Album Notes

Hums by Ala Ghawas: A true sound of nostalgia By Adarsh Alphons Whispers of nostalgia in a tender voice with resonating words - it is this wonderful configuration of musical score, lyrics and even more importantly, believable emotional deliverance that makes Ala’s songs hard to forget and even harder to not be moved by. First time I heard his debut EP - Hums, the strong nostalgic component of the music steered my emotions into wistful reminiscence, I couldn’t help being taken back to thoughts of love - lost or still longing for. Just as poet Pablo Neruda dedicated “sonnets… rise only because you gave them life” to Matilde, the love of his life, “Hums” is about love, it is an epic of lost and lingering feelings, with each song an ode to individuals in his life. The EP picks up on his main influences, Jackson Browne and Bob Dylan, in terms of their literal lyrics and laidback melodies. On a more contemporary note, Ala hits the raw tones of Damien Rice by evoking wistful affections of the past while having a very powerful mellow-down effect, in the same way Elliott Smith is low-key. Having known Ala for almost a year I have watched him put this EP together (from writing the lyrics to the production, all of which he did by himself) and it has been so inspiring and humbling - to watch him create this EP so painstakingly with few resources. His recording studio was his 3 by 3 feet closet - just enough space for him and his guitar. Just listening to his music, this much is obvious - he has tremendous potential and I can clearly see him appealing to many a heart with his tracks. In this tiny little closet on the fourth floor of an apartment building in Boston, Ala has created an EP that is original to listen to, saturated with honest and straightforward emotions that are altogether refreshing to my ears.