MusicMix

Junoon’s ‘Choolay Aasman’ reminiscent of ‘Mahi’

The new single from the founders of Sufi rock is about spreading the message of diversity and inclusivity.

By Dahijifus

“Three yet only one, most things that appear as three, are no more than one.” - Ibn el Arabi

The founders of Sufi rock are back. Southasia’s biggest and (best) rock band, Junoon has come together again after 16 years to produce some new music again.

Not since the 2003 release of Junoon’s last album together, Dewaar have the founding members, Salman Ahmed, Ali Azmat, and Brian O’ Connell combined forces to release any new music.

Back by popular demand, the founding trio reunited in 2018 after a decade and a half of focusing on their respective solo ventures.

After massive, successful concerts held in Karachi and Dubai as well as performing at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket tournament, Junoon has decided to grace their fans with a special treat in honour of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, which is being held in the United Kingdom as this piece is being written.

The new song and video entitled ‘Choolay Aasman’ centers around the message of unity in diversity. A Sufi philosophical theme, it stems from the belief that the Divine is everywhere but is ultimately One. Meditation on this helps us find our oneness with all creation.

The gorgeous video of ‘Choolay Aasman’, shot on location in the picturesque Shogran Valley in Pakistan’s Northern areas displays this message of unity in diversity beautifully.

Junoon’s return has come at a time when we are at a difficult impasse. War drums are being beaten in the nation’s immediate vicinity; economically things are also challenging and people are divided about which direction the nation should proceed towards. Against this backdrop, Junoon’s ‘Choolay Aasman’ has come at an opportune time to unite and inspire Pakistan.

The song displays Junoon at its finest – once again. It’s classic Junoon, which could easily be featured on Junoon’s triple platinum selling album Azadi or Inquilaab. The song’s groove is reminiscent of ‘Mahi’, that Junoon fans have been desperate for since the early 2000s.

The anthem weaves the country’s love of cricket masterfully with our passion for music. Junoon has been successful in producing some of the best ‘national’ songs in the history of Pakistani music. The soul stirring ‘Jazba e Junoon’ is just as popular today as it was in 1996 when it first released. It brought the entire nation together and gave the people a sense of being alive.

Junoon is back and will knock your socks off with their latest track – if they haven’t already.