Taha G just dropped another amazing song! With his most recent album, Andheri Raat, the vocalist ventures into sonically and graphically darker territory. Like most of his love songs, this one skillfully blends eastern and western components. But this one visits the gray corners of Taha’s many moods, touching on love just a bit and going above and beyond wit.
It nearly acts as a darker, gritty successor to the bittersweet 2020 track, which opens with an homage to Ghalib. In Andheri Raat, Taha discusses the effects of this love (read: addiction) and how, in its pursuit, he has lost himself. In Ghalib, he curses himself for falling so completely in love with someone he refers to as an “azaab” (a curse).
The hints raise the question of whether Taha is growing more conscious of his altered persona, from which he can’t seem to break free. This is further illustrated in the song video, where he confronts his inner demons in a literal sense—an endeavor made in vain.
The song’s sound has some sick, hefty trap beats combined with sitar and tabla fusion. The song, which also includes hip-hop and R&B components, blends a variety of emotions with some intriguing string arrangements. The cellos and violins in the background heighten the sense of terror. The melody and harmonies, which are both performed and sung, further enhance this macabre vibe.
Perhaps trying to seem even more alien, Taha mostly plays Arabic music in Andheri Raat, which makes me think of the dessert and belly dancers. Actually, Taha has adopted a percussion-heavy sound in the majority of his new songs, such as Naakay and Main Na Theek Hun, which helps to make his sound both familiar and unique. The song’s chorus, “Teri yaadon main tanha main / Tere paas akay dum ghut gaya / Teri pyaas main aaj main doobgaya,” is both melancholic and catchy.
The song is so full of drama and theatrics that it begs the question of where Taha has been keeping his Shakespearian flair hidden. Though the tragedy is still unknown,
In the music video for Andheri Raat, Anzela Abbasi, who looks stunning, plays a tarot card reader who tells Taha that there is no good news for him or, eventually, for himself. Taha dines with either dead or demented creatures, picking his brain one bite at a time.
There are clues to Taha self-harming and glimpses of him being administered drugs, suggesting that the monsters are in his head rather than under his bed. Finally, a deranged Taha delivers a public service announcement at the close of the film, saying, “Addiction can lead to self-deception.” Nothing like a reality check, is there?
Taha G composed and performed the song Andheri Raat, which AbRaw produced. Adeel Tahir handled mixing and mastering, while Ahad Husain produced the vocals. The song is available for streaming on all major streaming platforms, and the full credits for the music video can be seen on YouTube.
