Wild City #199: Natasha Noorani

Wild City

Few individuals can be ascribed the descriptor “musical polymath” as justifiably as Natasha Noorani. A singer-songwriter, playback singer, producer, voiceover artist and ethnomusicologist, the Lahore-born artist felt perfect for our 199th mix when we found ourselves enjoying her collaborative NTS Mix with Discostaan where she displayed her musicality as ‘Peshkash’, her project through which she is highlighting and archiving sound art and oral narratives of 20th century Pakistan. However, it is the country’s indie scene which Natasha is synonymous with – fully ingrained in its legacy as the co-founder of Lahore Music Meet, the annual event which not only saves space for Pakistan’s alternative music but has a reputation for bringing to limelight some of its budding members. Natasha carries the same approach to her Wild City mix, highlighting the canon of the country’s predominantly-independent music. Latching herself to that theme, she gives regard to the style of her selections only in the aspect of making sure it’s varied. Electro-pop, folk-pop, traditional, singer-songwriter, hip-hop and techno – there’s a striking amount of genres packed into the mix, tied together as a cohesive unit by the thread of Natasha’s singular taste as a seasoned curator. True to its purpose, the mix serves to introduce us to a fresh crop of Pakistan’s talent as it’s likely to do for most of its listeners. For more information and tracklist with information to give context to each selection, head here: https://www.thewildcity.com/mixes/18097-wild-city-199-natasha-noorani