As part of my end of 2022 (rather, start of 2023) activities, I’m writing a few lines from selected songs in my Best of 2022 playlist.

Lafzuna
Zahoor, Curly Ney

On rare occasions, a piece of art shakes up your conception of what should be normal. Lafzuna melds Pashto and RnB so gracefully that it is hard to imagine that this was not normal before. Zahoor’s recordings are novel and hopeful. Good reasons to watch out for him in 2023.

Saaye
Turhan James, Maanu

Perhaps my favorite Maanu melody. The best Maanu songs utilize very subtle melodic differences between parts of the song. Maanu’s low-pitched vocal and clean tone provide a calm over a hopeful electronic beat.

Sardaar Aya
Zain Zohaib

This duo, perhaps singlehandedly, is keeping the art form of Qawwali relevant to young people.

Bikhra
Abdul Hannan, Rovalio

The beautiful simplicity of this song is its enduring appeal. Often, challenged by their peers, creative people can complicate their own work. This song proves that keeping audience primary is effective. Nothing more powerful to South Asia than simple melancholy.

On My Way
Young Desi

Young Desi was rapping before this current golden age of Pakistani hip hop. In 2022, he put out a full EP. Could he tap into that same voice in a more crowded space? The good news, he’s still got it.