Noori (PK)

About

Noori is a rock band from Lahore, Pakistan, built around brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, whose debut album Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan became a cult phenomenon even before its 2003 release, spreading through the internet via leaks. That record is credited with bringing pop rock into the Pakistani mainstream, and it stood out for its themes of youth empowerment and social responsibility rather than the usual love songs. The sound ranged from the folk tinged Manwa Re, originally written for a film, to full on hard rock anthems. Their second album, Peeli Patti Aur Raja Jani Ki Gol Dunya, followed the same characters into adulthood, tracing disillusionment, drug use, and collective apathy with a darker edge. Noori also became a fixture at Coke Studio, where their Sufi rock collaboration with Saeen Zahoor on Aik Alif was a standout moment. The band has performed across the US, India, the UAE, Afghanistan, and Norway, and their third album Begum Gul Bakaoli Sarfarosh was launched through intimate 111 person preview shows in Lahore, Islamabad, and Karachi.