Music for the ages

Pakistani classics to warm your winter playlist

KARACHI:

Something about the winter breeze probes sentimentality like no other season does. With many things coming to an end, it's entirely fair to give into the temptation to slow down and look back on treasured times.

Nothing screams "nostalgia" like rediscovering the music you used to enjoy growing up. But why not travel further back in time and unearth much older Pakistani songs? Here are a few classics to enrich your winter playlist with. Or just to help you jam with your elder family members.

'Lambi Judai' by Reshma

If lamentation was a melody, it would be this one. No song better emulates the feeling of gazing out the window in silence than this classic that transcends generations.

Even if you're not gray enough to consider yourself a true fan of the old gold, Reshma's voice is potent in transporting the listener to a time ridden with nostalgia and quiet musings.

Recognised for its refrain, the timeless chorus of Lambi Judai only grows finer with age, never repetitive. Hence, its charm is best appreciated in the cold season when one is especially prone to reminiscing about bygone days.

'Agar Tum Mil Jao' by Tasawar Khanum

Undeniably, winter is the season of melancholy and heartbreak. But there's no harm in adding a playful twist to your romantic yearning.

The chipper instrumental sequence in the beginning fantastically mirrors the state of mind of an ecstatic lover. The singer's jaunty vocals only elevate the song further, perfectly supplementing its theme.

With lyrics as brazen as the blend of beats, this track is sure to serve as an uplifting break for a playlist that will be crowded with odes of sorrow. Who doesn't prefer a tumultuous jamming session to keep spirits up?

'Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo' by Farida Khanum

Even if you're not an avid listener of the classics, it's possible that this pick or even just its title has not slipped past your attention. Coke Studio enthusiasts, who tuned into Season 8, know what this one is all about.

Laced with the demand of warmth for a departing lover, Farida Khanum's original song is for those enveloped in an unrelenting longing. The soft thrums of the tabla serve as a beautiful extension of the desperation relayed by the lyrics, tying together a track that is rich in the suspense of a loving exchange.

'Shaam Di Aai Kol Tere' by Noor Jehan

Here is a deceptively groovy addition to ignite that extra spark in your winter playlist. Noor Jehan's magic remains undefeated, if her timeless legacy is any indication, and it deserves to be celebrated on every old-timer playlist.

Evenings are an integral element of the wintertime aesthetic—the slow hours that call for the sinking of the sun and the rise of a chilly breeze. Warmth is essential in those moments, and the song reminds us of such. So bundle up and let the silken vocals take you away.

'Kahan Ho Tum Chale Aao' by Nayyara Noor

If there's one thing about old music, it's that it has cosy comfort for days. Even if the lyrics infect you with an incurable emptiness, you can't help but invite the feeling.

Like a soft drizzle on a cloudy day, this song is like a solitary walk in the park—heavy with grief yet offering the closure that one might require.

With lyrics taking the centrestage with this one, Kahan Ho Tum Chale Aao emits a contemplative side to Pakistani music that is best enjoyed in isolation, be it physical or emotional.

'Aap Ko Bhool Jayen Hum' by Mehdi Hassan and Noor Jehan

Any winter-influenced playlist is void without a musical back-and-forth, and there's no better contender to fill that spot than a duet by two legendary singers.

In the intended spirit of heartbreak season, this ghazal is a gentle yet reluctant expression of the pain that comes with the bitter end of an impassioned love story.

As the narrators promise a departure without grudges, their true feelings eventually rise to the forefront, insisting on the contrary. But there's also a sense of acceptance in that pain, a kind of closure that we all seek at the virulent conclusion of something that was once grand.

'Kali Kali Zulfon Ke Phande Na Dalo' by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Even after a bitter finish, everyone looks for a happy ending in one form or another—the bloom of spring after the decay of winter. You can have the happy ending to your winter playlist packed and ribboned within this entrancing track by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Winter calls for many pleasant qawwali night opportunities, so a link-up with the Fateh Ali Khan family's creations is almost inevitable. This flirtatious track in particular is a crowd favourite that's well-suited for your sing-along sessions.

So, what are you waiting for? End your winter with a harmonious bang. No need to wait for the fireworks.