Kathmandu:

The popular band Nepathya, known for their energetic and melodious songs with a folk flavour, is busy preparing for their new album. This is their eighth album and they are planning something different for their fans.

“The album will have around 10 tracks and this time we are focussing more on medium-base and soothing songs,” says Amrit Gurung, band’s frontman, who has composed and penned most of the tracks for the album.

Nepathya’s songs are usually based on Gurung’s experiences of his travels around Nepal. Known for his love of trekking, Gurung believes that nature affects creativity in very a positive way.

“Composing songs and writing lyrics cannot be planned. Sometimes it just happens, and at times it is just so impossible. When I travel, I meet different people, I feel and see different things. It is not exactly isolation but more like meditation to be in a place away from all the noise and pollution. Being closer to nature inspires me to make music,” he says.

Gurung shares the stories behind the songs in the still untitled new album. While trekking in Lamjung with his wife, local people there had organised a cultural programme. There he heard this girl of 17-18 singing a folk song Sir ma ribbon sal ko pachayuri. He had heard but forgotten that song, and the pain and feeling in that girl’s voice touched him. He has included the song in the new album.

There is a romantic song Mero hazur in this album. “After a very long time I wrote a love song. I was trekking to Kala Patthar and I had spent a night at Lobuje, the second last stop to Everest base camp. It was freezing cold and I was wide awake at 11:00 pm. I remember I had put on all my clothes to keep warm. The night was clear, the sky, moon and the mountain range were clearly visible and that was when I wrote, composed and recorded the song in my Walkman.”

However, the song closest to his heart is Timi haru gayau ra?

“I had recently lost a few close friends of mine and I was very upset. I wanted to write a song but it was very difficult. I requested Saru Bhakta to write it. As soon as I got the lyrics, I composed the song. It is a sad song.”

Talking about the differences he has seen in people since the conflict, Gurung says, “Lots have changed. Nepal outside Kathmandu has become like a tree without leaves. Everything is so naked. But people have started to hope for a better tomorrow. They used to hesitate to speak, but now they are more vocal — both socially and politically. They have started to trust each other, which was rare during the conflict. This is good but I have also seen some people trying to do maanpari.”

The recording for the album will be completed within a month.