Ayi Ayi: a Coke Studio opener worthy of playing on repeat

15 years is enough time for anyone to hone and polish a skill, and with its opening banger, Coke Studio Season 15 has announced its coming of age.

With the exception of a few seasons where the franchise was experimenting with different genres and producers to find someone who could raise the bar that was lovingly set by the founding producer Rohail Hayat, CS has done exceptionally well in not just producing brand new products for local consumption, but also putting Pakistani music out there on the global map – this song is the first perfect amalgamation of sound and visuals.

Xulfi proved to be the person who took the music world by storm with season 14 and, if we go by ‘Ayi Ayi’, the first song of the season, we are in for a ride! Personally, it is the first time I have no complaints, whatsoever, with the song as a product. The audio, the visuals, the grading, the sets, the wardrobe – perfection.

Beyond the ‘filmi’ opening visuals, the audio opening reminded me of my childhood when we would play with the sound of our surroundings at school by opening and closing our ears with our hands. It made me think as if there was a glitch in my headphones, but boy does it lay a solid foundation for the track!

Opening

The first few lines by Noman Ali Rajpar are a bit too sharp if you have even slightly raised the treble on your device, but you have to give it to Xulfi for introducing underdogs who would almost make you feel bad about not coming across them earlier. The best part is that Noman wrote the lyrics himself and it shows. He gave it everything that a struggling artist of 15 years had accumulated, especially the notes that he hit in the second half of the song.

Mangi on the mic!

There’s a new kid on the block, he raps in Sindhi and has an unmatched flow and rhythm for a genre alien to the language. Sukkur’s Babar Mangi enters on a charpai held high by Sindhi boys in their traditional topis and never lets anyone down till the end. He’s confident, he knows what he’s saying and he’s saying it in the language he primarily thinks in. If I had to use one word for an artist of his kind, it would be resilience. Rap in Pakistan is quickly gaining popularity but to rap in a native Pakistani language that is not Urdu is a whole different game which Mangi seems to have perfected – and he knows that!

The real magic!

When Marvi and Saiban pick the mics, it isn’t singing anymore, it’s pure magic! I am a big fan of how the Indian music industry integrated Rajasthani music into the mainstream, which now serves as its very soul at times. I am sure Xulfi, with this duo, has put ideas in the heads of Pakistani musicians for the years to come. Their voices are raw, unpolluted, rooted and piercing. Kudos to the CS team for their extensive research that was helpful in finding Marvi and Saiban in Umarkot. They are a duo that Xulfi would never have thought he couldn’t do without. I love how these folk singers have adapted to modern music, and a physical setting that they have never experienced.

It’s Sindh!

Speaking of the setting, it’s truly representative of Sindh and its multifaceted beauty. From the colours, to the flowers, down to the Coke Studio ‘ralli’, the producers have gone an extra mile to not limit Sindhi culture to topis and ajrak. The best part is the people on the set being actual artisans from the heart of the culture-rich province. It gives the visuals a sense of belonging and ownership and the art being shown natural flawlessness and finesse. Like the lyrics, Xulfi has proven to be the musical victor that has helped shine light on the culture and music of Sindh in ways the mainstream has never done before. But then again, Coke Studio is not mainstream and thankfully so!

Music fans rejoice as ‘Aayi Aayi’ opens Coke Studio season 15