The current Pakistani music scene is a gift that keeps on giving. Whether good, bad or simply average, what’s quite promising is that new, original music is being produced and released consistently. Yes, it might just be electropop, but it’s producing new sounds, new genres and new artists who are reaching and impacting audiences across borders and around the world.

Hopefully, we’re well past the days when the only music mainstream artists would produce were endless, tedious covers and remixes — trying to beat an old horse until there really was nothing left.

Among the flurry of new releases is Lahore-based producer, singer, songwriter and rap artist Rozeo’s latest track, Tez [Fast]. This song, which is steadily climbing the charts online, is about the somewhat clichéd ‘fast’ woman.

There’s so much going on in this song, you hear new sounds emerge every time you listen to it. There are layers upon layers in the composition, starting off with a distorted violin riff which is later mimicked by the traditional baja.

Singer, songwriter and producer Rozeo sings about falling for the ‘bad’ girl in Tez

The lyrics are overly simple — that’s how Gen Z likes their music — but the song essentially talks about falling for the ‘bad’ girl in a way that celebrates her, in a fun, teasing manner and doesn’t condemn her. It’s about time.

This isn’t a song shaming tez women. In fact, Rozeo takes full responsibility for having been taken for a ride by one. He talks about wanting to willingly go for a tez woman, like putting his hand in the fire and wanting to get burned. That, in itself, is quite refreshing.

Halfway through this electropop number, to the sound of repeated vocalisations of “Kurri barri tez” [That girl is very cunning/fast], the song shifts into a more desi vibe through the beat and with the introduction of a fun, short riff on the baja.

This turn in the song is very reminiscent of the kind of sound you have in a fun, wedding-dance number. This only lasts a few seconds before the song shifts gears into its original slow, bass-heavy, Western groovy sound. It alternates between the Eastern and Western sounds throughout the song. What’s interesting is that the transition is seamless, making this a fun song to listen to in the car or at a gathering which requires you to dance on your feet. Listen to it long enough and the song, for better or worse, sticks to you. But only for now.

Hate it, or love it, Tez very quickly gets into your head. Much like everything Gen Z, it’s quick, short, spontaneous, gets to the point (Kurri barri tez, in case you hadn’t gathered by now) and moves on. By the time this article will be out, Rozeo would’ve already released a newer track. Because it’s not just the kurri that’s tez, it’s also the producer making music about her. Quick to release new music, that is.

Published in Dawn, ICON, November 13th, 2022