In a music scene dominated by electro­pop, we still have music acts trying to keep rock music alive. From the moment the first notes begin to play, Pepsi Battle of the Bands Season Three winners Bayaan’s latest offering to the rock music scene, Tayraak, envelopes you like an angsty lullaby.

Lead singer Asfar Rehman is channelling a little bit of Jeff Buckley in both the music and singing style, going for the moody, ballad feel for the song. Asfar is talking about struggling with taking the plunge in life. What if he doesn’t succeed?

Main/ Takta kinaray se/ Khauf aaey dhaaron se/ Darta hoon meelon wasee gehrai se/ Main aise mein tayroon ga?/ Kya ho agar kar na paaya?/ Tinkay ka sahara dikhta nahi hai/ Jo loon thaam

I/ Watch from the shore/ Fearful of the currents/ Afraid of a depth spanning miles/ How will I swim?/ What would happen if I can’t?/ Can’t find a sliver of support/ That I can hold on to

Bayaan’s latest offering Tayraak is an old-school rock lullaby that hits you straight in the heart

It’s in the second half of the song that he truly unleashes himself. That is where he also finds his confidence and footing.

Ray naadaan/ Sonp sabhi/ Tan man hai jo/ Lehrein aa ke uthaa lain gi/ Na doobogey kabhi/ Tu/ Tayraak taara hai/ Maujon mein beh jaa/ Ke zindagi in mein basi hai

[O’ foolish one/ Commit everything/ What is in you/ The waves will lift up/ You won’t ever drown/ You/ You’re a floating star/ Let yourself be taken by the waves/ Because life flows within them

For most of its musical history, Bayaan, much like Karakoram and Kashmir, has stayed true to its rock music roots, always retaining that band-like music, never fully giving into electropop. And maybe that’s why there’s almost an old-school musical purity in their sound. The flow of the music, the angst, the performances are all raw and hit you straight in the feels.

It’s in the second half that the song truly envelopes you. Crashing upon you like a wave. Until you have no choice but to swim within its layers, much like the protagonist in the track.

This is unlike any Pakistani rock song I’ve heard before. Here’s hoping there will be more of this.

Published in Dawn, ICON, November 27th, 2022