Ali Noor confirms solo album is still on

You have to hand it to singer-songwriter and musician Ali Noor – one half of music group Noori - who seems to be on a solo journey since stepping back from Coke Studio 10, the country’s biggest and most contested music platform.

While (brother) Ali Hamza - the other half of Noori – took reins as one of the music directors in Coke Studio season 10, followed by producing season 11 with Zohaib Kazi, Ali Noor threw himself into writing new music.

‘Allahyar Bol’ from Allahyar and the legend of Markhor is a song he wrote, which is about children’s relationship to God.

He also lent his vocals to Adnan Sarwar’s progressive film, Motorcycle Girl for a song called ‘Urr Chalay’, which is produced by Xulfi. Ali Noor is trying out various things and so far, he is succeeding.

Since spearheading the acapella platform that is Strepsil Stereo, he has introduced a different form of music while making decent songs.

The latest from the second season is a song called ‘Dil Haara’ - written, composed and produced by Ali Noor himself.

Sweetly enough, it is dedicated to his director-wife Mandana Zaidi, who has also directed this video.

The single is a love song Noor wrote almost two years ago, noted a press statement, and the first one Noor has written since the iconic ‘Manwa Re’ appeared many moons ago that put the band on the map.

The music video for ‘Dil Haara’, depicting a split screen, shows a couple leading different lives, as communication breaks down and is also a lesson in understanding how contemporary relationships can break down.

Since releasing in February 2019, the song has picked up more than a million views on YouTube alone and is significant because it showcases that the platform with Ali Noor in toe is working.

However, even more significant is the fact that Ali Noor has indeed begun work on a new solo record and is collaborating with other artists – who shall not be named.

As for a new Noori studio album, the band is, in that sense, on a hiatus. In the meantime, watching the solo path of Ali Noor and Ali Hamza with the latter having played the Salt Arts ‘Sanwal’ show to great applause, is quite a kick for music fans of the artists. ‘Dil Haara’ is refreshing and doesn’t sound like a signature Noori song, which is a good thing.

Speaking about the song, Ali Noor said in a press statement, “I haven’t written something like this in a very long time because I wanted to come up with something which would portray what I have truly experienced myself, in my own relationship. The message that I wish to put forward is to encourage couples to have an open communication as I personally believe that is the key to a successful marriage.”

However, it is the Ali Noor - presently in experimentation and introspective mode – whose solo album that will be released via BIY Music has us excited. A small glimpse of electronic experimentation was present in the single version of ‘Aik Tha Badshah’.

This solo album will therefore be the one to watch out for. Until then, check out ‘Dil Haara’.

– Maheen Sabeeh