HOSHEKH
Forever Night, First Morning Light
HOSHEKH
The music of HOSHEKH, as a creative outlet for emotional release, deals with issues that are literally (both physically and emotionally) at the core of our city. We talk often about transparency in art, and our aim with Hoshekh is to speak directly and explicitly about issues like homelessness, drug-addiction, mental-health and self-harm. The lyrics and music are directly connected to our own observations being born and raised in Edmonton, and having witnessed the disparity in the quality of life between those who have “surfaced,” “gone clean,” "quit the game," or “made it out,” versus those who couldn’t get the help they needed and remain stuck in the vicious cycle.
חשֶׁךְ
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
Hoshekh is fronted by musician, songwriter and scholar Arsh Khaira. Please follow the link above to learn more about his music.
عرش - The Throne of God is the reigning centre of God in the Abrahamic religions and is called Araboth (Hebrew: עֲרָבוֹת ‘ărāḇōṯ) in Judaism and al-'Arsh in Islam.
خير - The word Khair in Arabic refers to goodness and is often included in the common expression : Jazāk Allāhu Khaira(n) (جَزَاكَ ٱللَّٰهُ خَيْرًا) meaning "May God reward you [with] goodness."
Arsh Khaira has always been musically gifted. From a young age, he has been singing, performing, and playing a variety of instruments. As a graduate of the PhD program in Music at the University of Alberta, he has been fortunate to share his musical and academic interests with many students while teaching courses at several universities in Edmonton. Arsh has taught courses such as, "Introduction to World Music (MUS 102)," "Introduction to Western Religious Traditions (REL 101)," as well as marketing and management courses such as "Consumer Behaviour," and "Principles of Management."
Arsh is also an alumnus of the University of Alberta's MBA program, as well as Concordia University Edmonton, where he completed his BA as well as his MA in Biblical and Christian Studies.
Arsh began his musical journey with the electric guitar in 1994 (ironically, the year of the passing of Kurt Cobain, one of Arsh's biggest inspirations in terms of songwriting). He was in his first band by 1996, with two of his friends from school. Throughout junior high and high school he always maintained a strong interest in concert band (orchestral percussion) and jazz band (drum-set) while performing with his band as a vocalist, lead-guitar player, frontman and songwriter.
With several albums to his name, all of which bear his solo songwriting credits, and most of which upon he played almost all of the instruments, Arsh has never let go of his true calling.
Learn more about Arsh Khaira and his professional music journey:
Official Website:
ResearchGate:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Arsh_Khaira
YouTube:
Bandcamp:
BandMix:
BLAIR BROWN - DRUMS
Over the last 5 years I have helped develop the biggest and most ambitious games BioWare has ever produced, including 2014's 'Game of the Year' Dragon Age: Inquisition, the latest installment in the award winning Mass Effect franchise, and the highly anticipated Anthem.
Previously I lived in Los Angeles, recording and playing with a variety of musicians and bands. I have recorded and helped produce 5 albums, and played at some of the greatest venues in the world including the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, Viper Room, Horseshoe Tavern, B.B. Kings House of Blues, and the Knitting Factory.
Whether in a band, level design team, music studio, or production scrum my approach is the same, build strong relationships. I love being able to amplify others strengths, find problems to solve, and create amazing products.
I spend my spare time trying to master new skills like cooking, powerlifting, and screenwriting.
חשֶׁךְ
Behind the Music
Hoshekh, is a Hebrew word that represents the most powerful form of darkness that exists in the universe. This is not only a literal, or a physical darkness, but a spiritual darkness as described in the Book of Exodus.
Hoshekh is the 'minimalist-grunge' music of Arsh Khaira and Blair Brown.