One world, one cultural blend, and one main goal of bringing happiness to everyone. – Nashaat Salman
As evidenced by his latest single EP Unforgettable, Nashaat Salman is a gifted writer, composer, orchestrator, arranger, and producer. Though he is an “Engineer and Business Manager by profession,” Salman is a dedicated musician who has composed scores for film, radio, and other media projects for over two decades. In 2015, he started an ongoing music project called Universal Melodies.
Released on February 10th, 2017, the melodic track comes in four different versions on his latest EP: instrumental, with lyrics, without lyrics, and radio play edited. It appears to feature Middle Eastern as well as European and Asian influences, creating a worldly and strangely familiar sound – something like a mix of folk with classical music.
Each one of the four versions has something unique. The instrumental versions, for example, are very different from the lyrical versions in both delivery and mood. Because the lyrics are sung in an opera-inspired style, the emotional evocativeness is more pronounced, while intellectually, I find the instrumental version to be more soothing and calming.
According to the press release, “Unforgettable” is “a tribute to a lost beloved, friend, a relative, a family member or someone who has been separated or being too distant.” Indeed, it has a slightly somber quality to it, especially when the string instruments take center stage. It is also very reminiscent of a popular Russian melody, though the lyrics are in English.
Unforgettable was recorded in Meilen-Zurich, Switzerland. It features Lakita Bagwell on vocals, Maria Grigoryeva on violin and viola, Lyudmila Kadyrbaeva on cello, Ivan Myasnikov on double base, Goran Eric on trumpet, as well as Oscar Sjöberg and Nashaat Salman on piano. Chris Wonzer mixed and mastered all four version of the track.
If you enjoy classical music, orchestral ensembles, and melodies that can strike an emotional chord, then check out the “Unforgettable” music video, released on May 7th, 2017, or stop by Spotify to stream the EP in full. You can also find out more about Nashaat Salman’s Universal Melodies project at www.universalmelodies.com and www.facebook.com/Universalmelodies.
Note* Album provided for objective review by our partners.