Afusic and Hasan Raheem’s neon-noir thriller Kanwal is quite something

WEB DESK: Pakistanis and Indians alike were finally getting past the rush brought by Afusic’s Pal Pal when the artist dropped his latest Kanwal featuring none other than recently hitched Hasan Raheem.

The single combines genre-bending production with a cinematic music video that feels more like a short film than a standard release.

Dark beats, darker storytelling

Produced by AliSoomroMusic, Kanwal rides on a looping guitar riff layered with afrobeat drums and trap hi-hats. Afusic delivers romantic verses with his trademark vibrato, while Hasan Raheem switches gears midway, weaving triplet flows that bring a rap-like punch to the track’s R&B core. The fusion results in a sound that’s moody, experimental, and instantly addictive.

Hasan Raheem’s Memories: blood on the shaadi floor

The music video amplifies that intensity. Kanwal, dives into the gritty underbelly of Karachi’s Chinatown, blending music and cinematic storytelling. Tension escalates into a fight, but the real twist comes when two women slip away with a bag of cash, leaving chaos behind. Borrowing from film-noir traditions, the video’s low-lit framing, smoky interiors, and neon alleys add a stylised edge that mirrors the song’s layered vibe.

Written and composed by the duo and produced by Ali Soomro Music, the track carries their signature fusion of R&B and trap influences. The music video, presented by Universal Music Pakistan and produced by FT.WA Studio, is directed by Shams Mansur and stars Afusic, Hasan Raheem, Ali Soomro, Erica Luo, Meriam Bux, and Najaf Bilgrami. Mixing love, money, and betrayal in a neon-noir setting, Kanwal delivers both a sonic and visual experience that feels like a mini thriller.

Rising stars, global reach

Both artists are central to the new wave of Pakistani music going global. Hasan Raheem, spotlighted by Spotify’s Radar programme in 2022, is building momentum with singles like Memories and Exes. Afusic, meanwhile, soared to fame with Pal Pal, which racked up over 73 million Spotify streams and dominated the UK Official Asian Music Chart for 11 weeks.

Together on Kanwal, they’ve delivered more than just a track, they’ve created a visual and sonic experience that fans are calling a “mini movie” and “another banger.” Within 24 hours, the video had already passed 200,000 YouTube views, a clear sign that this pairing is striking a chord far beyond Pakistan’s borders. Currently at 680k views, Afusic’s Pal Pal has garnered 263m views since it was released on YouTube six-months ago.

With Kanwal, Afusic and Hasan Raheem remind listeners that Pakistan’s indie music isn’t just thriving, it’s reinventing the rules of what a hit single can be.