'Rangeen' brings youthful romance to Coke Studio Nu.WAV

Singers Hasan Raheem, Izzchugtai uniquely blend contemporary pop, traditional music in fascinating new collaboration

KARACHI:

Coke Studio Nu.WAV has released Rangeen, a new collaboration between singers Hasan Raheem and Izzchugtai, produced by Umair.

The track blends hip-hop and contemporary pop with more traditional musical elements, building its story around longing, infatuation and the imagined possibilities of young love.

According to the team behind the song, Rangeen began with a beat created by Umair and shared with Hasan Raheem. The melody eventually took shape during Hasan's drive home, with the artists choosing to retain some of the spontaneity of the original idea rather than heavily rework it.

Izzchugtai joins the track later, adding another vocal layer and shifting its mood.

The accompanying music video, directed and edited by Arham Ikram, places the song in a stylised version of Lahore. It follows Hasan as he spots a girl from a rooftop during Basant and begins imagining a relationship with her.

The video deliberately draws on the visual language of classic Pakistani film romances, while adding references to an early-2000s childhood. Pastel-coloured buildings, patterned tiles, old computers, CDs, cassette tapes and film posters form much of its visual world.

As Hasan's imagined romance develops, the setting becomes increasingly exaggerated, blurring the line between what is happening and what exists in his imagination.

Speaking about the project, Kamal Khan, executive producer of Coke Studio Nu.WAV, said the collaboration came together relatively naturally, with Hasan and Umair already having the song and the team believing Izzchugtai would fit into it.

He described Arham Ikram's approach to the video as having a "filmy, coming-of-age feel".

The fantasy eventually gives way to reality when the arrangement opens into a shehnai performance by Muhammad Salim, introducing a wedding sequence that changes the direction of the story.

Rather than ending on a purely tragic note, the video leaves the possibility of another romance open.

Rangeen brings together three artists from different points in Pakistan's contemporary pop, R&B and hip-hop scene.

Hasan Raheem has become known for his work in indie-pop and R&B, with songs including Aisay Kaisay and Joona. He was also the inaugural artist selected for Spotify RADAR Pakistan and previously appeared on Coke Studio Season 14's Peechay Hutt with Talal Qureshi and Justin Bibis.

Izzchugtai is part of a newer generation of Pakistani artists working across production and performance. His releases include Ghuroor, LOVE BOMB, AWAY FROM ME, Junoon and Nadiyan Paar.

Umair, who was born in Karachi, began producing music as a teenager and has since worked on more than 150 releases and collaborations. His previous work with Hasan includes Radha, OBVIOUS and MAKE YOU MINE. He has also collaborated with artists including Young Stunners, Asim Azhar and Talwiinder.

For Rangeen, Umair handled production, composition, mixing and co-arrangement alongside Hasan. Hasan also worked on the vocal arrangement, vocal composition and lyrics, while Sean Tallman handled mastering.

The music video was produced by Gali Films, with Iman Khan as producer, Aamir Mughal as director of photography and Hashim Ali responsible for production design and art direction.

The song is the latest release from Coke Studio Nu.WAV, which has continued to bring together emerging and established artists from Pakistan's contemporary music scene.

Coke Studio Pakistan is a part of the international music franchise, Coke Studio, which features studio-recorded music performances by established and emerging artists. It is the longest-running annual television music show in Pakistan, airing annually since 2008. The programme's concept originated in Brazil and has subsequently expanded its reach worldwide.

The show combines a myriad of musical influences, from traditional Pakistani classical, folk, Sufi, qawwali, ghazal and bhangra music to contemporary hip hop, rock and pop music. It is noted for promoting Pakistan's multiculturalism by inviting artists from various regions and languages to collaborate musically.

The show features artists in each episode, by a house band and guest artists. Coke Studio tracks are officially available on their YouTube channels and various streaming platforms. The music is recorded live by artists at Coke Studio.

Following success in Pakistan after its first launch, Coke Studio has become an international franchise. The Pakistani show has amassed a large fan base in neighbouring India. The success of the show prompted Coca-Cola to launch the Indian version, Coke Studio @ MTV, with a similar format, which proved to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.