Coke Studio Pakistan season 14: Addictive, innovative, beautiful and diverse
Coke Studio has been one of the top sources of Pakistan for platforming emerging artists and legendary musicians under a single roof, since 2008. This year, the bar has been raised even higher
Pakistan is known for its rich musical history, the birthplace of legendary musicians such as Ustad Amanat Ali Khan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The successors of that musical legacy are doing a wonderful job - probably best manifested via Coke Studio Pakistan.
Coke Studio has been one of the top sources of Pakistan for platforming emerging artists and legendary musicians under a single roof, since 2008. This year, the bar has been raised even higher.
Just two months before Coke Studio Bangla's run, Coke Studio Pakistan launched its 14th season. Much to the joy and wonder of its adherents, this season was filled with soulful original tracks.
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The usual setup for Coke Studio sets would make everything appear cohesive with the red and black Coca-Cola theme. This season, however, breaks the mould and brings about a new aesthetic by creating mesmerising layouts better suited to the mood of each song.
There are many masterminds behind the tremendous success of Coke Studio's latest season, the most significant contributor must be its producer Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan AKA Xulfi and his think tank. Through this season he promoted the diverse culture of Pakistan and went the extra mile to make those thirteen performances look aesthetically pleasing.
Three months after the beginning of season 14, the show finally closed its curtains a few weeks ago, although music lovers are still revelling in its sonorous artistry.
If you're a melophile, chances are high that you have already listened to 'Pasoori'. The addictive voices of Ali Sethi and the debutante Shae Gill have easily surpassed all the other tracks with YouTube views of over 72 million.
The bohemian vibes merged with Sheema Kirmani's graceful dance routine constituting a thematic cohesion unlike ever before. Add to that, the often harrowingly beautiful lyrics by Ali Sethi and Fazal Abbas accompanied by a hook that lives rent-free in your mind, you get a top-tier musical experience.
The season kicked off with the song 'Tu Jhoom', where legendary musicians Naseebo Laal and Abida Parveen's chemistry charmed people to the core. Most of the songs this season are about love, despair and sacrifice, this song urges us to enjoy life to the fullest.
Coke Studio Pakistan fused different genres and different languages spoken all over Pakistan. From Urdu to Punjabi to Balochi, this season utilised all of these languages to represent the broad spectrum of Pakistani culture. The song 'Kana Yari' created waves on the Internet with its unique lyrics and of course with the veiled female Balochi rapper Eva B.
Another interesting addition was the use of rap music in different songs. It started with 'Peechay Hut' performed by young heart throb Hasan Raheem with Justin Bibis, and Talal Qureshi. The song's electro-pop vibe and edgy lyrics amassed critical acclaim, adding a fresh dimension to Coke Studio's treasure.
The season's last song 'Phir Milenge' also included rap by the hip hop duo Young Stunners with the vocals provided by Pakistan's popular singer Faisal Kapadia. This song reminds you of the bittersweet memories of your past companions and provides hope that you will be reunited again sooner or later.
Coming to the old singers, apart from Ali Sethi, this season also has Atif Aslam, Quratulain Balouch and Momina Mustehsan. Momina and Atif both have a strong relationship with Coke Studio. I mean who could forget 'Afreen Afreen' and 'Tajdar-e-Haram'? But seeing them as a duo in 'Sajan Das Na', experimenting with the R&B genre and with the jazzy visuals was a delight.
Apart from this song, 'Go' was another fantastic attempt of Coke Studio flaunting their amazing cinematography, fusing live cinematography and concise video editing skills. This is the first hybrid English and Urdu song, sung by Atif Aslam and Abdullah Siddiqui. If you are an introvert and need some motivation in life, this song might give you that push.
Lastly, with Muzaiz Sharif by the Shafi siblings, Coke Studio took the cinematography game to another level by attempting a one-shot strategy for the video.
Apart from the above-mentioned songs, the other songs like Thaagyan, Mehram, Neray Neray Vas, and Beparwah, all were musically genius with stylish set-ups. Xulfi indeed did an impeccable job with curation, production and song mixing. He elevated the scope of Coke Studio and emphasised bringing new sounds by being culturally inclusive.
The addition of young singers and songwriters rejuvenated Coke Studio Pakistan's illustrious discography . Top-tier audio engineering and mixing accompanied by dazzling videos raised the bar above the clouds for other countries and even Pakistan's next foray into Coke Studio.
