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With his newest single, “PRESS,” DIN NYC, the project of singer-songwriter Mubashir Mohi-ud-Din, brings to you a homage to the Palestinian journalists who risked their lives to document the ongoing genocide in Gaza, while also reflecting the bias and selectivity in reporting. Recorded live in a basement studio in NYC’s East Village, “PRESS” is very reminiscent of the Rolling Stones, The Replacements, and Bruce Springsteen.
“PRESS” opens with warm melodic guitars grittily riffing and the drums thumping, while the singer keeps things lively with his emphatic, energetic, and charismatic voice. As he keeps you intrigued and head nodding, you also hear the passion and the pain in his voice as he sings, “You saw the kids scream/On your death screen.” It all feels very direct and confrontational, like the victims of war themselves are singing to you.
You hear the war victim’s desperation for some validation, empathy, and emotion behind the words, in the line, “Well, I hope you feel our pain.” It was a very good job to translate the chorus and sing it in Arabic in the final refrain, because that actually helps the Palestinians he’s singing from the perspective of, feel more heard and seen. And making someone feel heard is especially powerful when you are trying to tell their story.
Since Mubashir Mohi-ud-Din is actually paying tribute to late Palestinian journalists with “PRESS,” who helped the Palestinian struggle reach far and wide, these poignant lyrics are doing them and their struggle much justice.
If you love what you hear about the song, it’s safe to say you will love the artist’s story even more when you know his background also consists of a conflict-ridden territory—Kashmir. That relatability certainly shows that even if others don’t, he does feel the pain.
That being said, DIN NYC’s “PRESS” is available on Spotify, so go check it out and stay tuned.
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Review by: Naomi Joan