ASHRAF

"A subtle fusion of eastern melody within contemporary western pop composition. Drawing on themes ranging from evil and darkness to love and sexuality, Ashraf broadens the scope of his global audience. He blends his lyrics with sophisticated, fiery arrangements that remain memorable days after you've heard them. Truly unique and intriguing pop songwriting." - Sara Liess

“Solo artist adventurism as manifest in the works of acts like Prince is a rare and dying phenomenon in the corporate apex that is contemporary pop rock. Ashraf's first record is a valiant commitment to creativity and originality, with a collection of songs that skillfully blur the lines of genre classification. Drawing influence from Maroon 5, Ashraf's smooth and versatile voice is matched by an array of exciting live and synthesized instrumentation. "Perfect Chaos" is an album bound to turn a few influential heads in the Canadian music scene and beyond.” - Brent Hagerman

“ASHRAF's music is hard to fully describe. It sometimes sounds like Simon and Garfunkel and sometimes sounds like the Backstreet Boys. But what sets ASHRAF apart from other mainstream pop acts is the wonderfully intricate melodies in the instrumentation that carry the vocals throughout each song. Like the piano in “Isabella” or the acoustic guitar in “Whispers”. Poetic and touching lyrics like "Sweet summer breezes sway through your eyelashes" float above the beautifully arranged compositions in this innovative and colorful CD." - Sandra Dobson

"Only in the loosest sense pop music, Toronto singer/songwriter Ashraf's engaging and arresting pop-rock opus is nonetheless a fine expression of an independent musical spirit and poet's heart. Intricate, eastern-influenced melodies, laid-back, comfortable and untreated vocals with lucid harmonies contribute to an immediate and constant appreciation of Ashraf's wonderful songwriting and arrangement... Perfect Chaos is fascinating, refreshingly original contemporary pop music." - Craig Quill

"Local singer/songwriter and producer Ashraf performs an array of exciting pop rock songs on his debut CD that will get you smiling and dancing as soon as the first track gets going. Ashraf's material brings the best of Daniel Powter to mind, but does so with a varied approach that manages to sustain intrigue for the duration of the entire album. His lyrics, performed with skill and ease, range in subject matter from light musings about dancing and sexuality to heavier themes of spirituality and salvation. A definite abundance of talent and creativity captured on one CD." - Damien McAdams

“What do you get when you mix a little Maroon 5, Dave Mathews, Jason Mraz, Lenny Kravitz and a whole whack of artistic courage? You get Perfect Chaos; the debut album from Toronto’s native pop-rock act. Ashraf, originally from Egypt, presents listeners with an interesting blend of Eastern and Western musical influences ranging from Jembai solos and jazzy piano fills, to crunchy distorted guitar hooks and poppy harmonies. Strictly speaking, the record can barely be classified by contemporary definition. It is however, a valiant attempt at carving out a new blend of sounds from the amalgamation of a number of genres. With elements of AC, Pop, Rock, and Alternative cleverly interlaced, the songs vary in subject matter, style and composition. And even though I’m not particularly a fan of long, drawn-out intros, on this well-produced collection, they’re quite engaging. The extent to which Perfect Chaos will have commercial success is going to be based on whether or not audiences are willing to accept music that can’t be cookie-cut. But that’s really the point conveyed by Ashraf in the line: ‘it’s time to throw convention out the door’." - Sean Edwards

“Ashraf's songs are worth the agony of a crowded, smoke-filled room. Although there are definite stylistic influences in his music, the songs are not quite like anyone else's. He manages to create a great deal of excitement without a lot of effort. The arrangements are also deeply textured and quite engaging.” - Nancy White

"An exciting collection of well crafted pop rock songs arranged and performed with skill. The stellar production quality of the album facilitates the clarity with which each of the brilliantly performed instruments is heard. A truly engaging and original sound." - Brian Edmonton