Review: Coke Studio Season 4 Episode 2: Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi, Ni Oothaan Waale
We make our way to Ataullah Khan Esakhelvi, performing Ni Oothaan Waale in episode 2 of Coke Studio Season 4. Another act I had no previous knowledge of. Starts off with a conventional background to the folk vocals, and swells into a hip, upbeat number. Absolutely loving Asad’s guitar effect, one of the things I never understood about Coke Studio is why they kept the guitarists on such a tight leash, so it’s good to see a little electric flavour. Ataullah, affectionately known as Lala, has a really heartfelt delivery, and all language barriers come tumbling down as he progresses through the song. Really wish I knew what he was saying in the monologue, let me know if you know!
All in all, Coke Studio finds a way to maintain its freshness and relevance in its attempt to fuse folk/classical with western/contemporary, and the great thing is even Lala enjoys the houseband’s offering, as it is apparent in his body language. Goes to show that great music truly is boundless. Looking forward to more material by him, in this season and beyond :)
