Music, as they say, has the power and ability to express sometimes what language can’t. At this juncture when a whole lot of Pakistan is feeling, to say the least, inarticulate, there has never been a better time to have music do some of the talking.

2007 was a bleak year for Pakistani music. One has to wonder what it will take to jumpstart this industry straight in the heart. Most of the voices we have seem to be running on the weakest of fuel. Though there are spurts of what seem to be an organic fervour with people like Sajjid and Zeeshan and the up and coming Zeb and Haniya, they are far and few between and regularly stilted by the ineffectiveness of the staggering record industry.

There is no lack of adulation from the Pakistani listeners for the people who genuinely inspire, entertain and touch them. It becomes the musicians responsibility to ensure that the work they generate is worthy of the admiration poured on them. The Pakistani audience has been gypped a great deal under the justification that the work that has come out has been ‘good by and for Pakistani standards’. With corners cut on commitment and production, vocals and lyrics we can expect very little of the music made today to carry through the years.

Listeners don’t demand much just that what they listen to has a heap of heart and soul driving it and not a synthesizer that can churn out 3 different remixes of the same song. The musician should also have enough faith in their sound to not rely on a corporate sponsor to ensure them constant almost hammering air play.

Music has the ability to inspire and enlighten, it can and has changed society mindsets. Breaking boundaries and borders it gives the world a different view of a country and its people, showing them as conscious and aware, constantly creating. When Junoon happened to Pakistan it was more than just music, it was a movement. A sound like that would do it again.

Inspiration is a powerful, necessary thing, especially when the threat of apathy looms around like a dark, bloated, ominous cloud that is sure to flood our roads and swell our doors shut. It will take a solid ray of brilliance to part the clear the sky. It’s not impossible, which ever way we look at it, markets and minds are primed and ready to absorb change but people with the energy and talent to cultivate the ambition to bring it about need to step up and commit to the task.

A sincere, genuine vision goes a long way. Anything done with earnest effort will be recognized even given the listless sensibility that has taken over so many, we have to hope and know that sometimes the good guys do win. We can trust that given the current environment the stark contrast between those who push for the right thing vs. the easy thing will be clear.

And on that thought lets look forward to the new sounds that will come with 2008 and hope that they will in their own way say things we all want to but haven’t quite found the words.