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weekly 23 mar 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 23rd March 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 23rd March 20251. HaiyodiMusic composed, arranged & produced by Dhibu Ninan Thomas Lyrics: Krithika Nelson Singer: Kapil KapilanLanguage: TamilGenre: Alt-RockMood: RomanticWhen I listen to this song by the fabulous composer-singer combination of Dhibu and Kapil, I am reminded of another fantastic song. 'Adiye' was a song that mesmerised the whole nation, and for those who didn't know Kapil Kapilan, it put him on the pan-India radar. This splendid Alt-Rock melody is composed, arranged and produced by Dhibu Ninan Thomas with lyrics by the talented singer-songwriter Krithika Nelson. Was it a conscious decision to use 'Haiyodi' as the catchphrase and title after the success of 'Haiyoda' by Anirudh for the album ' Jawaan'?Either way, this is a much better song in comparison, for me at least and Kapil Kapilan elevates it to another orbital altogether. Keba Jeremiah's guitars and Naveen Napier's bass are piling on the scintillating effect and Dhibu combines the purity of Raag Abheri (Bhimplasi) with the energy of rock music. The male chorus joins in to provide impetus to the line "anbe nee anjamal nenjai killi sellathe", thanks to Dhibu, Aravind Srinivas , Sarath Santhosh , Saisharan , Shenbagaraj and Narayanan Ravishankar. When it is Kapil's turn to join and sing the line, the strings section is a beautiful arrangement in the background, played by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and this section is arranged by the amazing Kalyani Nair. I love the confidence and trust Dhibu has in giving some of the best songs to Kapil, and the way he provides an unabated vocal exhibition in return is a testament to a great team. The swaras are being performed by Kapil at breakneck speed, and it is beautiful to hear the backing vocalists sing "hey hey kadhal" along with this.Sruthiraj is on the Tabla and Ashwin Sivadas plays the drums. I love we have the backing vocalists sing the line "nenjukkule vedikkathe" and then with Kapil following it up "un perai sonnale", but the highlight here is Kalyani Nair's string arrangements that are mesmerising. Kapil shines with some unbelievable stuff he does in the higher vocal register. Listen to the aalaap in the outro and stay dumbstruck. The tracks are mixed by Balu Thankachan (20 dB, Chennai), and mastered by Shadab Rayeen (New Edge Studios, Mumbai). The recording engineers are Maniratnam, Bence Bobak, Vishnu M N and Paul Daniel. @dhibuninanthomas @kapilkapilan @officialanagha @princepicturesindia @madrashe @napier_naveen @kebajer @singer_narayananravishankar @aravindsrinivas_official @shenbagarajg @kalyaninair86 @sivadasashwin2. FariyaadVocals, Lyrics, Composition: Inayat Kaur BajajLanguage: HindiGenre: Alt-RockMood: EnergeticShe is a precocious talent with terrific vocal control and abilities. Inayat Kaur Bajaj has been featured many times by me and she has been on Indian Idol Season 14. Here is a new single where she doesn't restrain and goes all out with her insane vibrato, and why not? Inayat inspires many youngsters who are writing songs, as she writes the melody, and lyrics and performs the vocals on this one. Listen to her go as she sings "Ab toh Main kya karoon" with some falsetto and the landing notes on the last word, almost impossible to achieve. Suyash Gabriel is on drums, Anahita Singh plays the gentle Piano and the guitars are played by Solomon Konwar and McGilheri(Vinod Arora). The song gets into a blistering mode as we get to the chorus segment with the heavy rock genre being explored in drums and guitars and Inayat soars into the pitch notes, emoting all the aggression with style. One just can sit and listen to this splendid vocal performance by Inayat and maybe say to yourself " Main aur kya karoon". Once we get a solo on electric guitars in the interlude, Inayat executes the same notes with stunning perfection, giving a classical touch to the fast-paced aalap. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Mukul Jain at Ferris Wheel Studios. The recording engineers are Solomon, Mukul and Rohan Vashisht, the technical engineer. @inayatkaurbajaj @mixbymukul @ferriswheelstudios @itsanahita.singh @suyashgarbriel @mcgilheri3. Chemical RainLyrics, Vocals by Shivang Arora Music Produced by Shivang AroraLanguage: EnglishGenre: Rock

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weekly 16 mar 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 16th March 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 16th March 20251. PremaloMusic composer: Vijai Bulganin Singers: Anurag Kulkarni & Sameera Bharadwaj Lyrics: Purna Chary Keyboard programmer: Balu Additional strings arrangements: Jishnu Vijay Language: TeluguGenre: Light Music/ Folk PopMood: RomanticThe Telugu movie 'Court' is getting some good reviews, and in the meantime when I realised that the music is by Vijai Bulganin, I got excited and had solid expectations. Vijai meets expectations without a solitary obstacle in this beautiful melody. A blistering start to the song thanks to the one and only Rithu Vyshak who plays the role of the one-man-string-quartet. Rithu arranges the strings with additional string arrangements by Jishnu Vijay. Lali Talluri doesn't wait too long before he enthrals you with that tranquil flute solo.The live rhythms are so engaging and all of this happens within the first 30 seconds that you surrender yourself to the beauty of Vijai Bulganin's composition and production. Balu handles the keyboard programming and Raju, Lakshmi Kanth Pyare Lal and Adithya Babu handle the lovely rhythms. You can sway, but you have to agree when I say "Vijai Bulganin is one of the best out there". The high-pitched lines of Anurag and the lines by Sameera sung in the lower octave are fantastic. The love and romance are so well expressed in the vocal tones. The amazing words are written by Purna Chary.  Shallu Varun is a constant presence giving some stylish flavours with his bass guitars. The elaborate strings section in the background is performed by the Budapest Scoring orchestra, with orchestrators Abishek V and Balasubramanian G. Anurag weaves magic with his vibrato as he sings "Aakasham Thaakaali Ani Undha, Naatho raa chupistha aa saradhaa" and ends the line. Sameera makes you fall in love with her shy and suave delivery, pay attention to how she modifies and sings "Unnaayya Badinche Dhaaralu" The recording engineers are Vyshak PK & Alina Dantis at Contrabass Studios, Chennai. Robin Sebastian is the vocal engineer and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Roshan Sebastian. @vijai_bulganin @preyadarshe @poet_purna @nameisnani @sameerabharadwaj @anuragkulkarni7 @jishnuvijayanmusical @lalittalluri @shalluvarun02 @rithuvysakh @robinsebastianmusic @roshansebastian @contrabass_music_studios 2. SilsilaComposed and Produced By Shor Police (Clinton Cerejo & Bianca Gomes) Singers: Arijit Singh & Jonita Gandhi Lyrics: Siddhant Kaushal Language: HindiGenre: Alt-PopMood: RomanticI heard this album on a bus just before boarding a flight. When the first song "Silsila" played, i felt like my heart had already taken flight into some orbit of happiness, much before boarding the aircraft. This is what Bollywood has been so dearly missing! Good melodies that sound fresh and can lift your spirits. Instead what I have been doing for the last 5 years when I hear a new Bollywood song is immediately start wondering and asking myself " Where Have I heard this song before?". Clinton Cerejo's guitars and The Piano make way for your heart to be left pounding after finishing the song. Shor Police have created a beautiful, explosive album, "Dhoom Dhaam," which I recently rated 4/5. There are 3 very good songs on the album, and this is my favourite. The melody is blissful, thanks to the writing by Clinton and Bianca Gomes, and Siddhant Kaushal adds more life to the song with his words. I love the chorus segment with the lead vocals and the accompanying backing vocals that go " taaron takey batton ka, ujli hui raaton ka, hone ko hai chala yeh silisila". Behold for what's about to come, we get a scintillating interlude on guitars and Arijit humming along. This small melody piece is a collection of notes that just soothes the heart. Jonita Gandhi takes over in the verse here and how she performs is exemplary for any young artist, combining style and substance in equal proportions. Listen to the delivery when she sings " Nazaron ke sheeson mein chehra hai jo khila" with that pain and vulnerability in the tone, and then the falsettos are pure gold in "ab shaayad roohon mein shuru hone ko hai chala". Shor Police have done a stunning job on arrangements, especially harmonies, guitars and rhythms. The mild interlude on the guitar solo after the verse by Jonita feels like magic. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan at Headroom Studio, Mumbai. @shorpolice @sidkaushal22 @iambinkybee @jonitamusic @kedarpallavi @mixedbyaftab @dharpok @clintoncerejo @arijitsingh 

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weekly 9 mar 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 9th March 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 9th March 20251. Chahte HainVocals: Shilpa Rao, Raghav ChaitanyaLyrics, Composition: Raghav ChaitanyaArrangements: Vaibhav PaniLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanticI love the direction in which Raghav Chaitanya is heading, writing songs and delivering some fantastic melodies. 2025 has been a great start for this talented singer-songwriter as I am now featuring him for the second time this year. 'Begana' was the other song I reviewed earlier. Raghav writes the lyrics, and the melody and gets the amazing Shilpa Rao on board to perform the lead vocals along with him. The riffs on the keys create a nice background sound right through and Ishand Das accompanies on guitars.Kudos to Vaibhav Pani for the endearing arrangements that ensure the song sounds cooler and more gratifying. The song moves into a very engaging Synth Pop mode with some fabulous keys and synth refurbishments. The lines "Jo tum chahte hain, woh hum chahte hain" feels so enriching to hear, especially with Raghav's timely vibrato. The clincher is the Sarangi solo that intervenes in the interlude, thanks to Dilshad Khan, and this feels like pop fusion heaven. The melody feels like a bit of Raag Maand to me. Shilpa joins in the verse soon after and she delivers the lines like having a piece of cake, effortless and stylish. The way she sings "khushi chahte hain, na hi gham" with a mild aalaap, followed by that delightful ghamaka while singing " tumhari nigahen karam chahte hain" sounds all to magical, especially with Ishan's free-flowing guitar interventions. How can anyone reject this offer when Shilpa sings "Khuda ke liye, humse nazarein mila lo"? Thank you Shilpa for making every note sound special with your vocals. Aniruddh Anantha is on backing vocals, and it sounds emphatic with the lines "tere bin jeena". The recording engineers are Partho and Nishant, with Shadab Rayeen on mixing and mastering duties. @raghavachaitanya @sanika17_official @shilparao @tseries.official @tru_makers2. Abhi Kabhi SabhiVocals, Composition: Rameez KhalidLyrics: Rameez Khalid & Sarmad GhafoorMusic Production: Sarmad Ghafoor (SnM Studios , Islamabad)Language: HindiGenre: RockMood: EnergeticMusic Sans Frontiers! Yes, what do man-made borders have to do with appreciating music? I do feature a few Pakistani songs from now and then in these weeklies, especially if they do turn up in some Indian-specific playlists on Spotify. The song straightaway generates great energy thanks to the tempo, the emphatic drums and the combination of the violin with Rich Millin and Ben Sarfas respectively.Rameez Khalid is terrific on vocals here singing with such passion and the melody written by him is equally catchy and potent. The violins are brisk and the accompanying bass, guitars and drums make you tap your feet non-stop. I am not sure when exactly the song was released, because Spotify says 2024, but Youtube has a version from 5 years ago. Either way this song is worth listening to right now. Get hold of the scintillating solo on the violin by Ben as he carries you through a maze. "Bhoole hum sare ghum" is true when you hear such music. The lyrics are penned by Rameez and Sarmad Ghafoor, with the latter producing the music and handling arrangements as well. The interlude has some harmonies, with a drop in tempo, and marching style drums with Rameez singing "tere liye" as if saying this song is for my pleasure. What follows is an exhibition of vocal prowess by Rameez as he does some scat-singing with Ben equal to the task on this Jugalbandhi. @rameezkhalidofficial @sarmadghafoor @zparwez 3. Maatikinaaru OrutharuVocals: Gana ApelowComposition, Production: Leon James

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weekly 2nd march 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 2nd March 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 2nd March 20251. Mugai Mazhai Music Composed, Arranged and Produced by Sean Roldan Singers : Sean Roldan, Saindhavi Lyrics: Mohan Rajan Vocal Harmonies: Kalyani Nair & Neeraj M Selva Language: TamilGenre: Light Music /PopMood: RomanticHere comes the champion Sean Roldan. I met him at his Mumbai Gig with Sean Roldan & Friends performing Tamil Blues music and like the entire crowd I was wowed. I wasn't surprised and I was lucky to spend a few minutes with him after the gig, to convey my love for his music. A crackling beauty of a melody composed by the modern maestro with Ashwin Suresh's Nylon Guitar and some nice vocal harmonies adding to the beauty.The song's melody has impressions of Suddha Dhanyasi Ragam and it is evident right through. Kalyani Nair and Neeraj M Selva handle the harmonies with the playful flute intervention by Ashish Venkateswaran. When Sean sings the lead vocals " Kanmozhiyal pesadi, en uyirin mellisaiye" , I am floating into the skies. The chorus segment is a beautiful bit that has an uplifting ring to it with "mugai mazhai mugai mazhai, naan nanaigiren muthal murai". Mohan Rajan should be credited with the fitting words. The keys and rhythms are programmed and arranged to enable the song to reach a higher orbit of likability and the song feels like an Alt-Pop splendour. The interlude on the flute followed by guitars and harmonies is when Sean makes a Tamil music listener feel like listening to a piece of magic from Maestro Ilaiyaraja himself. Saindhavi joins and she hits every note like a woodpecker on the job singing "kalam neram maari pogume" after a fabulous vibrato. Sean excels in every department of composing, arranging, producing and performing this song in a way very few in India can so consistently. The tracks are recorded Aswin George John, Hariharan at Sounds Right. The mixing and mastering is by Balu Thankachan at 20db Black with assistance by Paul Daniel. @rseanroldan @millionoffl @saindhaviofficial @thinkmusicofficial @mohanrajan_lyrici @aswin_george_john @kalyaninair86 @neeraj_msg @a.s.h.musique @flute_ashish @thebaluthankachan @pauldanieldanny2. KanavukalSinger, Songwriter & Composer - Gowry Lekshmi Music Production - Ganesh Venkataramani Language: MalayalamGenre: ElectronicPopMood: EnergeticShe is one artist who deserves the famed title OG when it comes to indie music in India, especially from the south. Her delivery is by itself like a capsule that boosts the adrenaline in our veins. I feel like I am on steroids and I need to get up and dance when Gowry Lekshmi performs the Konnakol "thaka thimi thaka thakita thakita", and she follows this up with a high-pitched humming that feels like listening to a sorcerer trying to hypnotise us. The Keys, synths and rhythms that follow feel like "Roja Poo aadi vandhadhu" sung by KS Chithra and composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraja.Gowy has composed the music, written the lyrics and performed the lead vocals. Ganesh Venkataramani does brilliant music production and he elevates the song with the nice 90's styled synth-pop and dance-pop flavours. Ganesh also gives an energetic sound design on the heavy rhythm programming and adds style through the vocal harmony arrangements. The stanza is beautifully written by Gowry and that is why she is one India's best for trying to create content with consistency and quality par excellence. The lines that begin with "Dooram Thaanda Noppam Aarumilla, Vegam Pnam Pokaa Nereyundu" sets the mood for what's about to come. "Aadaan Neram Kaalonniderumengil" accompanied by the stylish synths and rhythms feels like a mesmerising ride beyond the gates of paradise. The champion producer/engineer Rex Vijayan gets cracking with his work on mixing and mastering the tracks. Is there some Abheri Ragam in the melody? Maybe. @gowrylekshmih @ganhitsthings @kalesh_govindan_3. Shaam Se Aaj 

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weekly 23rd feb 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 23rd February 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 23rd February 20251. Uyir Pathikaama Composed, Arranged, and Programmed by Santhosh Narayanan Lyrics: Vivek Singers: Vijaynarain, Aditya Ravindran, Santhosh Narayanan Language:Genre: Funk/PopMood: DanceSanthosh Narayanan hits two home runs on the trot. After a chart-topping 'Kannadi Poove' last week it is a funky dance number with outstanding vocals, basslines and harmonies to make the music lover feel joy all over again. Vijaynarain's vocal tone fits the bill of the young romantic hero so perfectly and that is why this song is laden with energy. With Karthi singing and just jostling about and Krithi Shetty pulling off some incredible steps, one can easily understand how amazing the song is going to look on screen. Santhosh has composed, arranged and programmed for this single and he along with Aditya Ravindran opens up the intro with some delectable harmonies. If Krithi is the heroine, the hero is bassist Naveen Napier killing it with incredible moments on bass guitars right through. It is the beating heart of this song when Naveen intervenes and entertains wholesomely on bass and Aditya energises the party with the electric guitar. Vivek, the lyricist is on fire mode with his words like " En raa kaalam atha varuthi varuthi, oru poo kaalam atha thodutha poruthi, oru pen mela pazhi sumathhi sumathhi".The hook line is pure delight as the singers go "Uyir pathikama vida mattalo", and then the following line adds fuel to the fire " Kanna sutthi olicha nooru kathi". Aditya handles all the additional synths and Karthik Manickavasagam is on additional arrangements duty. I love the thumps of the rhythms, drums and the simple notes on Keys to go all along. The interlude has these catchy Bluesy humming bits performed like guitar notes and what follows is a riot thanks to the composition of Santhosh and vocal prowess of Vijaynarain. The line "Aduthenna Kalavaram undangidumo" with the most unexpected notations and the basslines to follow is just an example of what is about to come. How easily does Vijaynarain perform the falsetto at the end of the line "nethi pottil muttham vaikka neram vandacho" is something that is beyond my comprehension and he does one more with "sondhathodu santhdipoma". The melody continues to move like one crazy joyride with lines like "nelakozhayuthu iva nizhal thaan partha". This could have only come from the repertoire of someone like Santhosh who just won't settle for the ordinary. He also plays the flute solo in this track just like in the previous single released 1 day prior. The recording is done by Santhosh, Karthik and Rupendar Venkatesh at Future Tense Studios Chennai. The tracks are mixed by Santhosh and additional mixing and mastering is by Rupendar @MixMagic Records. Meenakshi Santhosh is in charge of Music Management along with Studio Assistant Jabaraj. @musicsanthosh @vijaynarain @adityaravindran95 @vaavaathiyaarmovie @lyricist_vivek @krithi.shetty_official @nehagnanavelraja @napier_naveen 2. RoshniSingers: Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal Music Produced by: Salim Sulaiman Music Composed by: Shraddha Pandit, Keshav Anand Lyrics: Shraddha Pandit Music Co-Produced by: Shivansh Jindal Language: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanticThis combination of singers and producers worked like magic a couple of years ago, and here too we get another blinder. Salim-Sulaiman produces this beauty performed by lead vocalists Pawandeep Rajan and Arunita Kanjilal. The melody is composed by Shraddha Pandit and Keshav Anand with lyrics by the former. She has a way with words and I am delighted to see Shraddha co-compose such a beauty as well. Nyzel Dlima uses that brief moment when Arunita pauses to give a faint touch of the electric guitar. The melody starts to seep in when she sings "Haan Tumse Mili Pehli wafa", after that gentle aalap. How gradually the tempo picks up before you even realize and Pawandeep's voice is like a warm hug. He sings "ishq ka dhaaga khaske pakadna" with the adjoining pacy guitars. The bass guitars, drums and keys engage in tandem with the chorus lines "tere ishq pe hain yakeen" sung by the lead vocalists in harmony. Shivansh Jindal does all the additional music production. Is there some Raag Yamunakalyani? Maybe!Getting that saxophone in the interlude is a masterstroke, that works so well, adding to the romanticism of the song. The stanza leads to some calmer moments and the melody is reinforced with the Sitar and Tabla and that is why you can always trust Salim and Sulaiman to elevate something already beautiful into something breathtaking. As we come to a close Arunita does a subtle ghamaka in " ab jo mile ho "which just kept me stunned for a few seconds. The way the two lead vocalists perform the chorus line in different octaves is wonderful. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan at Headroom Studio, Mumbai, with Vatsal Chevli as the mix assistant. 

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weekly 16 feb 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 16th February 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 16th February 20251. Kannadi PooveLyrics: Vivek Singer: Santhosh Narayanan Backing Vocals: Kapil Kapilan Composed / Arranged / Programmed By Santhosh Narayanan Language: TamilGenre: Ballad/FolkMood: PathosThe master is here and with his first song in 2025, the expectations were building up, especially after a fabulous 2024 with 'Kalki 2898AD' , 'Vaazhai' and 'Anweshippin Kandethum'. The movie "Retro" had a fantastic teaser and when it is a Karthik Subburaj and Santhosh Narayanan combination we expect fireworks. Rightly so this song came out and without wasting any time Santhosh gets the intro in full blast.The Violas by Manoj are strong and make marks like swords in an action sequence. The Violins join as another layer also played by Manoj, and we have the raw and earthy vocals of Santhosh. Nobody's voice fits a sad and melancholic melody like his and he gets the tone and delivery perfectly done. In his usual fashion, he gets as many layers as possible in the arrangements and production, and that is Santhosh trademark and what makes his artform special. The "azhagiye" in harmonies after Santhosh's "adi ennadi nee". This segment which we can also call the song's anu pallavi , "unakkul porandhu unakkul amrikkum" is so intense and beautiful, and Santhosh leaves us wanting more by having this play only once in the whole track. There may be some influences of Raag Keeravani, if I am not wrong and because of the mood and style of the song, I am reminded of Maestro Ilaiyarajas's "Oora therunjukitten, Ulagam Purinjukitten". Get a load of this interlude now with belligerent violins, and the emphatic rhythms by Pranav Muniraj. Interestingly a flute solo follows to ease the pain and this is played by Santhosh himself.  A song from Santhosh' own discography, in the tone, that I feel some similarity to is 'Ori Vaari' from the album "Dasara"The stanza is where Santhosh drags you deeper into misery with the melody "paavamadi en nenju". The line where I was sent to the moon itself was "hey vandakodi, en vannakili, en ullala unnala kaayam, vazhi kandenadi, uyir kondeneadi, en anbana koodu neeyum". How does he manage to write notations like these? Vivek provides rock-solid support with these powerful words. All the string section quartet arrangements are by Santhosh with additional strings arranged by the brilliant General Karthik Manickavasagam. The second interlude has this massive piece that feels like French horns and vocal chants together and the strings of course. I was reminded of Maestros "Nila Athu vanathu Mele" and in one interlude Ilaiyaraja uses sounds to depict the horns of imminent ships. The second stanza's melody is written differently by Santhosh and how refreshing to hear that. And Kapil Kapilan is used as a backing vocalist, for those high-pitched vocals in the background. As we approach the closing stages of the song, one man begins to shine viz. the bassist Naveen Napier. He is on his solo trip if you pay attention and all that cool bassline makes us go tripping and into a trance. The recording engineers are Santhosh, Rupendar Venkatesh and Karthik at Future Tense Studios. The tracks are mixed by Santhosh and mastered by Karthik. All the music management is handled by Meenakshi Santhosh with studio assistant Jabaraj. @musicsanthosh @lyricist_vivek @ksubburaj @napier_naveen @manojviolonist @kapilkapilanmusic @karthikmanickavasakam @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @rupendar_venkatesh 2. Paka Music Composed, Arranged and Produced - Justin Varghese Singer - K. S Chithra, Justin Varghese Lyrics - Suhail Koya Co-produced by Rijo Joseph Language: MalayalamGenre: Light Music/SymphonyMood: InspiringI have always loved Justin Varghese's work. Some of the most creative whacky and brilliant songs in Malayalam have come from him. Tacks like "Hijabi" from the album 'Meow' and "Kannu" from 'Vishudha Mejo' and the title track of 'Palthu Janwar' will be etched in my mind forever. Let us not forget the insane score of 'JOJI'. Anyway, I am so glad that he is back with a blinder of a song this time in a new movie album called 'Ponman'. I started listening to this song and I was generally pleased with the outcome from the start. The nightingale KS Chithra was performing like she was operating on a time machine. He starts in the intro with his vocals, but it is accompanied by some heavy strings, horns and percussions in the background. Justin has composed, arranged the whole song and co-produced the song with Rijo Joseph. The sound design feels like it is a battleground and after the intro opening verse things calm down a bit. The Piano comes like a breather, produced and arranged by Gichu Joy and the calming chorus by Aavani Malhar, Hinitha Hilary, Akshaya A.K, Sreekutty Sreenath and Vyshak Bejoy. Chithra ji begins her rendition and it feels like a mother's lullaby putting me off into an endless slumber and sleep. 

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weekly 9 feb 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 9th February 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 9th February 20251. GhostProduced and Mixed by sudan Mastered by Vavae Written by sudan & Frizzell D'souza Language: EnglishGenre: PopMood: RomanticIt would be fair, to say that Frizzell D'Souza is one of my absolute favourite Indie musicians in India today. She earned that thanks to her poignant vocals, and relevant and fresh songwriting to go along with. Last year her EP "In My Asymmetry" was one of the top 3 Indie EPs for me. Frizzell co-writes this gentle and beautiful pop single along with another talented bloke sudan, who too has been reviewed and featured by me before. This collaboration works like magic with sudan producing the song.He opens in the verse and I love that tone which makes the listener feel distant and cold for just a bit. The flowy acoustic guitars act like a stream of water that brings freshness and also helps us move to the next verse where Frizzell serenades you with her voice. The production gets a bit more energetic on rhythms. The tone and texture of her voice are a lesson for many young musicians learning the craft and wanting to make it big. She asks "Can you come some other time, if that's alright" If she was asking me this, why would I ever say No to a voice like this?Kudos to sudan and Frizzell on the very hummable melody, and sudan especially for getting the sound of the trumpets in multiple layers and horns in the background. Feel the pulse reverberating when Frizzell leverages her vocal abilities to deliver a stunning bridge section. Voila, there come the trumpets in the outro! @frizzell.dsouza @misfitsinc @notsudan @saasmitchhetri 2. Sab Jag AndhaMusic Composed and Produced By - Aman Pant Arranged By - Sairaj Vijay Puranik Singer - Romy Lyrics - Kabir, Ashwni Dhir Language: HindiGenre: Folkish/ Semi-classicalMood: PathosI came across this album on Apple Music called "Hisaab Barabar". It made no noise and there were reviews of the movie but nobody talked about the music. As always I listen to everything that gets released, and when I heard this album, I was more than pleased by the quality. No wonder, it was the composition of Aman Pant, a musician I have liked and paid attention to. Jayant Patnaik plays the heavy rhythms, giving the flavour of a folkish number, and the additional dholak is played by Omkar Ingawale & Mangesh Joshi. I am reminded of the fantastic works of Ajay-Atul and this is meant to be a compliment. Did I hear some Raag Pilu? Well, thankfully Aman Pant educates me that there is more of a Raag Charukeshi vibe. I feel the pathos not just in the melody and tempo but the magnificent vocals of Romy. Rajeev Prasanna's flute solo in the interlude is endearing and filled with morose emotions. The melody is composed by Aman, and all the arrangements are by Sairaj Vijay Puranik. Kanir and Ashwni Dhir are the lyricists. The vocal harmonies in some Qawwali style along with stunning bass guitars elevate the interlude. Veljon Noronha plays the guitars, strokes, and bass and does all the related arrangements. I was taken aback by the beginning of the stanza which starts, after a brief pause and in such a low vocal register. Romy sings "lobh mein labh" in a captivating style and with enviable control. Well done to the writers and the composer for creating something so touching. "Iss gol chakki mein phis gaya banda" sings Romy and I am feeling the heaviness in my heart. The recording engineers are Mukund Kondedeshmukh, Vishal Shinde & Bashab Bhattacharjee. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Bashab at Chirping Birds Studios. The closing outro with the strings in the background, the flute solo and Romy's singing are magical. @amanpant02 @mainhoonromy @sairajpuranikofficial @audiobybashab @rajeevprasannaflute @veljon6noronha @omkar_ingawale_official @jayantpatnaik @vishal.shinde62 @chirpingbirdsstudios @mangeshjoshiofficial 

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weekly 2 feb 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 2nd February 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 2nd February 20251. Safar Mein Gum Music - Sarthak Kalyani Lyrics - Srijan, Sarthak Kalyani Singers - Sarthak Kalyani, PALAK Language: HindiGenre: PopMood: DreamySarthak Kalyani sings and when you hear, you end up with a sense of satisfaction that you heard someone with an elegant and touching voice. He emotes with perfection, and when the lines come "safar mein gum sa main ho gaya" you can feel the mild pain the protagonist is going through. The keys and synths are heavy and keep this mood dreamy like going through an incomprehensible maze, and it all perfectly stays in sync with the theme "Kya yeh woh raasta Laapata phir raha"Sarthak and Srijan penned the lyrics. His singing is evocative, and it feels like he is reaching for the stars, soaring high. The production and sound design Sarthak are impeccable, with Suprava Mukherjee on all the guitars and additional programming. The highlight for me is the vocal arrangements that come in like beautiful grunts and chants in the interlude, with Palak performing. The verse is all about his vocals and the engaging keys and rhythms feel like an AR Rahman production. The song gets elevated with the line "Kaisi yeh kashmakash hai", thanks to beautifully written notations and accompanying arrangements on keys and synths.The part felt like being caught up a whirlwind, and it all now comes to a peaceful end in the outro. The harmony arrangements are of stupendous quality with the backing vocalists singing "Kya yahi hai ghar mera, Kya meri daastaan". Salil Hangekar plays the flute and Akash Sharma is the musical assistant. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prateek Kelkar.@sarthak.kalyani @palakart_ @salil_thepiedpiper @srijan.bhageria @vinita.m2596 @aisequalto453 @_theaudiophile_2. PashminaLyrics, Composer: Viraal Kumar Vocals: Jubin Nautiyal Production: Arya AcharyaLanguage: HindiGenre: Ballad PopMood: PathosAlong came this melody and I took notice. As the song progressed, I was enamoured by it even more and that is why it has ended up among the best Indian songs of week. The vocals are by Jubin Nautiyal who does a fine job when given a superb song like this. The gentle Piano and his voice are saddening as he sings "Piya tu kaahe, aisa dard chaahe" and when the high-pitched line is sung, we can feel the protagonist's pain. Viraal Kumar is the composer and the lyricist, kudos to him for penning such painfully beautiful lines words and cooking up a ballad to carry those words. Arya Acharya is the music producer, and he deserves credit for getting the arrangements spot on. Can you hear the strings playing in the background? They slowly but steadily intensify the pathos. The magic is in the brisk Pianos, which are constant and flow like a perennial river. My favourite segment is the line " Mere do naina" and the hair starts rising all over my arms. This time as we get to the verse, we have Jubin being accompanied by some Gospel-like harmonies. The entire team shines thanks to an all-round effort with vocals, writing, and production all coming out in fine style. The melody reminds me of the famous song " Ghar se nikalte hi" and may have traces of Raag YamanKalyan@instituteofmusic_ @aryaacharya @jubin_nautiyal 3. TalabComposer - Udayan Dharmadhikari Lyrics - Udayan Dharmadhikari, Mandy Gill Music Produced by Karasama Beats Additional Production - Gibson George at Gib Productions 

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weekly 26 jan 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 26th January 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 26th January 20251. Edho PesathaaneComposed, Arranged and Produced by Nivas K PrasannaLyrics: Vijay SethupathiVocals: Siddharth and Shilpa RaoLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticNivas K Prasanna is one of my favourite young composers and he proves his mettle every time he is handed an opportunity. This time it is for a Kollywood album 'Bun Butter Jam'. Keba Jeremiah heats things on the guitars and bass, and then Akkarsh Kashyap's solo violin ignites the passion in the intro. The melody on the violin sounds a bit like Karthik Raja's brilliant song " Intha Siru Pennai". Can you feel the temperature rising? Well, that is thanks to Shilpa Rao giving a splendid and saucy performance on lead vocals. Finally, after many mediocre songs in Tamil, she gets something she deserves. Nivas has composed, arranged and produced music for this with Alex Samuel Jenito as the executive Music Producer and all additional programming was done by KA Surya Srihari. Is there some Raag Keeravani in the melody? Maybe. The lyrics are penned by 'Makkal Selvan' and acting supremo Vijay Sethupathi. The other actor to feature here in the song is Siddharth who lends this voice as the male singer. We have seen him perform in live shows and interviews and this is not a good show by the versatile artist.I love the interlude where we have the humming "thanna na thanna na than na" and the mild saxophone in the background. The stanza too builds on the beautiful melody already written with lines like "Vendatha Kelvi thaan, thandaatha kodu thaan". This is why Nivas stands out because he sits down to write good melodies with notes that can soothe you like the line " Baby Ne yen feel agura, Unnod Naan onnaguren". The recording engineers are Akash Mukherjee and Subhashree Das at Jam8 Studios, and the mixing/mastering engineer is Vinay S Hariharan. @nivas.k.prasanna @bhavyatrikha @raghavmirdath @raju_jeyamohan @rainofarrowsent @aadhiya_prasad @kebajer @shilparao @worldofsiddarth @akkarshkasyap @k.a.surya_srihari @jam8studio @subhashree.16 2. Raa Shalabangalayi NammalMusic Composed arranged and produced by Samuel AbyVocals: KS HarisankarLyrics: Manu ManjithLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light Music-PopMood: RomanticWow! Can you feel the music? Sandeep Mohan's guitar riffs are enticing along with those mildly thumping rhythms, as we get into the racy pop single composed, arranged and produced by Samuel Aby. I am featuring him for the first time, I believe, but what a song to start off! Say no more, as the master vocalist arrives, and when KS Harisankar performs, you are on Cloud Number Nine, probably just like how Bryan Adams meant and intended that song!Manu Manjith's lines are beautiful, talking about the beautiful colours of the skies and the peacock feathers when describing the protagonist's lover. The best segment is when we cross over from the Pallavi to the anupallavi, and the vibrato on the first word "Raa" in the title line " Raa Shalabangalayi Nammal" is to die for. The interlude has Sandeep going solo on the electric guitar and he is also the bassist in the background. The melody is endearing in the interlude with the flute solo bit especially played by Josy Alappuzha. Samuel Aby is very impressive with the entire composition and I love the arrangements, the timely pauses like the one between the charanam and Pallavi. The outro ends stylishly with the flute solo. The recording engineers are Jisto George, Hariharan and Sanjay. Arjun B Nair is the mixing engineer and Balu Thankachan has done the mastering. @samuel_aby @harisankar_ks @anpodukanmani_movie @manumanjith_s @l.i.j.u.t.h.o.m.a.z @gibsandeep @josy_alappuzha @sanjay_811 @jisto_george@sethsethu @thebaluthankachan3. You are my sunshineWritten and Performed by Alexander Shangoi SyiemLanguag

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weekly 19 jan 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 19th January 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 19th January 20251. MohSinger: Isheeta Chakravarty Composer, Producer: Project Damru Lyrics: Nawab Sadiq Jung Bahadur 'Hilm' Sitar: Soumitra ThakurLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical PopMood: TrippyIsheeta Chakravarty will ensure that your focus is unswerving and remains loyal to her delivery. A stunning performer with immense character and abilities to move across genres, Isheeta delivers a hauntingly good semi-classical number here. The composition and production are by Ashish Jha a.k.a Project Damru and the ingenuity lies in adding so many layers of arrangements.The lyrics are penned by Nawab Sadiq Jung Bahadur 'Hilm'. The heavy keys and synths add to the mystery, but the Sitar by Soumitra Thakur gives the tranquillity that your heart desires. Soumitra goes on to bamboozle you with the solo in the interlude. The melody twists and turns and probably moves across many scales, I could sense some Raag Sindhubhairavi at some point. The end of the interlude makes me feel cathartic with the slowed-down tempo and one magical piece on the Sitar and Pianos together.Take a bow Project Damru for what you have created, here as we have harmonies and strings section working together and giving me the chills. The electronic-pop nature of the song is scintillating and only a musician of great vision and abilities can produce something of this quality. Kudos to Vipul Angrish who has mixed and mastered the tracks and Anindo Bose, Keshav Dhar for working as the recording engineers.  @projectdamru @soumitra_thakur @firstwav @isheeta.c @keshavdhar @anindobose @audiosol.in @clandestinelabindia2. BeganaMusic Composer - Raghav Chaitanya Singer - Raghav Chaitanya Lyrics - Raghav Chaitanya, Traditional Music Production By - Mir Desai Language: HindiGenre: PopMood: SoothingHe is a noteworthy talent, this Raghav Chaitanya. I have seen him perform with great eloquence as a lead vocalist for many composers, but he also shines as a composer like this one here. This single is written, composed and performed by Raghav and the song gets a facelift with the production thanks to Mir Desai. Ishan Das' gentle acoustic guitar and Raghav's soothing voice both treated us well in the intro and verse of the song. The accompanying vocal harmonies are stunning and my hair starts rising when I hear "Jazbaat ko samjhaana" with Aniruddh Anantha performing and designing the backing vocals. Raghav knows how to carry a song forward with his vocals, because he strikes you with the rawness, rather than overdoing any parts. The vibrato is mild but meaningful. The introduction of bass guitars and the Dholak is where the song makes a move into the next zone of enchantment. Ishteyak Khan plays the Dholak and Tabla, and Biswajit Chakraborty is the bassist. The line really hits you when he sings " kyun aankh milaayi thi, kyun aag lagayi thi". Wait for it, as the song moves into the chorus segment and we get an Indian rock flavour to the song now. Nawaz Hussain pumps it up with the drums and Ishan Das adds fuel to the fire with the electric guitars. Well done Mir Desai, on the arrangements and production. The amazement doesn't stop here as Bhagirath Bhatt sizzles on the Sitar solo in the interlude. Mir joins on additional backing vocals, and as the song progresses the interventions on the electric guitar, the Sitar and Aalap by Raghav combine and crackle together. I love the mild humming on the harmonies when we hear the line "Joh to ho wahi main hoon, bas farak zara sa hai". The recording engineers are Partha and Nishant at Euphony Studio. Shadab Rayeen is the mix and master engineer with Akash Sawant working on the team as well. @raghavchaitanya @tseries.official @kanikkakapur @tru_makers @mirdesai16 @ishandas_666 @bhagirath.bhatt @biswajitchakraborty_bass @ishteyakkhanofficial @shadanrayeen 

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weekly 12 jan 25

Top Indian Songs of the week 12th January 2025

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 12th January 20251. Nee Ariyathoru (2024)Music Arranged Composed & Produced - Rahul Raj Lyrics - Rafeeq Ahamed Vocals - Suchith Suresan Language: MalayalamGenre: Light MusicMood: InspiringYou can call this a cracker of a song, and for that, I salute Rahul Raj, who has composed the melody, and done all the arrangements and music production for this. Suchith Suresan serenades you with his vocals and Sandeep Mohan's acoustic guitar follows gently in the background. As we come to the title line Rahul allows the wave of strings to affect us, thanks to the brilliant collective called "Arioso Quintet". Subin Kumar Sravan Krishnakumar, Nibu Mathew, Anil Antony, and Albin Jose play the Violins and Violas. Albin is the Cellist as well. The interlude is like a dream that you want to keep seeing forever, with the flow of violin solo and the violas and cello in the background, not to forget Sandeep's bass guitars and Rahul's keys and synths. The stanza makes a dramatic shift as we get a heavy electronic pop/synth pop texture to the song. "Kaarmukil niramaarilay" Suchith sings and the notes change so unpredictably with "chaayum ninnalaay", kudos to Rahul and Raafeq Ahamed for writing something like this, both in terms of melody and lyrics. The song makes you fly high with the subsequent line " ethoo mookamam smitham" accompanied by Sruthy Sivadas on backing vocals. I feel this one of Rahul Raj's best in the last year or so, and the song offers tremendous potential to uplift the listener's mood. You can do a little headbanging yourself towards the outro as we get a fabulous rhythm production bit by Rahul. The recording engineers are Santom 2barQ, Shiju Ediyatheril & Amal Raj @ Audiogene Sound Studios, Nikhil Kakkochan @ Freddys AVG (Strings) and John Mathews @ Pop Media House. The tracks are mixed and mastered by the ingenious Vivek Thomas at VTP studios with assistance from Sibin Wilson. @rahulrajmusic @sharanvenugopal @jojugeorgeactor @surajvenjaramoodu @goodwillentertainment @shelly.n.kumar @thomas__mathew @rafeeq_ahamed_ @shiju_ediyatheril @gibsandeep @sruthy_sivadaas @arioso_string_quartet @vivekthomasproductions @sravan.krishnakumar @albinjose.in2. Oliyin Mugavari (2024)Composition, Production, Arrangement & Orchestration: Raghav Hrishikeshan Lyrics: Preethi Venkatesan Vocals: Sathyaprakash Dharmar, Keerthana VaidyanathanLanguage: TamilGenre: Orchestral BalladMood: SoothingThis is a solid composition and an even better production. Raghav Hrishikeshan deserves praise for creating something beautiful, meaningful, and worthy. He handled all the arrangements, orchestration, and production, and that is no mean feat. We hear the Choir Ensemble right at the intro along with the flute solo by Sandeep Vashishta. The peace and tranquillity are undeniable, and within the first 45 seconds, Raghav proves his worth. The strings performed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra Orchestration invite the listener deeper into this maze of orchestral music. Srikant Krishna makes his mark by preparing the score and Balasubramanian G is the Orchestra Coordinator. The melody begins and it is complex in writing, which only talented performers like Sathyaprakash Dharmar and Keerthana Vaidyanathan can deliver with precision and style. The vocalists sweeten the deal even more and we are reminded of songs like "En Iniya Pon Nilave" and "Mandram Vandha" by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Thank you Raghav for writing such a fabulous melody and elevating it with terrific live instrumentals and a Symphony Orchestra. Keerthana performs the opening lines in the baritonish scale with some stunning bassline support and constant Choral and String section support. Keba Jeremiah can be heard playing all the guitars Nylon and STeel-string with the solid Napier Naveen on bass. The line that haunts me with its beauty is " manadhinil thondridum, mayakkamum karaindha pogum ura paniyena vilagidum". Preethi Venkatesan takes you to the world of these protagonists through her amazing lyrics. The voices we hear in the Choir Ensemble are Nayza Rose, Rebekah Alexander, Azriela Maben, Nidhi Samuel, Ryan Jacob, Chenjeri, Satvik, Abishek Gnanaraj and Devaraj Gopalakrishnan. As we head to the second interlude I am recalling the beauty, of Maestro Ilaiyaraja's "Oh Butterfly" in the tone and mood. Sandeep gives a Bluesy touch with his saxophone and Kuberan provides some energy through his percussion. The song transforms our mood and the whole team contributes with great efficacy. Raghav plays the keys and synths, and all the additional production is by Girish Lakshmanan. The recording engineers are Biju James, Abin Ponnachan at Studio UNO Records, Chennai and Nishant P Das at Euphony Records, Mumbai. Nitin Muralikrishna does the Stereo and Atmos mix and master for this. @raghav

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weekly 29 dec 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 29th December 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 29th December 20241. Aaghaz-E-IshqMusic Composed and Produced by Satyajeet JenaSingers: Satyajeet JenaLyrics by Mrityunjay PandeyLanguage: HindiGenre: Sufi-PopMood: RomanticSatyajeet Jena comes out of nowhere and creates this Sufi stunner, and I am trying to take my mind away from the song to be able to pen the next word of the review. The song is classy, with oodles of melodic goodness and it is written and produced by Satyajeet, with lyrics by Mrityunjay Pandey. I am taken back to the Lord of Sufi Music in Indian movies i.e. AR Rahman. This is a massive compliment for this youngster who seems to be an insurmountable talent. The Harmonium plays mildly and then the gentle melody plays on the acoustic guitar thanks to Blesson Naik. Satyajeet programs the electric guitars, keys, bass and synths and the sound design and arrangements seem flawlessly beautiful. He wins your heart over with the delicate vocals. The interplay between the Harmonium, guitars, bass and Tabla is pure divinity. Could there be some Raag Bihag in the melody? or maybe some Raag Bilwal?The Tabla is played like a gentle heartbeat by Subhasish Satpathy. The interlude gives you a pop flavour and that sounds refreshing against the Sufi-esque verse.  The Tabla arrangements are done by Utkarsh Wankhede, the recording engineer is Puspak Sen Giri and Satyajeet is the mix/master engineer. The Sitar solo is another fine addition in the interlude and one must congratulate on Satyajeet's vision. I am reminded of gems like "Hoshwalon ko khabar Kya" when I hear Satyajeet perform the verse. The line " us se rishta mera kuch is tarah" is beautifully penned from a chord progression perspective and I would be remiss if I failed to put this song at the very top of Indian songs. Satyajeet has brought the perfect end to this fabulous year of music for me. @satyajeetjena_official @imrityunjay @satpathy_subhashish 2. Atom BombLyrics: KavirajVocals: Vijay Prakash and Vaish KannanComposed, Produced & Arranged by: Charanraj M RProgrammed by: Charanraj M RLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light MusicWe end the year with a solid romantic single from the master Charan Raj. He had an outstanding 2023 as a composer/producer and I hope 2025 is going to be another year of hearing more magic from him. The violins in the intro make me ponder about the similarities with "Horatta" from the amazing album 'Saptasagardache Ello Side A'. Narayan Sharma and Charanraj handle all the string and woodwind arrangements. The strings are played by Cochin Strings.Vijay Prakash is having a ball as a male vocalist singing with a swag. Viash Kannan complements him well as the female lead vocalist. The percussions and all rhythm arrangements make it a very catchy song, so kudos to Charan who does all the arrangements, programming and music production. As we listen to the melodious chorus segment "Atom Bom, Nee Nannu Atom Bomb", the strings delight us in the background. Sunil Sylvester is the guitarist and Venkatesh G Bhat is on bass. The interlude is where Charan is driving the song forward and upward, and Violin melody is a thing of beauty here. The stanza brings in a smile with the way Charan writes the melody, and the lead singers deliver it with a dash of romance. The lyrics are penned by Kaviraj. Pay attention to the strings and woodwinds in the background as Vijay sings " Vishwamitra naane, neenu Menaka", and I am taken back to the days of Maestro Ilaiyaraja. The playfulness in Vaish's singing as she performs the line "dumtaka dumtaka" brings cheerfulness to the listener. The recording engineers are Vishnuraj MR, Aniket Mohanty, Arjun and Ashwin Prabhath. Sujith Sreedhar is the mixing and mastering engineer.  @charanraj27185 @vijayprakashvp @vaish_offl @narayan_sharma227 @venkateshmusic_ @sujithsreedhar3. IsabellaComposed, Arranged & Programmed by: Lydian NadhaswaramLyricist: Vinayak Sasikumar

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weekly 22nd dec 24

Top Indian Songs of the week 22nd December 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 22nd December 20241. Ishq HaiSingers - Anurag Saikia, Romy, Amarabha Banerjee, Varun Jain, Madhubanti BagchiComposed & Produced By Anurag Saikia, Oblong SioniWritten By Raj ShekharLanguage: HindiGenre: Folk-RockMood: RomanticThis fabulous song comes from the album Mismatched Season 3 on Netflix. The reviews could be mixed, but the songs definitely stand out. I have done a full album review on my IG page, and this song by Anurag Saikia is undeniably the best in it. The melody starts off to charm and as we progress it gets even better, with some of the best notes coming in the verse. Anurag has written the melody and co-produced it with Oblong Sioni. We have a galaxy of singers adorning this track and this healthy union is delightful with Varun Jain, Amarabha Banerjee, Madhubanti Bagchi and Romy delivering their best. Kiran Vinkar plays the flute all along and Ralph Menezes is brilliant on bass, and the tabla engaging is and gives this folk-pop fusion more meaning. The combined vocals of Gauranga Shekhar, Ankur Jyoti, Keshab Baruah, Shrikant Krishna and PratikhyaaSarma singing "Ishq Hai yeh Ishq hai" will make even the stone-hearted fall in love. Madhubanti and Romy elevate the song with their astounding tones and unique thrusts. The verse feels cathartic when Madhubanti sings and this segment feels like Yamunakalyani in Carnatic, reminding me of AR Rahman's 'Varaha Nadikkarai oram". Anurag doesn't settle for less as he builds on a solid base of a melody and makes this song reach for the skies with such splendid notes like "pairon ke neeche se zameen udd rahi hai" and here I was sold and rendered speechless. Thank you Anurag Saikia for being true, and dedicated to the art!I recommend that you play this song right away and believe in the existence of love, music and goodness. Pankaj Borah has mixed and mastered the tracks at Neo Sound and Pranjal and Rupjit are the recording engineers at Playhead Studio. Raj Shekhar is the lyricist@anuraag_psychaea @rajshekharis @bagchi_mb @mainhoonromy @amarabha_banerjee @varun_wave @believemusicindia @believeasd @netflix_in @gauranga_shekhar_ph @ankur_j10 @keshavbaruah82 @ishandas_666 @pankajborahb @kiranvinkarflute @pratikhyaa_music @shrikantkrishna9 @sunnyhaz_music2. Noolilla KarakkamMusic Composed, Arranged and Produced: Christy JobyVocals: Sreenath BhasiLyrics: Vinayak SasikumarLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Jazz-PopMood: InspiringTalk about a breathtaking intro, well, that is what you get with the Trumpets, flugelhorns, and Trombones played by Alessandro and Michele Fortunato. There is a feeling of being present in Madrid or Barcelona on the streets thanks to these terrific Brass and Nikhil Ram comes on and brightens your mood with the Flute solo. Christy Joby deserves massive credit for the composition, arrangements and production. Actor Sreenath Bhasi shows off his singing skills in the Anthony Dasan vibe. Anurag Rajeev Nayan plays the acoustic guitars, and his presence throughout keeps the song feeling light and groovy. The melody and tone remind me of AR Rahmans 'Kickku Yerudhe' from 'Padayappa'. When the line "Boothathan maaro, paavathan maaro" plays I observe two fantastic things viz. Sreenath's ability to sing in the lower vocal registers and the string quartet playing mildly thanks to Albin Jose. The rhythms get you into an upbeat mood and with the simultaneous layers of the Flute, Ocarina and Synths is a treat. Allan handles all the additional Piano and brass arrangements, with Keshav Vinod working on the additional chord arrangements. The haunting sound of the Ocarina by Nikhil Ram can be heard during the stanza when Sreenath sings "Nenjil, Murivu kondoru sheelam". This whole team has to be given a standing ovation for creating such a brilliant record that has so many outstanding layers. The chorus in the stanza and outro is performed by Lal Krishna, Christy Joby and also arranged by them. This could easily be one of the top Malayalam songs of 2024 for me. The tracks are mixed and mastered with great efficacy by Abin Paul. The recording engineers are Lal Krishna at Atlegato Records, Kochi, and Billian at Unity Studios, Calicut. @_christyjoby @hridhuharoon @surajvenjaramoodu @riyashibu__ @vinayaksasikumar @thinkmusicmalayalam @musthafa__actor @anna.raphy @anujith_18 @hrpictures__ @jobin__das @murathemovie @allanfromtheotherside @nikhilramtp @napier_naveen @punnya.pradeep @lal_music @ujwal_ks @finnykurian @keshavvinodofficial @albinjose.in @sreenathbhasi @anuragrajeevnayan 

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weekly 8 dec 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 8th December 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 8th December 20241. MirageVocals, composition : Anjana PadmanabhanLyrics: Vicky HajeriMusic arrangements: Siddhesh Srivastava Language: HindiGenre: Classical-fusionMood: RelaxingI am listening to Anjana Padmanabhan and thanks to a Spotify Playlist called "TuneCore: New Music Friday India", I came across this song. Hrishikesh Majumdar plays the flute solo in the intro and we get a glimpse of this classical fusion track within seconds. Here to give a Western touch are Siddhesh Srivastava on keys, Samarth Talia on bass, Harshil Gandhi on drums and Anjana's fantastic aalaps and ghamakas take us deeper into Raag Jog. This is a melody written by Anjana and all the instrumental arrangments by Siddhesh make this one festive treat.The swaras that Anjana delivers with break-neck speed, and the flute playing the same notes in the background is a highlight reel. The song deviates into another trajectory and probably moves away from Raag Jog when Anjana sings " Kaise Karoon". Manav Lakhani can be heard singing in the background as an additional vocalist. Kudos to Hrishkiesh who plays that breathtaking solo on the flute in the interlude and here we get the classical percussions like the Mridangam and Ghatam played by Ganesh Murli Iyer. This is a masterclass in singing, especially for youngsters looking for inspiration and wanting to perform as a classical vocalist, Anjana is immaculate. The outro with the Keys, flute, heavy drums, swaras and aalaap is a magical end to this inspiring track. The mixing and mastering is done by Prateek Kelkar. @anjanapadmanabhanofficial @ganeshmuraliiyer @samrthtalia @harshil.gandhi_music @siddhesh_62 @majumdar_hrishikesh2. DilshadVocals, Lyrics, Composition: Yawar AbdalMusic Producer: Akash GuptaAdditional Keys Production: Laksh SharmaLanguage: KashmiriGenre: Folk-PopMood: PathosYawar Abdal is a fine artist and I am fond of his Kashmiri indie work, his vocals being the Unique Selling Point. The Accordion and then his touching humming already have transported me into a good place. The Kashmiri lyrics are resonant with Paradise and they sound like a mom's lullaby when Yawar sings along with the gentle acoustic guitars in the background. Indrajeeth Handque plays all the guitars and bass and the stunning music production is by Akash Gupta.The female vocals now add fuel to the fire and when the lead vocalists perform together I am in tears, because of the fabulous notes written here. The strings section adds to the mild pathos and Akash is behind the synths, strings and horns programming. Indrajeeth stokes our deep emotions with his electric guitar solo in the interlude and Akash Gupta delivers a sensational performance on arrangements and production. Laksh Sharma handles all the additional key production with Akash on drums and percussion. This song will stay in my thoughts for a long time and although I don't understand a single word, the language of music does enough.  The tracks are mixed and mastered by Laksh Sharma with vocals recorded at Crukces. Taha Firdous Shah does the translations.@yawarabdal @akashdrums @indrajeeth_handque @lok__fi @crukces @tahafirdousshah3. Dil Ye UdaMusic composition and Vocals: Shayok BanerjeeLyrics: Anyaman MajumdarMusic Production/Arrangement: Pankaj 'Pikon' PaulLanguage: HindiGenre: Light MusicMood: Pathos

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weekly 1st dec 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 1st December 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 1st December 20241. KhaamakhaMusic Composer: Siddharth PanditLyrics: Alok Ranjan SrivastavaSinger: Nikhita GandhiMusic Arranged & Produced by: Siddharth PanditLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanticHe is one of the top 3 musicians for me in 2024! Siddharth Pandit take a bow! After a mindblowing album "Azaad Sangeet Season 3" ( I rated it 4.75/5). Now he has a single in the new web series "Bandish Bandits 2", and isn't it just another display of brilliance? Siddharth prides himself on writing beautiful melodies and impressive arrangements, especially when it comes to vocal harmonies. He is the composer, arranger and producer in terrific form, I salute you brother! The Piano plays gently and one of our finest Pop vocalists, Nikhita Gandhi slays it here as the lead. Aastha Mehta is the backing vocalist singing the title "Khaamakha" with such poise and vibrancy. Siddharth's partner in crime Alok Ranjan Srivastava writes words of passion and agony and when it is delivered with Nikihita's tone, the message hits you sharp and deep. The keyboard programming is terrific and gives such an enjoyable Pop single. The best segment is when Nikhita sings the chorus segment in the high pitch, and I feel like my soul just got wings to fly. The chord progression is just ahead of the curve and If you think you can predict what is about to come next, think again! Siddharth bamboozles you every step and every note of the way. He is also the mixing and mastering engineer. The music supervisor is Akashdeep Sengupta.@panditjeee @nikhitagandhiofficial @hashtag.jazbaat @akashdeep.sengupta @musical_swaroop @aastha.mehta2. Ghar Aa MaahiComposer - Ana RehmanLyrics - Shubham ShiruleSingers - Nikhita Gandhi, digVMusic Supervisor - Akashdeep SenguptaMusic Arranged and produced by - Gibson George Language: HindiGenre: Pop fusion Mood: EnergeticWe have the second installation of "Bandish Bandits" and the various musicians involved here inspire young talents that if they work with hard work, commitment and consistency, great opportunities will come knocking. Dilshad Khan's Sarangi intro sets the stage for a semi-classical fusion track and digV strikes you hard with his tantalising voice. His ability to enthral the listener combines beautifully with the strength in the technical aspects of his singing. Ana Rehman shines with this composition and her innate talent is obvious to anyone who has been tracking indie music.Shubham Shirule pens the lyrics and the dynamic Gibson George does the arrangements and produces the song. The fantastic sound design, and the interplay of all live instrumentals and programming, is all thanks to Gibson, and at the helm is Akashdeep Sengupta as the music supervisor. The synths and keys have a huge impact on what we hear, and when we get the energetic drums and digV's swaras, the fusion of two varied musical styles is eclectic. A great pick of lead vocalists, and if digV is authentic and classical, Nikhita Gandhi is westernised, confident and stylish in her delivery. That is what the web series is all about, isn't it?We have some talented live instrumentalists glorifying the song even more like Veljon Noronha on guitars and Shubham Shirule on the flute. After Nikhita's electronic pop lines, we get a classical segment on the Tabla by Ishteyak Khan, Bass Tabla by Chinmay Deore and flute by Shubham. The shift between Western pop and Indian classical music is swift and breathtaking. Shubham, Ana, and Ishteyak are the backing vocalists. digV's aalap feels magical and Nikhita's improvisation "Waiting for you" is a battle of wits. There are traces of Raag Bhimpalasi that I hear in the melody. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Pranav Gupta and the sound engineers are Palak Mohan and Aniruddh Anantha. @digvijaysinghpariyarofficial @nikhitagandhiofficial @shubhamshirule @ana_rehman @akashdeep.sengupta @callme_uzumaki @samindha.wangoo @juhii.g @shreya__chaudhry @chinmaydeoreofficial @ishteyakkhanofficial @veljon6noronha @gibsonbha @aniruddhanantha @palakmohanmusic 3. Hold on 

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monthly tamil sep oct 2024

Top Tamil Songs of September and October 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in Tamil for the months of September and October 20241. Naan EngeSinger - Shankar MahadevanMusic Composition, Production: Manoj KrishnaLyricist - Karthick NethaAdditional Programming: Ashwin RajaLanguage: TamilGenre: Semi-classical fusionMood: DevotionalI recently reviewed the movie album of "Aalan" by young musician Manoj Krishna. I was intrigued by the 4 amazing songs which were filled with wonderful arrangements, and production and this was my favourite of the album. Manoj ropes in the iconic Shankar Mahadevan to deliver the devotional number and not many like Shankar could have delivered with such poise. The additional vocals of Shenbagaraj Ganesalingam, Sudharsan , Vignesh Narayanan Ganesalingam and Deepak Blue give goosebumps when they chant " Om Namashivaya". Feel the divinity with the Indian percussions and the Damru. Shankar takes us on a journey to the heavenly abode of the Gods with his voice and delivery. There are fragments of Mayamalava Gowla, Saveri, Lalitha and Nadanamakriya Ragams. Punya Srinivas plays the emphatic Veena solo in the interlude and the vision and brilliance of Manoj Krishna shows. The two instruments that appear here are the Veena and Damru , which are known and believed to be Lord Shiva's instruments, something the Lord himself played. Karthik Netha writes these fantastic lines. The Indian percussion is played by Krishna Kishore and KV Prasad. The way Shankar sings with his Carnatic-alden ghamakas is a pleasure to teh ears. The heart feels heavy when he sings " Theeramal thuyaram thorathiduthe, porada mana kathariduthe". KV Prasad's Mridangam is constantly adding to the excellent Carnatic flavours. Shyam Raghav plays the Violin Solo. The amazing strings section is arranged by Ashwin Raja and played by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra. Balasubramanian G is the Orchestra Co-ordinator. The recording engineers are KS Mani Ratnam at The Mystic’s Room and Ameya Mategaonkar at Lambodhara Studios, Mumbai. The tracks are mixed and mastered by KS Mani Ratnam. @shyamragav @punya.srinivas @karthiknetha_official @ashwiniyer_ @manojkrishna001 @mani_the_rathnam @flute_ashish @kishorbeatz @laxmax_3483 @kebajer @shankar.mahadevan @shenbagarajg @deepak.blue 2. ChillanjirukkiyeMusic Composed and Arranged by Sean RoldanSinger: Pradeep Kumar, ShivangiLyrics: Mohan RajanMusic Production: Sean Roldan, Jim SathyaLanguage: Tamil Genre: Folk/Light MusicMood: RomanticHere comes Sean Roldan, after a terrific album "Raghu Thatha", (which I rated 4/5), with a fantastic song in the new movie " Lubber Panthu" streaming on Disney Hotstar. It is the best in the album and it has one of the finest vocalists on display. It all begins with Ashish Venkatestwaran's beautiful intro on the solo flute, along with a stringed instrument (maybe a Ukulele, or a Mandolin). Sean composed the melody and arranged and co-produced the song with Jim Sathya. The fantastic voice and the vibrato of Pradeep make my heart feel full. The strings section is extravagant in the background after Pradeep finishes the line "Enna Kollura Arakkiye", and here we hear a fabulous melody on the flute solo and my heart skips many beats while listening to the beauty. Enjoy the sound of the Ghatam and the rhythm programming makes you want to get up and do a folkish dance step. Ashwin Raja, Gautam Prasad, and Sebastian Varghese provide the additional programming.I stand up and bow to Sean for his brilliance and you too will feel it when you hear the flowy strings section, with the rapid flute riffs in the background. Sean comes in and entertains with that mild humming in the interlude. The stanza is where Sean further develops the melody and the gentle Piano is a good addition to the production here. Shivangi joins in the second stanza as the female lead vocalist and that baritonish delivery makes me go weak at the knees. What a terrific display of singing that is! Mohan Rajan makes the heart flutter with love thanks to all his words. The recording engineer is Aswin George John with assistance from Kiran Kashyap. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Balu Thankachan at 20db Black, and Paul Daniel assisted in the session. @rseanroldan @sivaangi.krish @iamharishkalyan @pradeep_kumar1123 @jimsat @flute_ashish @mohanrajan_lyrici @aswin_george_john @thebaluthankachan @aswin_george_john 

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weekly 17th nov 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 17th November 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 10th November 20241. TeardropsVocals, Lyrics, Composition: Ananya SharmaProduced by: Ananya Sharma & Jorge I VazquezLanguage: EnglishGenre: PopMood: RelaxingBefore I start reviewing this song, I would like to mention here that, this is the 3rd song from Ananya's new album 'A Junkyard Wonder' that I am featuring in these weekly written reviews. This happens rarely, so Ananya Sharma deserves a huge round of applause. 'Teardrops' is a fabulous single that brings together some amazing live instrumentalists from around the globe. Ananya writes the lyrics, and the melody and performs the lead and backing vocals in this song. Aidat Witvoet plays the gentle piano and the layers of vocals come like an entourage you cannot miss or ignore. These are praiseworthy arrangements already and kudos to Ananya and Jorge I Vazquez for producing this song with such niceties. Ananya once again excels as a songwriter here with such clear and creative word choices to convey a message. Listen to this line " A sense of forgiveness starts to unleash like a blooming of a rose", with backing vocal harmonies enhancing the last phrase. This could just be me, but when this line comes and ends, I feel like a glimpse of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" maybe because of the gentle and similar melody and the accompanying backing vocal arrangements. The string section arrangements in the background also could be another reason for that similarity. We have Jorge and Angela Moya Serrat playing the solo violins and the emphatic drums by Anthony Lafond. The string section arrangements are done by the Maestro Albert Palau. The eyes close automatically to enjoy the song when you hear the beautiful melody, vocals and arrangements and the irony is that Ananya just then sings " Your eyes start to open suddenly". The drum arrangements and the Pianos alternate between playing things with tenderness and aggression. This keeps the audience guessing and never for a second do we take the song's chord projection and tone for granted. The bridge section is filled with such goodness but it explodes onto the scene, with lyrics " Weak, you feel the blame, Palms cold and eyes wet, Every second of craving, Happiness and a light head" with some scintillating drums, electric bass by Samuel Keri and absorbing Pianos. The Oud which we hear very mildly is played by Nikos Siderakis and the Marimba is by Robed Fenelus. She ends the song with a much-needed message " You are your own bliss" with the reverberating drums by Anthony. The programming is done by Ananya and all the mixing and mastering are done by Ananya and Jorge with mix assistance from Ishaan Jagyasi, Arina Korenyu, Tanishq Seth, Lars Gardner and Jackie Walter.     @ananyas.music @jorgei.vazquez @nic.hard @ishaan.jagyasi @anthony__lafond @samuelkeri.music @nikos.siderakis @angi_moya @albert_palau1 @jackiewaltermusic @ar_korenyu2. Baat Itni SiComposer: Shekhar Ravjiani Singers:  Pratibha Singh Baghel, Madhubanti BagchiLyrics: Priya SaraiyaArranged by: Shri Deepak PanditLanguage: HindiGenre: Tumri-fusion/GhazalMood: RelaxingI don't remember the last time Shekhar Ravijani composed a Tumri-based melody, but it works like magic. Two ace performers Pratibha Singh Baghel and Madhubanti Bagchi take up the task of lead vocals and we are captivated all the way. The outstanding composer/producer Deepak Pandit handles the arrangements and carves a great jewel from this precious stone. Bhagirath Bhatt plays the Sitar solo with a divine touch and accompanying him is Aklakh Hussain on the Harmonium. Within seconds I am immersed in the melody as Pratibha and Madhubanti battle it out with their abilities and delivery. Sanjoy Das is stunning as the bassist providing the cool western funk all along and Dilshad Khan pitches in with the Sarangi to elevate the pathos from time to time. The rhythm master is Prashant Sonagra on the Tabla and we are entertained with some fabulous interludes and arrangements. The Sitar and Harmonium playing the beautiful melody in the interlude in unison is graceful to hear. The melody has Raag Pilu (Kaapi in Carnatic) influences in my opinion, and Priya Saraiya writes the tantalising words. I hope to hear more from Shekhar in this genre in the coming days. The lyrics are quite interesting with lines like "Maine Gulzar ke gaano se woh chaand churaya". The tracks are mixed by Kuppaiyandi Sethuraman. The song keeps playing on my mind much later after the outro.@shekharravijani @priyasaraiyaofficial @bagchi_mb @iampratibhasingh @deepakpandit_31 @sanjoygtr @dilshhadkhan @bhagirath.bhatt @prashantsonagra @akhlakhhussainvarsi @kuppaiyandisethuraman @sanket.s.tole @kirti_narain @prabhat66 @garuudaamusiic 3. Kasturi

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weekly 10th nov 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 10th November 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 10th November 20241. HereVocals, Composition: Ananya SharmaLyrics: Jane Tyson ClementProducer, Recording Engineer, Music Arranger: Ananya SharmaProducer, Co-producer, Recording Engineer: Jorge I. VázquezLanguage: EnglishGenre: PopMood: InspirationalThis is the second consecutive week that Ananya Sharma has been featured here on my weekly list. Ananya composes a stunning melody bolstered by her impeccable vocals and shape-shifting into a magnificent song thanks to the arrangements and musical production. I stand and salute you Ananya for the effort, vision and ultimate output because we live in a world where the easy route to success is filled with mediocrity, yet she chooses to take a path of inspirational songwriting. Jane Tyson Clement writes the lyrics, and Ananya writes the melody and performs the lead vocals. The song is co-produced by Jorge I. Vázquez and Ananya. We can hear the Harp by Rachel Groves mild and mellifluous. Slowly but steadily like a rain that gains its intensity from drizzle to showers, we hear the Violin by Djessy Van Den Dries. It soaks you in misery like the violin is supposed to bringing in the pathos and when we hear Ananya in lead and backing vocals "I stand Here, I stand Here" we feel the body tremble, not with fear but with all the gusto and determination of a person against inclement externalities. The singing and violin solo rise in pitch like a growing spirit and the double bass provides that support like a rock, for the song to stand, thanks to Mathew Baker. The second verse feels even more impactful and Djessy's violin teases you this time around with the playful plucks and kudos to Ananya and Jorge for the astonishing arrangements and production. Daniel Quesada is on percussion and the tracks are mixed by Nicolas Hard. The recording engineer is Tanishq Seth, Ishaan Jagyasi is the mastering engineer. The outro is where Ananya breaks free from her clutches and sings with her heart out, singing " One Wild Song". @ananyas.music @jorgei.vazquez @nic.hard @ishaan.jagyasi @rachel.harpist @djessyswan.music @mattbakerbaryton @dquesada.composer @tanizhqseth_ 2. BeHaya Humre Saiyaan Bedard?Singer & Music: Sanah MoiduttyLyricist: Mahendra Dhirajlal KamdarMusic Production and Arrangement: Prasanna SureshLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical fusionMood: RelaxingSanah Moidutty is getting her game phase on, with an exploration into Hindi indie space in 2024 as a vocalist (check out amazing singles like 'Piya Mere' and 'Ghanan') and now she has composed the melody too. Lalait Talluri lures you with his flute solo in the prelude, and it immediately feels like a cool breeze touching your face and something you have longed for. Shomu Seal accompanies on the rhythm guitars and Sanah joins in and bamboozles you with her stunning voice. The Tabla by Hanif Khan is quick to make an impact and my favourite line is the antara that goes "ka kare ham be-inktiyari dil ki" with some tough landing notes sealed beautifully by Sanah. The melody feels like a whiff of Raag Bilawal to me. Prasanna Suresh who has collaborated with Sanah before, is in charge of the wonderful arrangements and production, so his contribution is much appreciated. The catchy interlude with Lalit playing a beautifully written melody with the chirpy Tabla is worth your time and you can play just this segment multiple times on loop. The sanchari (charanam/stanza) is another excellently written piece, and Sanah is just showing she is an able composer here. The whole team must be congratulated for creating some magic here. The lyrics are penned by Mahendra Dhirajlal Kamdar.The notes, lyrics and vocals are endearing and oozing of richness when she sings " voh lagaaye chathiyan hum ko papi, ghar ke manva nain sauthan saali". Sanah does one better than my expectations with that brilliant bridge section "daga baaz jalaye hamaar jiyarava" with the fantastic accompaniment of the Harmonium, giving an ARRahman-esque Sufi flavour. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abin Paul and the sound engineers are Pranjal Bora at Neo Sound Studio and Harmony Studios. The people who founded this music label Jukoz Music Pvt Ltd are Mahendra, Dhwanee, Archana and Bhupesh. @sanah_moidutty @mahendradkamdar @jukoxmusic @officialprasannasuresh @shomu_seal @hanifkhan5936 @@lalittalluri @mixwithabin @hanifkhan5936 @archana.kamdar.31 @dhwaneekamdar @bhupeshkamdar 3. MayaviSinger: Sonu Nigam, Sanjith Hegde

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weekly 3rd nov 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 3rd November 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 3rd November 20241. Mere Ho TumComposed & Sung by - Raghav KaushikWritten by - Raghav Kaushik, Alok Ranjan SrivastavaOrchestration & Music Production by - Sparsh AgrawalLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanticThe morning time is precious for me, as this is when I listen to music, read, exercise, run and do household chores. All these are meditative processes and hence I value them immensely. One such morning, during a jog, I listened to my playlist of new music and this song made its way. The Accordion and the Piano give us a formal invitation into the song and it felt like a sip of coffee to wake me up from my slumber and lethargy. Raghav's Kaushik is that dash of sugar that spikes me into full-on activity and cerebral alertness. This guy is a treasure with his unmistakable singing voice and his ability to write melodies and lyrics of the highest standard.Veljon Noronha plays the acoustic guitar and one of my favourite producers Sparsh Agrawal induces class with his arrangements, orchestration and production. When we get to the pre-chorus segment with the line "khone laga dil khwaabon mein tere, the magnificent string arrangements create wonderment. Raghav Kaushik writes the melody and performs the lead vocals. The orchestration is a work of splendour and I stand in ovation to Sparsh, as he piles upon so many layers in the background. This very European texture is thanks to the elaborate orchestration and the Accordion. The melody is quite beautiful when Raghav writes the lines " roz naye raah chalein", it shows what a fine composer this guy is. Never forget the role of Alok Ranjan Shrivastava for co-writing these amazing lines along with Raghav. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abhishek Ghatak with Samir Dharap is the recording engineer at Studio 504@raghav__kaushik @veljon6noronha @theghatak @hashtag.jazbaat @sprshagrawal @photoframiac @jdominic96 @harshtokas @tandonyogi @raghavmeattle @firstwav @samirdharap9 2. NayadikalMusic composed, Produced by Santhosh NarayananVocals: Santhosh Narayanan & Arjun sasiRap Verses : Arjun SasiMalayalam Lyrics - Anwar AliLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Rock/MetalMood: EnergeticHe is unstoppable and across India, this has been the case in 2024. Santhosh Narayanan is making music of the highest quality and when that is being recognised in many parts of the country, it gives me great hope, rather than when someone makes music for the sake of Instagram reels. Here is Santhosh performing the lead vocals and I now believe the raw and cracked tone of his works well in metal too just like it fits the folk and gaana/kuthu genre of TN. Anwar Ali penned the Malayalam lyrics, while Arjun Sasi wrote and performed the energetic English rap lines. Telfie is in supreme form with his electric guitars in the prelude. The energy is impeccable and with Aditya Ravindran as the bassist and Siddharth Nagarajan on drums, we feel shock and awe right through. The chorus segment gets Santhosh in the high pitch mode and one cannot help but bang their heads to this metal show. We have heard of the mouth trumpet but the mouth-guitars here are catchy and the melody written for this bit will keep ringing in my ears long and hard. Aditya comes and performs as the backing vocalist.If you thought this was it, think again. Arjun Sasi makes his entry with a smashing and fast-paced rap show that reminds us of crazy American metal bands like Limp Bizkit. Siddharth is busy with drums making his presence felt all the way. Wait for the grunt and the bridge rap section as Arjun says " Gotta load my gun, you better run". Take a bow, Santhosh for the composition, arrangements, production and vocals. Key Royson does the exhilarating video for this song. @musicsanthosh @arjunsasiofficial @directedbykenroyson @drumssiddharth @adityaravindran95 @simeontelfer @anvarali113 3. EcstasyComposer - K J Diliip

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weekly 27th oct 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 27th October 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 27th October 20241. Re MannSingers: Shreya Ghoshal & Swanand KirkireComposed & Lyrics by: Swanand KirkireProduced by Kanishk SethCreative Producer: Ankur TewariLanguage: HindiGenre: Light MusicMood: HappyFinally, we get a terrific song under the 'Coke Studio Bharat' series without any gimmicks or excesses. Swanand Kirkire has been in supreme form of late giving us some wonderful music in the indie space and that form continues. Like always Ankur Tewari is the creative brains and producer behind the curation of this project. The melody and lyrics are written by Swanand and he also performs the lead vocals along with Shreya Ghoshal. There are elements of Raag Yaman and maybe some Bihag, if I'm not wrong. Shrey Gupta plays the acoustic guitar and accompanying him is the brilliant Bhushan Chitnis on acoustic and electric guitar as well. The verse gets repeated with the soothing voice of Shreya and we have backing vocalists Devashri Manohar, Pearl Alex, Chinmay Pandit, Shaashwat Pande, Kiara Alemao, Joel Padikkal and Joel Mathew giving some a caressing feeling with the excellently arranged harmonies. Kanishk Seth is the master at work and shows his finesse in arrangements and production. Sabyasachi Deb is playing the Double Bass. The interlude has the inventive instrument stringed Noori, played by its inventor Kavish Seth, giving us textures of a morose Sarod as well. The second verse has Shreya conquering our hearts and delivering the sweet melody with such warmth and splendour. Sanket Pahurkar plays the Jazz Drums and the drum sampler as well giving us some energetic rhythms, like a horse sauntering. The arrangements especially on harmonies are outstanding when we get to the lines " ke palkon ki do khikiyaan tu haule band kar le". The song can elevate our spirits from deep distress to pure bliss. Kudos to the entire team. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane at Bombay Live Studios with the Think Tank Team being Kausar Munir, KJ Singh and Swanand Kirkire. KJ Singh is the sound and technical supervisor. @seth_kanishk @shreyaghoshal @swanandkirkire @devashrimanohar @kiara_alemao @kavishseth_ @pearlalexsays @shaashwatpande @ankurtewari @sabyasachideb @sanket_pahurkar @bhushan_bhu_chitnis @chinmaypandit.music @cokestudiobharat @universalmusicindia @shrelebrity @prathmeshdudhane @kjpahji @kausarmunir2. Just Like YouWritten & Composed by AnoushkaProduced by Fardeen Siddiqui, Shivam Trivedi, and AnoushkaLanguage: EnglishGenre: Alt-PopMood: EnergeticIn 2023, when I featured the best English indie songs of the year Anoushka had two of her original numbers in the top 20 songs of the year. I have been waiting ever since for her next release and this one is a solid sequel of sorts. Thank you, Anoushka for being so consistent and focused on quality and this song " Just Like You" too will be one of the best Indian Indie songs of 2024. The melody are lyrics are written Anoushka with the fabulous production done as a collaborative effort between Fardeen Siddiqui, Shivam Trivedi and Anoushka. Get your rock phase on and be prepared for some headbanging. Karun Kannampilly plays the drums with rising intensity and Fardeen is making your face melt with the electric guitar riffs. I am finding it hard to write this review, without being able to control my head and feet. Anoushka is undoubtedly one of India's finest vocalists and she proves it every note of the way. The high notes, and the vibrato, are all performed with a slick style. The constant presence of vocal harmonies in the background does give off a Gospel vibe too. That is precisely when I was reminded of the global super hit of 1991 called "Baby, Baby" by Amy Grant. The arrangements are a notch above the rest we have heard all this week and kudos to the trio of Fardee, Anoushka and Shivam for the scintillating production. I felt some smooth horns section too in the background. The way Anoushka extends the "you..you.." is mesmerising. My favorite segment was the bridge where Anoushka sizzles singing " Dont come for me, You best believe" with the backing vocals performing the word "yeah" at the end of every line with some anthemic spirit. The outro with harmonies, horns, electric guitars and drums keeps me wanting much more. I don't know why so many young musicians won't want to be "Just Like you". The recording engineers are Hersh Desai and Aria Nanji at Island City Studios, Mumbai with Hersh on mixing and mastering. @anoushka_sivasankar @_fardeens @shivamtrivedii @karunk @hersh.desai.9 @yashrenukdas @ariananji @studioislandcity @riddhi_sonetta3. Bawla

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weekly 20th oct 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 20th October 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 20th October 20241. MaravikaleMusic Composed & Arranged by Sushin ShyamSinger - Madhuvanthi NarayanLyrics - Rafeeq AhammedScore prep by Kalyani NairLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light MusicMood: PathosSushin Shyam is one of India's finest composers because he can alternate between a modern EDM banger and a time-tested melody with wonderful live instrumentals. But it is these sorts of songs that define his skill, for me, more than an entire album of "Aavesham", which tends to please the larger group of music fans. Sandeep Mohan lays the foundation on acoustic guitars and immediately we are led into the song's intro with Nikhil Ram's soothing flute solo and the violin and viola by Rithu Vishak in the background. Rithu as always handles the one-man string quartet. Madhuvanthi Narayan is the perfect choice as the lead vocalist for this song which needs that texture, mood and delivery style. When she sings the line " smaranakalam mizhineer thumbikal" the notations are beautiful with the added impact of the cello and the doubles bass. Kudos to Sushin and Nivin Raphael for the arrangements and additional music production respectively. The interlude with the acoustic guitars in the lead is just a magical phase, accompanied by Naveen Napier on bass. The stanza is also a further testament to Sushin's composition skills with the lines heading off into a chord progression that I would not have expected like "ariya lipyayy marunnu lokam" and the way he constructs the landing notes into the song's pallavi with "churul neerunnu marulokamathilo thiriya varikal" is a master stroke. Madhuvanthi sings with such poise and her every note impacts you whether it is melancholy or subtle innocence. She mixes the vibrato beautifully without overdoing it. The melody and song's tone remind me Santhosh Narayanan's "Agasatha Naan Pakkiren" from 'Cuckoo'. The interlude gets really haunting with the strings section dominating and the Indian Choral Ensemble performing. Kalyani Nair handles the score prep and is also the Soprano. Sivanranjini Chandramouli is on Alto, Sudharsan Hemaram on Tenor and Shyam Krishna on Bass. The tracks are mixed by Abin Paul and mastered by Gethin John at Mastering World UK. Rafeeq Ahmed writes the wonderful words. @sushintdt @madhuvanthinarayan @kalyaninair86 @gibsandeep @rithuvysakh @nivin_raphael @nikhilramtp @napier_naveen @theindianchoralensemble @sivaranjinichandramouli @shyam_krissh2. Sher DilSongwriters: Mohammad Muneem Nazir, Hardik Vaghela and Aman MoroneyProduced by Aman MoroneyVocals: Mohammad Muneem NazirLanguage: HindiGenre: Alt-RockMood: EnergeticSpectacular rock is what I can call this! Alif a.k.a Mohammad Muneem Nazir is on vocals and his Kashmiri-tinted Hindi vocals are a pleasure to hear. Aman Moronry glorifies the intro with his electric guitars in the background, oozing off in rock tendencies and the influx of energy emerges from Mitchell Murray's drums and Aman's acoustic rhythm guitars. I have always loved Alif's work and they are a big hit when AMan and Alif collaborate. The synths give the song an alternative rock paint and when Alif sings "khazana tum hai" we feel the energy through our nerves and bl;ood stream. The chorus segment is pulverising thanks to the melody, vocals and production and they all go beautifully together cementing well and giving us an enjoyable track. Aman Moroney is the producer and the song is written by Mohammad Muneem Nazir, Hardik Vaghela and Aman Moroney. The solo on the electric guitar is pure bliss and kudos to Aman for a fabulous job there. Alif shows us what singing means, it is about delivering the words with perfect poise, and emotion and when he sings "dil hai jo toota na, sher dil nahi", you get the full message. This is what original independent music is all about, glowing with creativity, quality and creativity. The flowy acoustic guitars with Alif's high-pitched vocals are a great outro. Aman also is the Cellist and Bassist in the song. Aman and Ashish Manchanda have done the mixing and mastering and the recording engineers are Aria Nanji at Island City Studios and Aman. @everythingisalif @hardikv @aman_moroney @mohammad.muneem @misfitsinc @artistefirst @studioislandcity @ariananji 3. Nadiya

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weekly 13th oct 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 13th October 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 13th October 20241. Hoke MajboorProducer: Akshay & IPComposer: Akshay & IPLyricist: IP SinghLanguage: HindiGenre: Tumri FusionMood: relaxingI have been a huge fan of Akshay & IP and they are a class apart in this sea of mediocrity. I will be listening to the full album of "Taaza Khabar Season 2", but for now I am in love with this song and a lion's share of that compliment goes to the lead vocalist of the band 'Agnee' Mohan Kannan. The song feels like one dreamy Tumri and we have Akshay & IP on composition and music production, with IP Singh writing the heartfelt words. The Tabla and Harmonium with rhythms and keys give us a fusion to behold. The melody reigns supreme and it is also supported by some excellent arrangements, take the Sitar solo in the interlude for example. When Mohan sings "laut aanek ka bahan tha" we feel that this is an excuse to keep coming back to the song, such is the power of great singing, a melodious composition and impactful lyrics. The duo of Akshay & IP excels in their production. How often do we see two varying interludes in Bollywood or any other music these days? The outro is more sumptuous music offered with a Sitar solo. I wish it never ended. There probably is some Raag Bihag in the melody@akshayandip @safirock @akshayraheja @mohankannanofficial @bhuvan.bam22 @rohitonweb 2. Tenu Sang RakhnaMusic Composer - Achint ThakkarSingers - Arijit Singh, Anumita Nadesan & Achint ThakkarLyrics - Varun GroverMusic Producer - AchintAdditional Production - Shalom BenjaminLanguage: HindiGenre: Alt-PopMood: Energetic Yes, I am impressed with some of the songs by Achint Thakkar in 'Jigra'. I had qualms when the teaser was released a couple of weeks ago and the song playing was ' Phoolon ka Taaron ka'. I thought maybe this too will be an album filled with remixes. But this single and the title track are good records overall. Achint who has worked with Vasan Bala over the years, composes the tune and produces the song with additional production by Shalom Benjamin. We are taken into the world of this single with some exquisite guitars and bass played by Achint. I am sold right there as the vocal harmonies step in, in the intro. Anumita Nadesan who has become quite famous in the indie space is the female lead vocalist, and she gives off a 'Jasleen Royal '-esque vibe and tone here. Arijit comes in with a beautiful line written 'raasta ye jaane le chala hai kahan, raasta na maane yu jahan main vahan'. The Piano in the background hits the right notes but things are maintained with some calmness. Achint also joins as an additional vocalist.I love how Anumita performs the line "le chala, hai kahan", with a lag behind Arijit. The accompanying, lead guitars and rhythm guitars are arranged and executed wonderfully. The song enters into a zone where vocalists combine and there is a rush of blood with the line "hun mud aave,  pinjre da panchi hun udeya ve oh" and this part is mesmerising. Kudos to Varun Grover for these excellent lyrics and Parth Pandya who is the music supervisor. The lead vocalists along with backing vocal harmonies, guitars and bass is a fitting end to the song. The kids singing in the chorus are Riti Ganesh, Gaurangi Suresh Veerkar, Dhruva Dipesh Parmar and Rudra Nitendra Rathi. The Choir co-ordinator is Sreerupa G. The recording engineers are Abhishek Khandelwal and Dileep Nair at YRF Studios, with Abhishek also the mix/master engineer.@achintstagram @arijitsingh @vidushak @anumita.nadesan @parthmpandya @nightsongrecords @shalombenjamin @abhimixkardo3. KaliyaanMusic Production: Lost StoriesVocals: Bawari BasantiComposition: Lost Stories, Bawari Basanti

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weekly 6th oct 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 6th October 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 6th October 20241. Mera Yaar PuranaWritten, sung and composed by Mansa JimmyMusic Produced By: Vaibhav PaniLanguage: HindiGenre: Sufi- fusionMood: DevotionalMansa Jimmy is a singer with immense potential and it feels amazing to see her in a new release, especially with the 'Merchant Records' label. SOundchk Season 2 continues to impress and inspire and now we have this stunning track composed, written and performed by Mansa with Vaibhav Pani elevating it and projecting it onto us thanks to his musical production. The sound design feels like an AR Rahman production with the keys by Elroy Vincent and the Sufi-styled melody that follows. The initial segment of the melody is where I hear some Raag MaandShikhar Aggarwal plays the flute solo and the Tabla by Fareed Hussain plays gently alongside. Kushagra, Kanika Pandey and Elna Maria sing as backing vocalists leading up to the lead vocals by Mansa. Be prepared to be blown away by this enthralling vocal exhibition. The devotion comes through in the lyrics, melody and vocals but the sound design and arrangements reign supreme at every juncture. The verse is constructed beautifully as well and here I do sense some Raag Yaman. Mohd Iqbaal intervenes with poise and surety on the Harmonium and the flute arrangements too are exquisite. When we get back to the songs Sthayi and Antara we feel pure divinity with Mansa singing "ishq ka rog sayana, maane na deewana". The tracks are mixed and mastered by Tejus Srivastava at Blue Productions. Vaibhav goes crazy on keys, synths and rhythms in the interlude as he takes us into a synth/electronic pop-based trance mode. The bridge section "jise laagi man ki laagi", feels exhilarating and wait for the vocal harmonies and the thumping drum arrangements as well. As we head into the outro, Shokhar sizzles with a stunning flute solo in the background and we float into the heavens as the song comes to an end. I live and write for music like this!@mansa_jimmy @shikhar_flute @elroyvincent @kushagradudejasings @kanika_8kp @mehra_krish @merchant_records @salimsulaimanmusic @iqbalnizami0786 @vidhipoddarmusic @nidhi_ketan @sherishshaikh @tusharmahajanofficial @vaibhavpani @bonnygosain @shivansh.j 2. Allah Ke Pyaare NabiMusic Composed & Produced by: Salim SulaimanSingers: Richa Sharma, Salim MerchantLyrics: Kamal HajiMusic Co-Produced: Raj PanditLanguage: HindiGenre: Sufi fusionMood: Devotional'Bhoomi' for 2024 is here and I always look forward to this collection of great music, fantastic collaborations and ingrained purpose. It is already a masterstroke to get Richa Sharma ji to perform this devotional track in praise of Allah. Salim and Sulaiman weave some of their magic The lead vocalists are Richa and Salim and this is the 2nd time I am captivated by her after "Mirza" from the album 'Maidaan' in early 2024. The intro has Richa calling out into the heavens and when she sings with such power and poise I cannot help but close my eyes and surrender.It sounds like Raag Bilawal when the title line is performed by Richa and Salim and the power of the song intensifies with the backing vocals of Raj Pandit, Shivansh Jindal, Aditya Kalway and Keshav Anand. The guitar by Rhythm Shaw paints a mild stroke, and the energy surges with the Tabla by Naeem Sayyed. Aslam Dafrani's Dholak, Harmonium by Muheet Bharti and Raj Pandit make the interlude swell with admiration for the Almighty. The singing is flawless with Richa singing in the baritonish register and the accompanying Piano by Jarvis Menezes and intervening electric guitar by Nyzel D'lima are excellent decorative elements in this beautiful song. The song was produced by Salim, Sulaiman, and Raj Pandit, with Salim and Sulaiman composing the stirring melody. The lyrics are penned by Kamal Haji. The chorus singers are Umesh Joshi, Janardhan Dhatrak, Dattatray Mestri, Deepti Rege, Archana Gore and Preeti Rege. Kudos to the bassist Ralph Menezes and Salim for playing the unique Handpan sounds. The recording engineers are Aftab Khan, Raj Pandit and Tejus Srivastava at Blue Productions. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan at Headroom Studio with mix assistants Vatsal Chevli and Elvis Fernandes. @salimsulaimanmusic @richasharmaofficial @kamalhaji_ @salimmerchant @rajpandit17 @nyzeldlima @ralphmenezes @mixedbyaftab @rhythm_shaw @ujmusic28 @naeem.sayyed0913 @jarvisintune @vatsalchevli @shivansh.j 3. Hairan - Siddharth PanditPerformed by Alok Ranjan Srivastava, Siddharth Pandit

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weekly 29th sep 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 29th September 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 29th September 20241. AasmaanComposition and Production: Sterlin NithyaLyrics, Vocals: Sireesha BhagavatulaLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical fusionMood: RelaxingSterlin Nithya is one of the first students to graduate from AR Rahman's KMMC, belonging to the first batch of this prestigious institute. I have been aware of her work and her contributions in the space of indie music, but finally, I am here to feature her single amongst the best in the nation. Here is this amazing track and it moves into zones and styles thanks to Sterlin's vision as a composer and arranger. The prelude has my soul already stirring with the Veena solo played by Anjani Sreenivasan, and the Cello along with the Harmonica providing various textures. SIreesha has been outstanding in the last couple of years singing for stalwarts and legends like Amit Trivedi and AR Rahman. Kudos to Sterlin for getting SHalmali on board here as she delivers brilliantly from the very first note. Siva Krish is playing the gentle keys and the production is kept minimal other than the intermitten Veena and Harmonica. "Aasaman Zameen bankar paas aa gaya hai" she sings with so much sweetness and a noticeable tease. Interestingly Sireesha has penned the lyrics too. The anu pallavi has this slightly faster tempo which keeps things very interesting for the listener. I was blown away when she sang " seediyon par" with such an amazing ghamaka and it feels like her voice is getting down a flight of stairs, so well done Sterlin for the notes that land like that and Sireesha for picking the words 'seediyon par' and singing with incredible ease and poise. As I hear this melody I am reminded of songs like "Malai pozhuthin mayakathile" by MS Vishwanathan hence I wonder if there are influences of Raag Chandrakauns. We have this massive shift in the interlude to Western Classical music from an Indian classical set-up as we hear some amazing choral and strings section arrangements in this musical theatre-like production. The choral arrangements are done by Sterlin and I am convinced of her abilities and commitment to music when I hear all the vision and effort for an independent single. Sterlin's appetite is endless as she introduces the Santoor and Clarinet in the arrangements once we get to the stanza and every cell in the body gets nourished with such a melody and ravishing vocals by Sireesha. The classical guitar too makes its way in the background and the landing onto the pallavi is one more highlight with notes that go " hosh khoke hi zindagi mili". Sundar Raj is the recording engineer and the mixing and mastering of all these vast layers are by Grammy Award-winning engineer PA Deepak @thesterlinnithya @virgo_originals @sireeshabhagavatula @veenaanjani @krishsiva6 @padeepak @chosenchapters 2. RunningPerformed by Aksomaniac, Fatboi Raccoon, ShreyaWritten by Abhishek K S, Aron Kollassani Selestin, Rajsri A S(Shreya), Raveen VenkateshProduced by Aksomaniac, Fatboi RaccoonLanguage: EnglishGenre: PopMood: GroovyFeaturing someone new, for the first time is what drives and excites me. This is a groovy pop single that ticks a lot of boxes for me. I must thank Drishti of Robach Music Group for reaching out to me and sharing this song just when it was released. We have Aksomaniac, Fatboi Raccoon who have produced this single and one of the elevating factors for this song is its sound design, arrangements and production. Moving onto the songwriting part the credits go to Abhishek K S, Aron Kollassani Selestin, Rajsri A S and Raveen Venkatesh. Finally, the engaging vocals belong to Aksomaniac, Fatboi Raccoon and Shreya. I love the emotions that flow when we hear " I'm running away from something, Spare my lungs" with the tantalising guitars in the background. The accompanying rhythms and vocal harmonies are perfectly arranged and executed. The melody is so beautiful and you can sway your head to the lines " Fight these demons even, one up on my feelings even" When Aron on lead vocals sings " I freed them " it feels like a Middle Eastern pop song which usually has some stylish and excellent vocals and vibrato. Shreya then gives us even more reason to cherish and celebrate this wonder of a song with her vocals. "I hope my ways don't interfere, I'm not pretending to keep you here, as you run all the way" and when I hear this my heart is pounding and I surrender to the beauty of the melody, lyrics and singing. The chorus, post-chorus and even the outro mesmerise me with the harmony arrangements and strings section in the background. @aksomaniac @shreyx.exe @fatboiraccoon @circle_tone @

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