Page 21 - Pakistan Link - November 24, 2023

PAKISTAN LINK - NOVEMBER 24, 2023 - P21
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The Majestic Stratosphere of Natasha Noorani

The accomplished Natasha Noorani’s debut full-length album, Ronaq, swims in the Lolly-pop
genre she has pioneered, and is everything we thought it would be, and so much more.

n By Maheen Sabeeh But listening to the six new songs songs. ‘Haan, I know’, written by think was even possible in the mod-
in addition to the four that were re- Natasha Noorani & Zeerak Ahmed, ern music era.
Albumprofile leased earlier, is something else en- opens with a hilarious one-liner (I ‘Nishana’ also carries Lolly-pop lay-
Pretend for a second or 10 that tirely and much more than words really like Natasha Noorani/Okay ered with electronica. Written by
you know very little about Natasha can say, although we are trying. Natasha is Haan/I Know) and goes Natasha Noorani & Ashir, this is a
Noorani’s immense contribution to If you delve deeper into the produc- straight into an electronic pop layer song that is thoughtful and speaks
music. And buddy, it is a lot. tion side, it will become that is not thumping but shines be- of the emotional heart, with colors
If we remove all of obvious that cause of its simplicity. It also shines of romance and love unabashedly
it (even her some of the equally because of the lyrics and and with great courage. The groovy
last EP), br i g hte st the way in which Natasha has pro - duction shows how skilled
and just the producers on this
pay atten- record are with a voice
tion to her new that has the range to
LP, Ronaq, it will match it. As with the rest
take one listen- of the songs, it also stays
ing session with- true to the album’s larger
out procrastina- theme, which Natasha is
tion or monkey a pioneer of in the cur-
mind chatter, to rent age of music, and
become a fan. which separates Talal
If you’re simply Qureshi as the wunder-
following Natasha kind who can produce
Noorani as a terrific names in music more than a thumping
artist with music that will uplift your are involved with electronic club song.
spirits with catchy pop melodies the album. If the His production shines
tucked within electronic layers, you production credit here. The golden age of
are going in the right direction. If belongs to Nata- Lollywood is not for-
you’re invested in the lyrical word- sha, Talal Qureshi gotten, but given an
play that could be stirring or playful, and Abdullah Sid- explosive verve none
you will still encounter a new voy- diqui, each track of us thought was pos-
age past our weeping reality. If you has its own com- sible. ‘Raazi’ has a
haven’t done so, change tracks and ponent of con- slightly similar emo-
move with the melodious current, tributors (from tional undercurrent
because it will give you – not just writers to producers). sung it. It asks you why you are up- and includes a slew of writers (Na-
songs – but music that will stay in There is a reason the album is so set with yourself, goes into a love- tasha Noorani, Bilal Baloch, Maanu
your head and will add to your iden- gripping. Natasha has invested years sphere and becomes playful with the & Zeerak Ahmed) who collectively
tification of what Pakistani music is: to make this debut LP. line: “Cham cham cham mera toot accomplish something special. But
more than just what it was. Moving Perhaps the only way to understand gaya button” before admitting how what elevates it is Natasha Noorani
away from personal conjecture, this is absorbing each song on its own different she is. You cannot put this – who often reminds one of Naheed
is how the story goes. as well as understanding Natasha’s song in a corner. There is also some- Akhtar’s flair though she makes
“I saw it different, I must admit/I openness to collaborative work. thing to be said about its consistent no effort to copy the former – who
caught a glimpse, I’m going after it.” If ‘Choro’, ‘Baaz’, ‘Laiy-an’ and ‘Mat- production value that stays true to shows what a compelling singer she
– ‘Yes I’m Changing’ by Tame Im- labi’ were known to us, the six songs the style of music and Talal Qureshi is. There is no song in the album
pala that are brand new paint a clear pic- deserves a big round of applause, like this one, and to me, it falls into
Ronaq, Natasha Noor-ani’s debut ture that this is an artist who knows much like Natasha. electro-pop lo-fi. The effort is not to
LP and its predecessor (an EP called what she wanted to accomplish and An introspective musing appears make you dance and forget but one
Munaasib) have one thing in com- has done so, in beautiful fashion. with ‘Thandi’, which notices the that offers her diverse character as
mon, they showcase a personal Out of the six brand new songs, it is struggle of not knowing how to say a vocalist as well as production that
and transformative side of Natasha hard to pinpoint which song is the what the heart needs to. If you’re makes the album come together.
Noorani in the shape of music. But best, just like how it is impossible missing the Lollywood element, this Natasha noorani’s many accomplish-
Ronaq and Munaasib cannot be to pick one from the early releases is one that takes off like a rocket to- ments as a vocalist, songwriter, mu-
confused as one giant body of work. from the same album. If they were wards the stars from its production sician and producer haven’t taken
Ronaq is a deliberate effort, an en- obvious in the Lolly-pop depiction, by Talal Qureshi and words by Nata- away from the album in any area, but
tirely new body of work, and when the rest are not random musings and sha Noorani and Zeerak Ahmed. In have lent it the depth of history and
you hear it, you realize that emotions show what music can be when an fact, the introspection has a unique knowledge. And she has emerged
behind the record have changed. artist spends time making sure there flavor because if you were wonder- with a record that is a voyage we will
How so? Here’s how… is a cohesive and connected album ing what the term Lolly-pop means, never forget. As you listen to Ronaq,
If you ask Natasha about the style of as well as one where each song has it is here that it flies so high that you you will run faster, jump higher and
music, she will rightfully say that the standalone power. begin to understand. This is where look at the sun rising with a smile
genre the record is swimming in is Our story, due to finite space, there- Clark Kent becomes Superman, and and remember what it is like to
Lolly-pop, a genre she has mastered. fore must begin with the unreleased we’re hearing a song that we didn’t dream again

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