Listen: Forever South Releases FXS Collections Vol.3

Pakistan’s Forever South Collective ushers in the summer with its exceptional new compilation album.

Released on 30 April, FXS Collections Vol.3 features music by some of the most forward thinking names in their roster. We’ve never really been let down by FXS’s collections in the past and edition 3 is yet another indicator of Pakistan’s steadily evolving alternative music scene.

Dynoman kicks things off on the 13-track compilation with tropical beats and sunny vocals in the impressive ‘Aqua Klunk’ followed by the Al Ak’s mellow ‘Don’t Mind’ – an easy tune tailored for a lazy Sunday afternoon or the equivalent (keep your hammocks handy). The sound takes a dreamy pop turn in Friedi’s ‘Kymatica’. Rudoh’s dense production in ‘I’ll Die’ makes for great headphones listening as does block-2’s unsettlingly gratifying ‘Spin My Son’ and TMPST’s tinkling slow burner ‘With Without’.

Leo’s Trip delivers some heavy dance beats in ‘Shake It Down’ which also features a cleverly used vocal sample from The Contours’ dance anthem ‘Do You Love Me’ that we love. ‘Otto’ by smax is followed by (now proud RBMA graduate) Tollcrane’s high bpm banger ‘Acid Reflex’ – (predictably) immaculately produced. The compilation gets murkier with Eridu’s ‘River Spirit’ - tailored for the dance floor – and Alien Panda Jury’s exceptional, intricate track ‘Lith’. ÿmpress impresses and closes the album with ‘Seeds’.

The FXS Collections Vol.3 tags itself is admittedly too scattered and disjointed to talk about as a whole (we tried hard and ‘summery’ was the only binding adjective) - an unavoidable side effect of putting together music from a smaller scene still in its youth.

Of course, that doesn’t lessen its value and its heartening to see its repertoire growing. This is good stuff. Listen to the FXS Collections Vol.3 below and follow the collective on Facebook and SoundCloud below.

Words: Diya Gupta