Ali Sethi releases ‘Ishq’ with music produced by Noah Georgeson

Singer, songwriter, author, lyricist, composer and a disciple of the great Fareeda Khanum and Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami – Ali Sethi – with music producer Noah Georgeson has been collaborating on back-to-back singles, beginning with ‘Chandni Raat’, followed by ‘Dil Lagaayein’ and now ‘Ishq’.

If ‘Chandni Raat’ echoed some hope, ‘Dil Lagaayein’ channeled a deeper, darker almost wondering state of love, with direction, cinematography and editing by Umar Riaz, who is quite the director.

With ‘Ishq’, Ali Sethi – known for songs and gorgeous covers – has embarked on another journey, both sonically and visually. It is, in fact, the strongest collaboration between Grammy-Award winning music producer Noah Georgeson and Ali Sethi.

He showcased just how good he can be with covers when he began his career and his playful side in the latter seasons of Coke Studio as well as the OST of Manto on a collaborative track with Zeb Bangash.

With these tracks, Ali Sethi is on course to another universe of music, one where a certain level of magic is present, imagination, divinity, darkness, sensuality and inclusiveness is part of the package. Ali’s vocals have never sounded better and though not exactly rambunctious, these songs, most of all, show Ali’s strength as a multi-cultural singer who puts his heart and soul in every song. Music producer Noah Georgeson doesn’t add too many unnecessary sonic effects that work against the song but creates a dreamy world. The music video, once again directed by Umar Riaz, needs to be seen. Words don’t do enough justice to it.

The single is, according to a press statement, “inspired by a couplet from Urdu poet Shakeel Badayuni.”

The press statement also notes, about the music video and how it shows “Ali entering a dreamy futuristic realm populated by enchanting figures (professional mimes from the Lahore-based Sway Dance Project) who beckon to him and lead him into ever-more sensuous places.”

Sethi composed the tune himself and co-wrote the lyrics with Lahore-based poet Shakeel Sohail with music arranged by the multi-Grammy-winning record-producer Noah Georgeson.

As Ali Sethi noted in the PR statement about ‘Ishq’, “This song is very close to my heart. It’s about a rebirth – a miracle awakening after a spell of darkness. I’ve been through that experience myself, and believe that love liberates you when you least expect it to.”

–Maheen Sabeeh