The once-popular music group Strings makes a comeback with this album Duur, a collection of 10 mellow, romantic numbers. There is a warm langour in the tunes as much as in the voices of the singers Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood, the languor of balmy summer afternoons.

The unhurried pace of the songs comes as relief in these times of frenzied living and frenzied music. The album projects the spirit of uncorrupted, pure youth, lambent with noble ambitions, expressed in lines like Dil mein ek khwab hum sajaye, sachche vaadon ka diya jalaye.

The album begins with the known number Sar kiye yeh pahar, which impresses chiefly by its dramatic, tempo-building background music. Faisal Kapadia impresses by his ability to unflinchingly hold a high swara (musical note) for some time.

The title song Duur of is musically soothing; it has sparkling phrases like Uske bina mera jeena jaise koie soona gaon... suraj ki kirnon se banta hai chehra tumhara. The more energetic version of the song on Side B is as enjoyable. Indeed, written by Anwar Maqsood, the lyrics of this album show a beautiful sensitivity and lightness of touch. Like the song Khirki is lit with passages like Koi apna hai ya to sapna hai. And Pairon tale sookhe patton ki jhankar.

The songs are all about seeking, expecting, and waiting for love. The last song Aankhen has a fast tempo, but thankfully retains the album's average quotient of melody. Compositions by Bilal Maqsood are pleasant; more effective is the background music even though it doesn't often include the sound of real instruments.

All in all, Duur belongs to the Lucky Ali brand of music, a kind of music that goes with blue sky, lazy clouds, lemonades, holidays and hope. Nothing disturbing or painful is touched. Music flows rhythmically and softly, like water in a pool tucked deep in the green folds of a forest. The result - Duur is deeply relaxing.