This past couple of weeks has seen an absolute dizzying amount of fresh new releases hit our online space, from pretty much every direction and platform one can think of. There is of course, Ali Sethi’s Ghazab Kiya, Maanu’s new song called Naal and Shamoon Ismail’s latest single, Friday. Jimmy Khan came out with a new song called Ghar, Towers with the EP Jodh and Faris Shafi’s new track is titled With Love. Aima Baig and Bohemia are reportedly collaborating on a new single as well.

And then of course, there is Hasan Raheem’s disaster of a debut album, Nautanki, for which he’s being endlessly trolled. But hey, whether good or bad, there’s new music coming out in droves and that’s all that matters. It’s a very exciting time for the music industry in Pakistan.

Among the new releases, the one song I’ve had on repeat for the past several weeks is the new Towers collaboration with ace music producer Talal Qureshi called Jadu. The lead singer of Towers, Blal Bloch and the band Towers has been, of late, coming up with some really popular singles. One of them also includes, of course, TYNA (Teri Yaad Nahin Aati) that Blal Bloch released in collaboration with Turhan James.

Jadu is a mellow track that can comfortably be played in the background. The fun groovy sound produced sounds very much like modern electro-pop lounge music. Which works in its favour, it’s the kind of song you can listen to and enjoy while engaged in work and other activities without getting too distracted.

Jadu reminds you that even when in love, the only magic you need is not to take yourself too seriously

It’s in a mix of both Urdu and English, has a combination of both Blal singing the verses and Ashir Bhatti (the other vocalist from Towers) performing the rap section of the song. As the producer, Talal’s given the song the versatility of one you can listen to while sitting down, but also one you can dance to, should you feel like it. There are light piano riffs playing on repeat in the background and, at one point, there is even a vocal echo effect on repeat and fade. The treatment he’s given the song is interesting.

Jadu is a fun love song talking about being in love. It’s directed to the woman/object of their affection and about the pull-and-push of early romance. The spark, tension and excitement of being in love are all explored in Jadu. It’s not a love song that takes itself seriously and that’s refreshing.

Stick around to the very end of the song. It has a post-track, rap and bass-heavy section that comes in as a brilliant afterthought — like that scene that plays after the credits stop rolling after the movie ends — that will have you replaying just this section over and over again.

A section of it goes: Dekh hum ne kar diya jadu/ Beat pe Talal beqabu/ Haath mein na ayein hum bhaagay/ Ghayeb ho ke teray samnay hum aagaye

[Look, we’ve created magic/ Talal’s going crazy on the beats/ Can’t catch us even if you try/ We disappeared and appeared in front of you]

You kind of get the feeling, with its fun vibe, Jadu is not just a song celebrating love, it’s a song celebrating life. And just not taking itself seriously.

Published in Dawn, ICON, January 22th, 2023