Jamal Rahman’s True Brew Records has long been a tiny music haven, nestled between offices, eateries and upscale furniture stores; an unlikely, unassuming occupant with a creatively rich inner universe. Luckily for those who wish to take a peek there are tickets at the door, for Rs. 1000, you can allow yourself to be transported, even if for a couple of hours, to a strobe-lit universe where music reigns supreme.
If you visit the space during the weekdays, the modest studio has a completely different vibe. It’s still a hub where creatives come together and musical geniuses lounge around, jamming together but by night, by the time the crowd is gathering outside, streaming in slowly in pairs, chattering, laughing, you can feel the energy palpitating in the air. It’s a mood, it’s a feeling; the air smells of cigarettes and hedonism, the dim lights ensure that you have what is hardest to find in Lahore: privacy.
For its first intimate gig of the New Year, True Brew hosted Talal Qureshi as the headlining act of the evening.
Opening the act for him was rapper Rozeo who was followed by Neon Yousuf masquerading behind a dark hood and a delightful, shimmery silver tinsel sehra. Rozeo, an upcoming rap act, made its mark in terms of confidence and performance presence.
The young artist owned the spaced as he rapped his way to through the first set. Engaging the audience, drawing them in, Rozeo was able to connect with the crowd but the execution of the set was a little lacking. There were some fumbles, some lines that felt rushed and though the rhythm was definitely there, it needed refinement. Given that he’s relatively new to scene, Rozeo has both talent and a long way to go. We’re looking forward to seeing a greater body of music and tighter sets in the future from him.
Next up, Neon Yousaf regaled the crowd with his chilled out beats. Whether it’s to protect his identity or create a mysterious buzz, Yousaf’s tinsel face covering definitely intrigues the audience and makes for interesting spectacle. Reminiscent of the masked American artist Marshmallow, Yousaf took over and spun a relaxed set. The sound was edgy, experimental and mellow. The sound felt like a cross between lounge and techno, nothing heavy or jarring, just easy, mellow listening. Yousaf’s music always worked really well in setting up the scene for Talal Qureshi, building up the beat and vibe for the main act to take to the stage.
Talal Qureshi (TQ) has gone from strength to strength in the last few years. As a musician, producer and performer TQ has found his niche, collaborating with several artists including Naseebo Lal and Faris Shafi. His tracks with Faris Shafi for BBC Urdu were extremely well received but he chose to play an unreleased set at True Brew.
The new music is part of his repertoire for 2020 as he plans on releasing something new each month. TQ’s set was upbeat and definitely lifted the tempo up by few notches. The melding of pop beats with a modern, techno sound is what TQ considers to be his forte and that’s what he showcased at the studio. It was fresh, energetic and delivered the crescendo that had been building up with Rozeo and Yousaf.
Speaking to Qureshi after the gig, we learnt that the musician/producer has plenty of fun collaborations up his sleeve, including Faris Shafi, Abdullah Siddique, Asim Azhar and other artists whose names he can’t reveal yet.
While a complete album might not be in the offing for Talal, he has quite a bit of music that he intends to release over the course of 2020. We’re looking forward the new sounds and a year full of new music.
