Singer-songwriter Yasir Akhtar, who currently resides in the United Kingdom, has returned to the spotlight with a new track called ‘Araam Naal Kar – Take it Easy’, which is based on the poetry of Baba Bulleh Shah and features rapper Martay Mckenzy. The song is a mixture of hip hop and Punjabi folk layered with a contemporary structure and represents a sound that is slowly becoming synonymous with Akhtar’s style of music.
Singer-songwriter Yasir Akhtar, who currently resides in the United Kingdom, has returned to the spotlight with a new track called ‘Araam Naal Kar – Take it Easy’, which is based on the poetry of Baba Bulleh Shah and features rapper Martay Mckenzy. The song is a mixture of hip hop and Punjabi folk layered with a contemporary structure and represents a sound that is slowly becoming synonymous with Akhtar’s style of music.
Both Akhtar and Mckenzy are scheduled to perform live for the first time, tomorrow (18 Feb) at Manzil Manchester as part of Desi Night. They will be accompanied by other popular artists such as Sahara! Nafees and a few others.
Akhtar, who is back in the spotlight after the boisterous success of his last single ‘Sansani-The Sensation’, in a recent interview, explained the theme behind the song and video.
“It is a blend of east and west with a folk melody and English rap. The concept of the video covers almost all major cultures and styles living in the United Kingdom. It has a multi-cultural look and sound.”
Akhtar, who admittedly launched the careers of Najam Sheraz, Shehzad Roy, Fakhr-e-Alam, Komal Rizvi and many other artists through his early days on Music Channel Charts, explained that the music and visuals heard and seen in his new work, ‘Take it Easy’ are an amalgamation of various styles and genres.
UK’s monumental architectural and cultural landmarks such as Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye, can also be seen in the video.
Once popular through his band, Arid Zone and pursuing a solo career with ease, Akhtar remains a significant part of UK’s evolving desi music scene. Explaining his new video further, he stated: “I am playing a double role; a philosopher and an antagonist, embedded in an abstract concept with a vivid storyline. The dual characters depict two different lines of thought in our society, i.e. spiritual philosophy and materialism. The concept revolves around a modern philosopher roaming around the streets of London singing Bulleh Shah’s poetry and explaining the concept of surrender to the antagonist.”
Whether the song manages to surpass his earlier hits, time and the audience will tell.
