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Ayesha Omar connects with the basics this Season with ‘Laage Re Nain’. Based on the early evening raag Bhopali, the song’s composition has manifested in the form of an easy listening experience with a chilled out vibe and a catchy tune – making it a song that’s quick to bob your head to. A raag that she had learnt at the age of 9, Ayesha feels that this experience now transports her to her childhood, as this was one of the earliest raags she had learnt. Composed in the ancient sub-continental language of Poorbi, the verses speak of classic love, mirroring the restlessness that comes with being in love across distance. While the yearning does tug at the heart, the experience in this song is not one of sadness, it is a celebration of being in love and fully experiencing all the feelings associated with the state in true bliss. While the lyrics are reminiscent of folklore, the verses thematically express the perpetual state of search we find ourselves in while all along the way; the true voice of Love is within. While the overall composition stems from Eastern Classical origins, the feel of the song finds itself well placed with the mountain music of Nepal – a connect that begs to dive in further to discover the harmony with the Zen of Buddhist musical influences. The groovy sunshine feel of the song, performed by the band in Serbia, meets influences from Nepal such as the Flute coupled with the calming quality of bells.

Laage Re Nain - Ayesha Omar

Manwa Re - Live

Singer: Atif Aslam
Language: Punjabi

Atif Aslam returns to Coke Studio this Season with ‘Channa’ a song that is a declaration of Love thrown into a canvas of mixed instrumentation encapsulating the true state of Contentment. The song was conceptualized by Atif; its melodic inspiration stemmed from a rhythm that finds its base in the beat of the Dhol. This rhythm was transferred into the instrumentation of the song giving the overall pulsing groove adorned with the subtle picks at the African Harp – the Kora which coupled with the Brass Section makes for an almost funky disco feel from the 70’s. A song that Atif feels quite connected with musically, ‘Channa’ which means ‘Darling’, is a song that sees a progression of deep, almost heart tugging waves stringed by the Orchestra in Serbia that finds its calm in the ever present pulse that takes the song to its climactic transition into the world of disco funk – highlighting the sense of satisfaction felt in the state of true love.

Channa - Atif Aslam

Singer: Sanam Marvi
Language: Punjabi

Sanam Marvi returns to Coke Studio this Season with the soulfully poignant ‘Yaar Vekho’. Based on the raag Bhopali, the song is a reflection of a moment in time that contains a message that remains as relevant and powerful today as it was in the years it was conceived. The song is an amalgamation of observations by the Sufi poets Sultan Bahu and Sachchal Sarmast – from different times yet with views and themes that have spanned almost 600 years worth of human thought. Thematically, the song focuses on the eternal idea of being within the world but not of it – to aspire for a higher understanding of the concept of Mercy within the various faces and trials of the world. The verses mention that while in the world of custom and ritual, in the search of true freedom and enlightenment, one must look inside and find Mercy. The song’s tone is solemn yet with a tinge of hope that is demonstrated through the instrumentation and arrangement of the String Orchestra and the melancholic beauty of the Piano. With the acoustic guitar feel, the song becomes a listening experience that is almost nostalgic.

The song’s overall flow emphasizes on the simplicity of forlorn thought that accompanies the process of inner realization and hopes for a semblance of peace. Ultimately, the song urges for Resolution to be found within.

Yaar Vekho - Sanam Marvi

Laila O Laila, Coke Studio Pakistan, Season 6, Episode 4

Singer: Zoe Viccaji
Featuring: Sumru Ağıryürüyen
Language: Urdu & Turkish

In connecting musical roots, Zoe Viccaji brings her version of a melody that has traveled across the globe in many forms to now be presented as ‘Ishq Kinara’. She had heard the song in its Turkish equivalent – ‘Üsküdar'a Gider İken’ - and upon delving into the origin of the song, was inspired by not only the melody but the universality of its tune in the way that it has been reinvented in many different cultures across the globe. Given the driving inspiration behind Zoe’s connection with the melody was in her Turkish experience of the song, the composition was bridged with the vocals of Sumru Ağıryürüyen bringing the traditional Turkish song to the fold lending a link to its root. Sumru states that while ‘Üsküdar’a Gider İken’ stems from the old, Anatolian neighborhood of Üsküdar in Istanbul, the Turkish version’s roots connect even further to several other countries - Bosnia, Scotland and beyond. This fact was further confirmed by members of L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio in Rome, Italy, who had heard versions of the same melody. The Turkish version of the song primarily dealt with the theme of the despair caused by Loss in the name of Love, however Zoe, in connecting with the song personally, lyrically made her version about the idea of independence and self-realization in the name of Loss. ‘Ishq Kinara’ talks of the last moment of vulnerability as a relationship is severed, and looks on to being complete within one’s Self after the Loss. With an upbeat mixed canvas of instrumentation from Italy, Turkey, Morocco and Pakistan, the song becomes Pakistan’s version of the mysterious melody.

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