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Writer's pictureNayha Jehangir Khan
Jan 24, 20223 min read

Standing Tall: A Conversation with Towers

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN YOULIN MAGAZINE

Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan Posted on: January 25, 2022 | | 中文



Members of the Towers band. (L to R) Ashir Bhatti, Bilal Baloch, Changez Basir


A metropolis like Karachi has propelled many musicians like Aamir Zaki, Sajjad Ali, Bilal Maqsood & Faisal Kapadia into prominence. Towers is a fresh and exciting music project hailing from Karachi, with members Bilal Baloch, Ashir Bhatti and Changez Basir. My first impression of Towers' music is that it was experimental and crossed into multiple genres. Their sound is harmonious and uplifting, with a creative process that is collaborative and spontaneous. We sat down for an in-depth discussion on their journey into music, live performances, recent song releases and future plans.

Their debut track “Andhere Mein”, was uploaded to their Youtube channel two years ago, which was followed by a live performance at Lahore Music Meet (LMM) in February 2020. Bilal described the journey of the song that has traveled with him from his college years in Canada to other countries, where he performed the song as a recurring acoustic guitar tune that eventually manifested into a Towers song. Daniyal Ahmed can be heard playing Bansuri (flute), with the song, “Here Right Now”. The storytelling in the songs that Towers have performed on their shows like Live at True Brew, and Morph at Al Hamra Theater in Lahore, convey life experiences, social realities and deep emotional reflections. Their second release “Filhaal”, in which they collaborate with Jamal Rehman, we see Towers take flight with a colorful mix of riffs, drums, keys and bass lines that are smooth and jovial.



Changez Basir

Each member has a different listening history of the music they enjoy. Having known each other for over 15 years, Changez had a love for rock music and heavy metal, while Ashir and Bilal grew up on hip hop. Over the many years of their friendship, they shared what they loved with each other, using that foundation as a relationship to form Towers. Bilal is on vocals and guitars, Ashir is on vocals and drums, while Changez is on bass. The trio's individual melodic ideas are then brought into the studio. Towers have been making waves in the current music scene with live performances, where their audiences can be seen on their feet dancing and singing with their songs.



Bilal Baloch

While the second wave of the pandemic hit the country, Towers were working on their next song remotely with Jamal Rehman, titled “Seedhi Baat”. Passionate to keep creating and delivering their music, they wrote the song within a day and traveled to Lahore to record it together. They strongly believe in the power of songwriting and music composition, always keeping one eye directed inwards on how to express their message with sincerity and love, while putting down a distillation of each musical idea. Open to new themes, staying experimental and surprising each other with reengineered samples, experimenting with arrangements and observing their audience's reaction, Towers are forever evolving their sound.

The name of the music project came from the time the trio were jamming together at Bilal’s house near Seaview in Karachi, where the tallest building rapidly coming up was the Dolmen Towers. Metaphorically internalizing this metropolis that was constantly in their view while creating music, they recognized that there is a message hidden in this encounter. Towers saw that they too were building themselves through a “brick by brick” philosophy that everyone else can also grow taller like a tower, when striving in the busy hustle-bustle of the city. Over the years growing up in Karachi, each member has faced challenges dealing with their social environment, politics and the community. Amplified by their chaotic infrastructures that have controlled their sense of mobility and identity, reflecting on their own sense of self through their music and self-expression in an attempt to keep deconstructing and evolving. Their ability to view themselves as outsiders and connect with others outside the mainstream community, has been a source of inspiration for the band.



Ashir Bhatti

Ready to release new singles and collaborative projects in the coming months, Towers can be found on all streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and their own Youtube channel. We can soon expect an EP (extended play, shorter than a full album) produced in collaboration with Zahra Paracha that is being processed and finalized. They plan to perform in March as soon as it is safe enough for the public to gather again.

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