Coke Studio is synonymous with everything I love about music. Growing up with my dad’s #SundayFunday stereo playlist, I’ve acquired a palate that appreciates Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan almost as much as Bruce Springsteen’s greatest hits. There was Michael Jackson blasting on full volume in the living room every other weekend while I’d end up sleeping to Backstreet Boys at night. My affiliation with music runs deep, the familiarity with old and the new and the 90’s in music were all about pop, rap, and alternative music infusion. This episode of Coke Studio was much like that, the vows between old and new melody. Coke Studio pulled a Rohail Hyatt by producing music people would actually love instead of banking on sheer star-power or “the frills”.
With Uddi Ja, Mohsin Abbas Haider justified his original with so much soul, it was almost impossible to not feel the power of his penmanship with the qawalli undertones in his voice.
This song felt like an overdose of cotton candy.
Favorite lyrics: “Haq haq labhna ae haq mann de ander, Baat ishq di wang samandar”
“You go around searching for God but God is right here in your heart, The reality of love is boundless as the sea
Verdict:
Okay I think UDDI JA is number 1 song for me so far in #CokeStudio9. Mohsin Abbas Haider, you're the best thing about CS for me now!
— Fariha Awan (@Fay_Alif) September 2, 2016
I wonder why such amazing talents like Mohsin Abbas Haider are so underrated. What a beautiful song "Uddi ja" is. Sheer class! #CokeStudio9
— Shanzay Kaleem (@ShanzeyKaleem) September 2, 2016
Finally @cokestudio gave me a reason to play it on repeat, 'uddi ja' is beautiful.
— B. (@museinmaking) September 2, 2016
Meesha Shafi and Naeem Abbas Rufi collaborated to give us the best mehndi song for the season.
A perfect love-ballad a.k.a tappay that is not only catchy at best but does justice to both their vocal prowess.
This song will not only make you appreciate Meesha Shafi (who can practically never go wrong), it will also make you anticipate music more worthy of Naeem Abbas Rufi’s mounds of talent. Perhaps something by Nusrat ji is in the works? In the meanwhile, the rest of us peasants can do a little luddi on this one.
Favorite lyric: Meesha’s “Jeeja” crescendo, Rufi’s melodic “apne howan kol te sajda shagnaan da eh mela”
“The company of near and dear ones is what perfects the happiness of this day”
Verdict:
Somebody please throw a Sangeet tonight and turn up the volume of Aaya Laariye.
— Misstache (@Unduckwithable) September 2, 2016
Aaya Laariye is a good mehndi jam tho ?
— Hammad. (@JeeBilkul) September 2, 2016
Meesha Shafi is beautiful & so talented. Would love to see her and Naseebo pair up for a duet.
— Mahwash Ajaz (@mahwashajaz_) September 2, 2016
NADEEM ABBAS RUFI COULD'VE GIVEN YOU SONG OF THE YEAR IF YOU HAD GIVEN HIM A NFAK PUNJABI NUMBER BUT YOU CHOSE A FUCKING MEHNDI SONG
— Saad Amjad (@SenorSaadAmjad) September 2, 2016
Next up, a cross-border collaboration between Noori and Shilpa Rao brought us sheer magic. The duet was sublime with a winner indie-rock feel.
Described as particularly close to Hamza & Ali Noor’s heart, one can feel the soul preserved in this honed family treasure.
Our nano taught us the song coming up on Episode 4 of #Cokestudio9 with @shilparao11 …very excited and emotional! pic.twitter.com/YTAQQK9J7f
— noori (@nooriworld) August 31, 2016
While Ali Hamza never fails to surprise with his earthy voice, Shilpa Rao brings vocal finesse to the mix, especially when hitting the lower notes. The musical composition alone deserves a standing ovation. Not to forget, the Noori mom Noor Zehra Kazim also graced the song with her string instument, sagar veena.
Favorite lyrics: “Yaar nu milegi aaj laash yaar di”
“Tonight a lover will be greeted with the corpse of his beloved” (sorry, a bit dark)
Verdict:
para chanaa de bit where this glorious daadi jee slow rare instrument solo KILLED ME OH MY GOD I'm crrieirieii
— meh (@mehravarr) September 2, 2016
The GREATEST of this season, definitely. What a beautiful production. Those 11 minutes were so worth it. https://t.co/z9WpzE6YFo
— eleven. (@theredskulll) September 2, 2016
Hands down one of the top 3 songs from post-Rohail Coke Studio.
— Faizan. (@merabichrayaar) September 2, 2016
Thank you for the feels, @nooriworld.
I thought I was dead on the inside but these are actual tears— Haadia. (@HaadeaP) September 2, 2016
The final piece of this episode brought to us an Arabic infusion minus the belly dancers with another singer from across the border.
Nirmal Roy and Jabar Abbas bring together another love ballad combining three different languages.
The music is infectious, what with multiple Persian and Arabic elements coming together. However, Nirmal carries the song all by herself. Her male counterpart is a little underwhelming and Shiraz Uppal’s direction is questionable, in that regard. While the song started off strong, it loses all that acceleration midway. Still, suffice to say, it is a mood-lifter, despite that chorus.
Favorite lyrics: “Ala baali, anta qalbi”
“You’re on my mind, you are my heart”
Verdict:
Ala Baali, Inta Kalbi, Inta HabibI <3
such a fun song!!— زارا فاطمه (@ziz_says) September 2, 2016
Ala Baali picks up so well – except that it goes nowhere. Like a plane that took off but had nowhere to go. Shiraz Uppal, why? #CokeStudio9
— ظُہیر (@BipolarBhaijaan) September 2, 2016
Ala Baali is quite pleasant. Nirmal Roy did pretty good job esp when she sings those specific lyrics in Arabic accent.
— Madiha. (@ItsMadDar) September 2, 2016
Over all, this episode had all the makings of what Coke Studio has always promised us. Strings have truly outdone themselves.
Was this the best episode of the season?
Was episode 4 hands down the best episode of season 9 so far?#CokeStudio9
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) September 2, 2016