Justin Pachen – “Nava Suprabhatam” / “World Gets Upside Down”

Justin Pachen – “Nava Suprabhatam” / “World Gets Upside Down” – Singles Review

From what I’ve read about Justin Pachen online, he’s been making a new push with his music as a solo artist since around the time of the start of the Covid era.  Like a great many of you out there, when the lockdowns kicked in, we reached for some kind of lifeline to rescue us from our own impending boredom.  Say what you like about the whole decision-making process for our respective governments, I’m always going to be grateful that we saw such a massive return to the craft of making music for so many people out there.  Obviously it would have been real nice if it had happened in a more natural way, but I’m thankful all the same.  The more people out there embracing music and art, the better.  As far as I’ve read, he’s based out of Kochi, India now…he was originally born in Guruvayar, Kerala…and he used to be part of a band called Politician long ago as well.  Suffice it to say, his involvement in music has been going on for several years, and traveled quite a ways to land on our Canadian-based pages today.

I’ve been checking out a couple samples from Justin’s album called Nava Suprabhatam (New Dawn), which translates roughly to ‘new good morning’ as far as Google tells me.  I like hearing things that are different and outside of what I’d normally listen to, and as I put on the title track from Pachen’s record, I could tell that was exactly what I was in for.  There are fantastic aspects of his material to be found – in particular, I really enjoyed the lyricism and the tone of his whole song.  It’s quite a combination of like, spiritual appreciation and grounded wisdom I’d say.  Clearly Justin is a man that practices gratitude, and I certainly applaud that – this world has been filled with far too much damaging and divisive content as of late, and anyone out there that can continue to celebrate positivity and the beauty in life has got my vote.  So right on Justin…I’m with ya as far as the content of “Nava Suprabhatam” is concerned…I really like the perspective you have.  While there’s a noticeable faith-based bend to his words that would be more important to him on a personal level than it would be to me, I still appreciate where he’s coming from, and I didn’t find anything he was saying felt overly preachy.  Instead, Justin delivers a concise and focused song that is tributary, with a core message that I feel would stand a chance with resonating with the majority of us out there listening to his words.  Where things get a little more problematic is in how busy the music itself can be.  I went back and forth about it…to me, it sounds pretty full…and I tend to like a whole lot of things in the music I listen to…so I guess I came to the conclusion that if a song like “Nava Suprabhatam” feels a little full to me, chances are it’s going to feel like it’s a whole lot for the average everyday listeners out there.  To be fair though, it’s not like you’ll feel it’s overstuffed the entire time – the opening chanting is a stunning addition, and even the verses to follow have enough space for us all to absorb the words and music.  At its most intense, that’s where you’ll likely feel like there might be a few too many ingredients by comparison, but that’s mainly in the chorus…probably most noticeable around the 2:30 mark where the drums really become a dominant part of what you’re experiencing.  When Justin’s in a calmer gear, like the solo, or like I’d mentioned about the verses, I think listeners will find a song like “Nava Suprabhatam” is much more palatable and easier to enjoy.  Music-wise, he’s got some great ideas and they stand out well…even in those more intense moments, I still like what he’s doing with the drums and such, even if I felt like it tended to dominate the majority of the sound of his song.  Vocally…to be honest with ya, I think it’s gonna be hit and miss with the listeners out there.  On a technical level, he’s singing with confidence and he’s actually on-point for the tone that he’s singing with – it’s a matter of his voice being an acquired taste that many listening ears will have to attune themselves to.  That’s the objective reality.  That’s not me saying he’s not doing what he does well – I think that he does…but I’m also well familiar with the way people listen to music, and I know that his voice will be a challenge for many with its high-up resonance in comparison to the low-end heavy music.

The other song I listened to was at the other end of his album, positioned as the finale track.  “World Gets Upside Down” probably has a much more accessible sound for most folks out there as far as the song is concerned overall.  I still don’t necessarily think that makes it an easy listen for the majority of people tuning in – like I mentioned before, Justin’s vocals are a very acquired taste and the combination of his sound with his music is definitely going to be a challenge for many listeners.  That being said, I feel like he’s got an interesting and engaging mid-tempo tune with “World Gets Upside Down,” and for you westerners that have survived the grating tones of Billy Corgan or the offbeat nature of a singer like Bob Dylan, trust me when I tell ya, you’ve already survived much more challenging sounds to your ears.  I like the humbleness at the core of the sound on “World Gets Upside Down,” and I also appreciate those moments where Justin takes the time to use his vocalizations for a more expressive effect than just using words.  Do I think that Pachen is much more primarily a musician than a singer?  Absolutely.  I don’t think there’s really any question about that – and when you hear this guy play guitar, you’ll know exactly what I mean…he can do outright amazing this with his instrumentation, whereas his vocal sound will constantly create debate.  Some folks will love it, others will have a really tough time with it, but as I always remind you, having a polarizing sound is so much better than experiencing the indifference of the masses.  Listen to the way this song starts out though will ya?  I really think he’s got a tremendously unique vibe going on in the music he’s creating on “World Gets Upside Down,” and I also feel like he’s got a really rich and robust mix for his songs that has shown real skill in the production as well.  The technique applied there has really accentuated the highs & the lows, and overall, I feel like “World Gets Upside Down” presented us all with a much more balanced experience from the start to the finish.  Is it a better song than “Nava Suprabhatam” is?  Perhaps.  I think I might personally feel that way.  I suppose it’s fair to say it’s a lot more laidback and the degree of accessibility has a wider range…and c’mon y’all – that guitar solo is seriously special stuff.  Above all things, his cross-cultural sound is likely quite different from a lot of what you listen to, or what’s on your playlist currently…and that’s always worth taking the time to check out.  You end up expanding your own mind when you expose it to the uniqueness of others and what they can do through their art & music…so now that the lockdowns are long behind us all, make sure to step out of your bubble and have a listen to something you haven’t heard before.

Find out more about Justin Pachen and his music from the official links below!

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067779019008

Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/user-751755222

Apple Music:  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/justin-pachen/1516055315

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@justinpachen6018

Multi-link:  https://hyperfollow.com/justinpachhen

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