Mohammad Muneem Lays Out Alif’s Ongoing Project ‘Siyah’

Mohammad Muneem of fusion band Alif. Photo: Xulkarnain Dev

In the middle of the Arabian Rub’ al Khali desert, Mohammad Muneem lies with his head resting on a pillow filled with sand for the music video for “Siyah|Azizo.” He exudes a smile that signifies an epiphany of sorts has transpired and the frontman and founder of fusion band Alif confirms it in a description for their latest video.

Inspired by ideas of the self and ego (“Anaa انا”), Alif tap into ideas of the limitlessness of the desert and journeying in the midst of it all. While “Siyah|Azizo” was created out of an idea that Muneem had in the vault for years, it also came to him at a time when he was about to travel to the United Arab Emirates. As composer and producer Aman Moroney, was also brought in to work on the track, Alif’s label Springboard Records’ head Ashish Manchanda suggested shooting visuals for it.

“Siyah | Azizo” arrives as an interval in Alif’s ongoing album project Siyah, which has so far had two EPs – Haal and Maazi. Released in May and September last year, respectively, there have been a total of 10 tracks out of the “19-plus” songs that Muneem has planned for the album, which are being released in five parts. While Haal refers to the present and Maazi means the past, the two forthcoming EPs are Musqatbil (“future”) and Hayaat (“life”). Muneem explains the title of the project and says, “Siyah (Black) signifies the darkness where everything occurs, emerging through and creating light. This is the source of all strength and light.”

On Haal, there are topical songs like “Khilona” (which talks about “our childish urge to grow up fast only to realize otherwise” according to Muneem), the cheeky “Zindabad vs Murdabad” (about vulnerability on the Internet) and a avant-pop sort of sound on “Dilgeer.” Muneem adds, “’Shaand’ is about the acceptance of how things are.”

Meanwhile, Maazi – about emotions felt in the past – kicks off with more dancey, electronic elements going over fairly straightforward lyrics on songs like “Bazaar” and “Chamchagiri.” Alif changes up the mood soon enough, exploring parent-child relations on the poignant, string section-led “Dad-Son,” the soul-searching, decision-seeking somber rock of “Korkun” and the dilruba-driven closer “Afsos.”

Muneem says he draws from personal experiences for all the lyrics and music heard across the Siyah release. In a way, writing about these experiences helps him get it out of his system. “You become empty only to fill yourself with new thoughts. It’s important to constantly keep emptying your emotions and make space for new thoughts. I think that is the balance one has to find. Otherwise what you have inside becomes toxic,” he adds.

Featuring lyrics in Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri, each song off Siyah has also been accompanied by music videos. “For people who don’t directly understand the language, it [videos] may be useful. Having a visual representation is an extension of what we wish to share,” Muneem says.

Up next, the forthcoming EP Maazi might get the musical theater treatment, even as other sonic placements for Alif are being ironed out. Muneem notes that one of Alif’s songs feature in the forthcoming second season of the drama series Made In Heaven. “A feature film directed by Shlok Sharma, written by him and Shilpa Shrivastava, produced by Anurag Kashyap and Navin Shetty shall have our songs and background score,” Muneem adds. 

Listen to ‘Haal’ EP and ‘Maazi’ EP below.