Justin Pachen, born and brought up in Guruvayur , Cochin, Kerala.
He was passionate in music at his teens, he formed the band called ” Politician” during those times.
He had to quit his musical journey , when he has joined as faculty in a polytechnic college.
During Lockdown times, he started to write and compose songs on topics of his own interest to continue with his second leg of musical journey.
As of now he has released his second album world wide. Which will be available on major digital music channels.
Please feel free to listen , share and follow him . If you like his work as a gesture of appreciation .
Justin Pachen – Nava suprabhatam (New Dawn) is an Asian Indian style alternative rock album that is quite ethnic, calming, and hypnotic. One could easily mistake this album as a world music album despite the drawing of a guitar on the front cover. This is a rock music album that is not too wild, obscene, or too obnoxious. You have everything from spiritual uplifting songs to political songs down to songs filled with romance. Who knew India had such calming alternative rock music such as this release? Fans of alternative rock music will definitely want to stream this album.
Highlights on the album include Nava suprabhatam, Reborn father, On the streets, Love you ( remastered), Sunset suite, When the world gets upside down, Unborn father, and Girls,No boys school. My favorite songs off the album were Nava suprabhatam, Unborn father, Sunset suite, When the world gets upside down, and Reborn father.
The title track Nava suprabhatam is a calming ethnic Asian Indian style alternative rock song about Justin waking up to a new dawn which is going to be a beautiful dawn for him. Positivity shines throughout this song. The song uses themes based of the religion of Hinduism. This is my favorite song due to the calming hypnotic instrumentation from that sitar along with the subject matter.
There is a blend of ethnic world music used too. Now the ethnic world music parts of the song are where Justin sings in the Sanskrit language. The shakers, sitar, drums, and guitar give the song a worldly blend of world music.
The song is both calming and hypnotic at the same time due to the sitar that is used periodically throughout the song. Sitars always make any song awesome. As for the calming hypnotic instrumentation from that sitar, that is the brehsiveness of this song.
Justin wants be woken up to this beautiful dawn. To fill the hearts with your presence. Justin wants be woken up to the songs of nature. Let him glorify your works and words because all living seeks your blessings for their greatness to serve you better. He thanks the abundance of creation as he is thankful for all living things.
Next he plans to pray and recite the sacred hymns to purify the day. Let him open his eyes to this endearing dawn. He hears, “गुरू वन्दु सर्वे नव सुप्रभातम्”. Let Navagraha be with us for the dawn. The holy temple be in power. We all want to serve at this earthly abode. So Justin thanks his teachers and their blessings. So just let him open his eyes to this endearing dawn. He felt the ocean of compassion when the night meets the day on dawn. He could feel the gentle breeze, filled with divine fragrance. Bow to join devotion.
(“गुरू वन्दु सर्वे नव सुप्रभातम्” is “Guru Vandu Sarve Nava Suprabhatam” which is Sanskrit for “Good morning to all nine dieties”. Navagraha are 9 deities that influence human life on Earth according to the religion of Hinduism and based on the research of Hindu astrology.)
Reborn father is an emotional rock song about a father who gave birth to his first born baby boy. This song express the emotions of a father from his marriage up to old age in a loud rock style and sound.as a composition that served as a continuation with his earlier work Unborn father. These two tracks originated with the life experiences of his and certain his closely associated friends. To those who have first-born boy child to their parents.
Verse 1 hits hard emotionally speaking.
“Your first born would be a boy, It’s just means you’re very male, You’re not important anymore, As he grows up, Your partner will rule with him right up to the wedding.”
Sunset suite was about Justin watching a scene from a suite. Sunset suite is one of the calmer songs on the album backed by a piano despite the fast tempo. That piano is used throughout the entirety of the song. This is another one of my favorites because he uses storytelling skills to tell a story and sing about a story.
The tug boat was growling over water. A cruise ship honks its horn. The aversion to sailing begins. Queen of the Arabian Sea is on her way east. Are they screaming or shouting on the board? Oh it’s just a scene from a sunset suite.
Was she still in a sleep mode?
A fishing boat sails to get the fresh catch of fish for Justin to eat as he drank Chivas Regal (Scotch whiskey) on the rocks. Palms swaying in a whirling wind toggle the water downwards. The sun is setting in the Wellington. Dolphins wave to everyone. And he went behind the scenes. He left the suite when the sun went down.
When the world gets upside down is a hazy alternative rock song about finding the rhythm in life and finding freedom inside yourself away from political oppression. Finding freedom inside yourself is important. This is one of the spiritual songs on the album along with Nava suprabhatam. Positivity shines throughout this song with the spiritual sound and motivation.
This is my favorite song due to the calming hazy effect coming from the auto-wah filter effect used in the chords which gave everything a hazy effect and the subject matter being about finding spiritual freedom away from political oppression.
There were the rulers. But no leaders. A lot of preachers who were apocryphal. There will be warfare, but not for rights. There is a recession which is serving as a signal of change. Then the world gets upside down. Here we lose control the things we valued. Justin says, “Don’t get annoyed with life. Find the rhythm in life. Feel freedom inside yourselves. Walk with your mind.” Finding freedom inside yourself is important.
Girls,No boys school is a loud rock song written on the basis of discrimination of sex in a society which is sexism. He sung about the atrocities against women throughout the song. He gets very political about gender issues that affect the conservative country of India. Does the country of India really need a cultural shift? Is India heading in the right direction?
All discrimination comes from the name of morality by societal standards. All religion and social bondings curtail freedom for both genders. Schools and public places have made them divided. Schools and public places have divided women in India. Girls give up their reasoning, courage, adventures, and logic. Boys have lost their sensitiveness, compassion, and grace. Both genders are separated by their own sex and acts.
Do you think the marriage is the only licence for making love? Can’t anybody lead to an extra marital affair? The hormones levels of every human changes from time to time. Feminine and masculine are the law of attraction. But true spirituality is inclusiveness of all.
Unborn father was a composition that served as a continuation with his newer work Reborn father. These two tracks originated with the life experiences of his and certain his closely associated friends. To those who have first-born boy child to their parents.
This was also my favorite song due to the genuine emotions displayed and conveyed. Especially with lyrics such as these, “Your firstborn was a boy, he surely resembles her/She loved you until he grew up, but too much care for him lately/Ever since you fell in love, how much does she love you?”
On the Streets is about Justin made his music in search of cities but away from the crowd interestingly enough. The song highlights the lifestyle of a traveling musician. The song is quite loud due to the guitars. The song On the Streets is another one of my favorite songs as the song thoroughly describes the the lifestyle of a traveling musician
In Summary
Justin is on his way to a gig and the places packed with comfort with a guitar on his back. He is on his way to a clean and green city where there are certainly lovely people, with an art in their hearts. Justin made his music with the wind in search of cities. Away from the crowds. But with lakes and parks all around divine nature. Justin got hooked in the streets.
He knows the cities that serve for sustenance. They’re all wise with greater minds. He knows they are all calm and beautiful. But their spirits are as equal as a child. Justin is hooked hooked on the streets of Mysore, Pune, Chandigarh, Pondy, and Shillong.
I rate this album 4/5****.
