for anyone else.

The rest of the songs in the album are as potent as the ones mentioned and are likely to profoundly affect the listeners’ emotions.

The second album is the debut solo effort of Topu, a member of Jaatri, entitled Bondhu Bhabo Ki? In it he unveils a genre of love-blending and heart-wrenching acts that illuminate contemporary romantic thoughts. The credit goes to Topu, whose humble words, polite compositions, acoustic guitar and, most importantly, soothing and serene vocals make the compilation a success. Topu has the charisma of a natural front man, and his sentimental ballads and songs about present-day issues suggest that he is very passionate about his music.

His instant hits from the album, Meye and Nupur-2, tell the tales of beautiful love stories weaved with friendship set in the romantic setting of seashores.

While most of the songs from the album are ballads, Banglar Gaan talks strongly about the country and Ichcher Ghuri, a beautiful duet, is an inspirational song to boost the morale of a generation. Both songs carry Topu’s signature tunes and his usual compositional commitment. All the songs definitely send a message of peace and offer hope to the restless spirit.