Coke Studio Season 9, Episode 1 Review

The most hotly anticipated music event of the year is finally here! And we are so glad to see that the line up for the first episode has been power packed with some of Pakistan’s biggest names in the music industry. From Abida Perveen to Zeb Bangash, Umair Jaswal to Ali Sethi Episode 1 really provided a wide variety of sounds. The very first thing that becomes evident, however, that this season’s sound is going to be different from what we have experienced with Coke Studio so far.

Sasu Mangay - Naseebo Lal and Umair Jaswal

This is where old school Lollywood meets new school contemporary vibes. Featuring Naseebo Lal and Umair Jaswal, this fast paced Punjabi track has two voices from different generations. Naseebo Lal hits the high notes with ease, while Umair Jaswal struggles with his high pitched shrieks this time. Regardless, Jaswal brings a smooth groove to the song and we can’t complain.

Janay Na Tu – Ali Khan

If anyone remembers Ali Khan’s ‘Saathiya’ they will also remember that Khan is actually a very underrated musician. His vocals are so melodious that they can make any song sound great. While ‘Janay Na Tu’ is a generic love song, Ali Khan’s vocal prowess really shines through. Maybe this song got a little lost amid all the power-packed performances this episode.

Aaja Re Moray Saiyaan – Zeb Bangash and Ali Hamza

We’ve gone to music heaven! Ali Hamza and Zeb Bangash featuring in one song together! Both absolutely phenomenal singers, singing side by side. They both compliment each other quite well, with smooth and calm vocals, which works out great in this case because ‘Aaja Re Moray Saiyaan’ is a very laid back song for a slow day. Also glad to see that while the Noori brothers are the composers of this track, they didn’t give it the typical Noori rock vibe and brought something new to the table.

Aaqa – Abida Parveen and Ali Sethi

Last but not the least, ‘Aaqa’ is perhaps my favourite composition of this episode. With Abida Parveen in the race, it’s quite difficult to win, but Ali Sethi, a relatively name in the music world, really managed to hold his own in front of the legend. He managed to captivate the audience not just with his soulful voice, but also has stage presence. This song is going to be one of the biggest hits of this entire season.