Music Review Coke Studio S10 Episode 1: A Smooth Take-off!

After a great last season experimenting with multiple composers, Coke Studio is finally back with Season 10 retaining the format this year with mostly the same names as composers. There are some interesting additions in artists list though. Shafqat Amanat Ali returns to this platform after 8 years! Nabeel Shaukat Ali too reappears after missing out last year. Few more names reappear this season that I am looking forward to - Humera Channa, Sajjad Ali, Ali Zafar. More importantly the Strings duo too feature as artists this time which is interesting! :)

Ranjish Hi Sahi

Composed by Jaffer Zaidi, Sung by Ali Sethi

For someone who likes both fast-food and a 3-course meal, I was seriously in a conundrum listening to this! I admit I am not a purist, however having internalised Mehdi saab's version, listening to it innumerable times, this rendition, although pleasant and crisp, lacked that 'nasha' that would stay with you for long! Ali is an immensely talented singer and an even greater person with all that he has achieved! I admire him to the extent that I envy him! His past stints at CS with Umran Langiyan and Aaqa were flawless and made me his instant fan. However with this, he was up against Mt. Everest.

Arrangement wise, it was a typical CS setup modernising an old ghazal with keys and acoustic guitar with the tabla retaining some character of the ghazal. The strings and the choir style backing vocalists add a breezy vibe and keeps the listener hooked. Given that it's CS and experimentation is a given, I think they did a good job in keeping it subtle and let Ali lead the show.

Ali was impressive with his vocals as always. I liked the fact that he was lost in the melody and hence some variations in the notes sounded very natural giving that occasional goose-bump moment! Although, his intentional pauses at places, especially at ranjish-hi-sahi was kinda glaring as you are so used to listening to the original which is smooth and continuous!

Despite all comparisons (which I can't help!), this definitely deserves at-least a couple dozen repeat listens this season. But then, if you ask my liking say 10 years down the line, I will perhaps prefer the old wine instead of this freshly concocted minty cocktail! Seriously look forward to seeing more of Ali this season though! :)

Muntazir

Composed by Strings, Sung by Danyal Zafar & Momina Mustehsan

Apart from noticing Danyal's obvious resemblance to his brother Ali, listening to the initial arrangement on keys, guitars and bass and the chord structure, I somehow got reminded of Lazarus from Porcupine Tree (Anyone else??)!

The arrangement is kept simple on a major chord structure, however I liked the use of bass-line. The melody doesn't get monotonous though as there are variations to the structure in the verses which is quite interesting. There's also a brief guitar solo cameo by Danyal (remember Momina from last time?). Somehow I would have liked the vocals volume to be a tad higher. On good speakers, the vocals (Esp. Danyal's voice) seem to be slightly feeble compared to the bass and the arrangement.

Nothing much to be added on this. It gives you a nice feel if you are used to this genre. Definitely not a typical CS arrangement, but a couple of these kinds do slip in to add variety to the album! One of those songs you wouldn't mind coming back to after a couple of months on a joyful day :)

Chaa Rahi Kaali Ghata

Composed by Sahir Ali Bagga, Sung by Hina Nasrullah & Amanat Ali

This one's yet another beautiful fusion from Coke Studio which took sometime to sink in for me, and now has reached a stage of addiction! The original composition is a beautiful Dadra (a form of Thumri) on raag Desh originally sung by Begum Akhtar ji. Sahir Ali Bagga (the new addition to the list of composers) has very smartly made subtle changes to the melody to fuse it with the modern piece. For starters, I fail to observe characteristic color of desh in the melody, however the use of 'komal ni' is quite pronounced at places (Would like any expert to validate this observation). This however makes the fusion with the modern piece, which is mainly on raag Bilawal (your typical major scale), easier to blend with.

While the composition itself along with the arrangement contributed to the overall performance, the main element were the vocalists! And both of them were amazing and superlatively melodious! Haven't heard Hinaji before and I can recollect only a few voices which are so open, melodious and powerful all at the same time! The notes and harkats are spotless and crisp. Esp the place where she says yaaaad at 06:02 was something else! On the other hand, it was great to see Amanat after almost a decade and boy his tonal quality is still the same! He exhibits his melody and range quite masterfully. And I am so glad that he managed to got to perform one of the antaras of the thumri and he rendered it flawlessly! The harkat at 04:20 was just wow! The composition ends with a beautiful climax where Hina does a powerful alaap on the higher octave while Amanat beautifully switches from the chorus of the modern composition back to the sthayi of the classical thumri accompanied by the strings section in full swing.

Arrangement wise this composition has everything a fusion would demand. Great mix of western and eastern instruments that are used very aptly. Guitars and keys are prominent during the thumri part initially to give an acoustic feel. As soon as Amanat's part takes over, electric music makes appearance along with strings and drums. The interlude is beautifully crafted with the guitars and strings with a hint of sitar towards the end. The antara of the thumri is now accompanied by the tabla giving a classical touch. The flute and sitar improvisations at places are perfectly done.

Overall a great overall package with each aspect constructively contributing to a great composition! You might not find it great in the first hearing, but trust me do give it some more attempts and you'll thank me later :)

Allahu Akbar

Composed by Shuja Haider, Sung by Ahmed Jehanzeb & Shafqat Amanat Ali

I was happy to see Ahmed Jehanzeb in the list of artists earlier (still haven't gotten over Khaki Banda!) and doubly happy to see him team up with the legend Shafqat Amanat Ali for this composition! And the virtuous duo didn't disappoint with their jugal bandi. 

The composition is a beautiful prayer composed and written by Shuja Haider himself! Starts on the acoustic guitar rather subtly with the singer duo building the melody and improvising their lines beautifully. Bass line and strings section accompany them beautifully at 01:53 . The song completely transforms at 02:10 into a qawwali with the qawwals joining in chorus enhancing the devotional quotient! The guitar solo at 02:56 in classical style flows with the arrangement nicely. The second interlude introduces flute into the equation which continues in the second antara.

Shuja kept the overall musical arrangement rather subtle, as the composition is more about the vocalists!  And both the vocalists do complete justice to the composition and are completely lost into the prayer while delivering a superlative performance. The subtle nuances and improvisations in pretty much each line keeps one engaged. Ahmed tests his higher range at 07:20 beautifully followed by Shafqat's trademark alaap building up the composition before it concludes! One definitely needs multiple hearings to appreciate this better. :)

Overall a good first episode to kick off the season and hope the trajectory is northwards from here!

-Prabhu