In early 2013, frontman Asif Illyas resurfaced from the ashes of MIR with his solo debut Synesthesia. This is an album not beholden to the typical trappings of east coast music, but one which manages to bring together world music elements in the vein of a Peter Gabriel, or a Midnight Oil (see “Slave 2 The Digital World”) with the concept album progressive format of a band such as Rush. Synesthesia manages to strike a timeless balance between our nostalgia for the ’80s and an appreciation for modern pop-rock. These 13 tracks are a departure from MIR, but will garner Illyas a new appreciative following.
