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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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ACT 2024

A Day at Ajivasan's ACT 2024

If someone told me that a Sunday afternoon could be well spent sitting in a crowded auditorium, listening to musicians talk, I would probably say "I'll pass". I am glad I never did that and today as I sit and write this article, I feel a couple of notches smarter and more informed about music, the art form, the business and life itself. I was invited to attend the Ajivasan Music and Dance Academy's ACT 2024 day-long event. This is an institute which has a rich history of nurturing talent and creating amazing professionals in the fields of music and dance. The respected musician Suresh Wadkar established this institute I was witness to humility and gratitude towards Suresh ji from so many established musicians. The eventful day had 4 sessions with stalwarts like Purbayan Chatterjee, Vishal Dadlani, Taufiq Qureshi, Priyanka Barve, Sagarika Das, Aishwarya Bhandari, Rakesh Chaurasia and Shankar Mahadevan. I will be now mentioning the common themes and topics that were discussed throughout the day and the striking answers and viewpoints given by the esteemed celebrity musicians. How should youngsters approach the field of music?The ACT 2024 was primarily an opportunity for Ajivansan Institute's young music and dance students to meet their idols and they had numerous questions like these. Every musician who took the stage was patient, benevolent and candid with their responses. Vishal Dadlani had some great words of wisdom, and with all the frank responses he impressed me. A simple anecdote will explain this. A few students who were seated in the first few rows wanted to show off their singing skills. When one of them was handed the microphone, he performed a Vishal-Shekhar melody. I wasn't too impressed and within a few seconds, Vishal stopped the lad and said "Why are you trying hard to sing in a way which doesn't seem natural? I don't think this is your natural voice. Don't imitate any style, please be yourself". I loved hearing this, because this is the truth that we are facing, a world of imitators who lack originality. Vishal went on to advise students to wait patiently and keep doing the hard and good work until they make it big someday. He rightly said that when young musicians make it big they should remember to never let a young musician jump through hops and struggles. Tabla exponent Taufiq Qureshi said that it was important for percussionists to start with the Tabla or Mridangam and learn the basics of this versatile instrument, so that they can later move on to drums, Djembe or whatever attracted them. Vishal was very open to giving names of legends who percussion students should idolise like Steve Gadd, Ringo Starr, Jai Kow Ravi and Gino Banks. How will young musicians decide whether to pick singing or playing an instrument?Rakesh Chaurasia had a very thoughtful response, and he said parents should show young children YouTube videos of anything related to music. It could be a song, an instrumental or just a talk on any instrument too with some demonstration. The moment the kid's eyes light up is when one realises what pleases the kid the most. Purbayan recommended that everyone visit the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bengaluru to understand INdia's heritage and culture of music. I must agree with Purbayan ji, as I made this visit in 2023 to the museum and fell in love with the concept, items on display and the information available. What should students learn and imbibe to be a music composer?A very pertinent question this was and I loved two responses the most for this and here they are. Vishal Dadlani says that one should try and make a good melody first. The artist must not worry about introducing emotions and all that jazz at the initial stages of writing a song. Production and other departments will handle that. Shankar Mahadevan believes every singer has a composer inside and only self-discovery is needed to find the composer. He believes that no inhibition can help in the process and a composer must be like a singer in the bathroom all alone and in front of a mirror. This is when one is free and has no external and unwanted influences. How should an accompanying instrumentalist perform?This question was posed to Taufiq Qureshi, Rakesh Chaurasia and Purbayan Chatterjee in the day's 3rd session. Here are a few glimpses from that delightful episode. Purbayan asked the crowd if anyone would listen to a live concert if all instruments were switched off and only the singer was performing. He did make a valid point and he said that it would be difficult to listen to the performance for more than a few minutes without instrumental support, driving home the point that instrumentalists were crucial to music. The funniest on the stage was Rakesh ji who has a wonderful sense of humour. He said that film music teaches classical musicians to perform at the right level. He said that he has learnt it over many years because, without film music experiences, instrumentalists would not know when to stop. Jokingly Rakesh ji said that classical musicians would eat up a whole jar of pickles if not for film music which teaches you to add only a spoonful of it to your meal. On a serious note, he said that a supporting instrumentalist should understand whether he/she wants to make a song sound beautiful or get a lot of claps. Taufiq pointed out an example from Zakir Hussain who said that an instrumentalist in a concert was like a driver who must ensure the passenger (the vocalist) reaches home safe and sound. All 3 of them agreed that a musician must know a song in full if he/she wants to be successful as an instrumentalist in a concert, knowing when to back off, and when to lead and provide service in the melody. 

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weekly 22nd sep 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 22nd 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 22nd September 20241. KyunWritten & Performed by: Karan VermaProduced by: Karan Verma, Ameen SinghGuitar: Ameen SinghLanguage: HindiGenre: ALt-RockMood: EnergeticIt was just last week that I featured Karan Verma's rock single 'Main Kahan' as the number 1 song in India, and here he is again with another blinder. We get the Accordion in the prelude played by Nipun Cheema adding that European flavour straightaway, and feels like listening to some stunning Latin Jazz Rock. The melody and lyrics are written by Karan with Ameen and Karan producing the record. The bass and lead guitars are played stunningly by Ameen, to provide that lush layer behind the captivating vocals of Karan. "kyun khud se ladto hai tu" he sings and this mystery that Karan raises is enhanced by the thump in the drums almost like Karan is enraged a bit by this question lingering in his mind. Shiv Sameer plays the drums and the keyboardist is Arjit Singh a.k.a. Agaazz. With incredible ease, Karan reaches the higher vocal registers and he performs it with beauty too in his unique way and tone at a time when the entire fraternity wants to copy Arijit Singh. The song gives way and space for the lead guitar solos to shine and the drums to energize. This is why the record works in every way possible. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Stereo Shinobi and recorded at L.A. Studios, LATF Studio, Beat Craft Studio, Tweaktone Studios. @karan.verma95 @agaazz_music @shivsameerr @nipun.cheema @dopameen23 @maan_boruah @mixedbyshinobi @awal 2.  Move On EasilyComposition, lyrics, vocals: Neha KarodeMusic production: Brince BoraAdditional production: Madhab DekaLanguage: EnglishGenre: Pop BalladMood: Pathos (Break-up)I always love the work of Neha Karode, because here you see someone who strives to create original music and doesn't digress from her core strengths. The way she composes melodies with a flavour of Western Jazz and Pop, but instils Indian Classical elements in her vocals excites me. This single tilts towards Western influences and Neha deserves praise for the beautiful melody.The Piano is emphatic and her lines are striking without mincing words. She sings " I'm sure you tell him she's beautiful, the way you told me too. We were perfect cos I never ask you the names, of the girls you talked to". All these words flow beautifully like a story, but just then a mild pathos emerges in the words, the delivery and the arrangements. "I'd laugh at those who just get up and move on easily, so it's a shame you did the same and made me cry". The intense lines and the strings section add to the gravity of the scenario, while Neha's falsetto gives the element of heartbreak. The interlude is heavy on the solo violin, strings section and Piano, letting the protagonist breathe before the second verse. The melody is so rich and beautiful when we hear " All the messages of Affirmation every day, whispering me sweet nothings that you were here to stay" is so well written in terms of chord progression and is impactful lyrically. Kudos to Brince Bora for the stunning arrangements and production. This is a breakup anthem that I strongly recommend to music lovers. The bridge section is also the outro, and Neha sings magnificently evocating all the pain. The recording engineer is Mrinal Kanti Das and the tracks are mixed by Rupjit Das at Playhead Studio and mastered by Gethin John at Haod Mastering. Madhab Deka does all the additional production. The wonderful shoot is done by Director and DOP Shivangi Jain@nehakarode_music @horusmusicindia @brincebora @madhabdeka @mrinal.das.34 @playheadstudio @rupjit_playheadstudio @hafod_mastering @shivangaze 3. Main Character EnergyWritten and performed by: Sanjeeta Bhattacharya, JhalliProduced and mixed by: Karan PandavLanguage: English

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monthly tamil july aug 2024

Top Tamil Songs of July and August 2024

Here are the best Tamil songs released for the months of July and August 2024. If you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Oru Oorula RaajaLyrics: Mari SelvarajSinger: Santhosh NarayananComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Santhosh NarayananLanguage: TamilGenre: Jazz Hip-HopMood: GroovyHe is unstoppable, is Santhosh Narayanan and here comes this sensation single from the upcoming movie "Vaazhai". Sometimes I think he creates his mini-genre. After mesmerising us with a folkish melody along with Dhee, Santhosh performs here in a genre-bending single that will strike you like a bolt of lightning amidst the dark thunderous folk percussions, and then the brass section and harmonies will feel like reincarnation. I can state with absolute certainty that there is no single Indian composer who can produce something like this, let alone envision it. The horns are not the ones we hear inside a music studio or as part of a symphony orchestra. These are the horns in lorries and trucks, just like how Vishnu Vijay used them in his song 'Welcome to Hyderabad' from the movie "Premalu". After that creative intro, we dive into the magic of the brass section with trumpets, trombones and French horns, if I am not wrong. Kudos to Babu, Maxwell, Dominic Xavier and Vijay for giving us an experience of living in New Orleans. We can hear the synths, keys and rhythms too, albeit in a very subtle way. I don't blame you because Santhosh is singing with his lungs trying to explode and when he performs with that raw tone, it is unmatched. We hit the interlude segment and the ‘Ramanathapuram Marungan Melam Team’ comes alive. The Keys and the folk percussion combine to create magic that even David Copperfield would be proud of. The percussionists that deserve attention are Rajakumar, Arulpandi, Hemanadhan on the Tavil, Pazhani and Janardhan on the Pambai, Mohanbabu on the Thalam and Kadhirvel on the Urumi. It is then the job of Santhosh to deliver the amazing story penned by the lyricist and director Mari Selvaraj. Kindly use your headphones, stand up and give some love to Napier Naveen for the outstanding bass guitars that the man plays right through. They are some of the most zany and ethereal strumming I have heard in an Indian song. Santhosh stands tall as not just the performer and composer, but also as the arranger and producer. The verse ends and when we hear " avan nimirnthu patha vanam, kuninju partha bhumi, idayila avanthan baaram, kaal nadakka nadakka neelum thooram", the brass section arrangements are majectic. We get some pumped-up energy in the second interlude once again with the brass section. I just want to get up and let loose when Santhosh sings " Kuthaattam aduran kuthaattam aduran..."Keep listening for more magic as Santhosh sings for one last time " oru oorula raaja ", The trumpets play that riff, followed by the stunning humming of Dhee performing the same notes as the trumpets. Yes "oru oorula oru raja" and in today's world of Indian music Santhosh is that Raja. The recording engineers are Pranav Muniraj, Karthik Manickavasakam, Rupendar Venkatesh and Santhosh Narayanan. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Rupendar at Future Tense Studios with Jaba Raj as the studio assistant and Meenakshi Santhosh as the musicians' co-ordinator. @musicsanthosh @mariselvaraj84 @navvi_studios @redgiantmovies_ @pranavbalu @karthikmanickavasakam @rupendar_venkatesh @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @napiernaveen2. Otha Satti SoruComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Santhosh NarayananLyrics: VivekSingers: Kapil Kapilan, Aditya RavindranAdditional Music Production: Aditya RavindranLanguage: TamilGenre: Alt-PopMood: RomanticI did mention to Kapil Kapilan many months ago that I hope he sings for Santhosh Narayanan and that it will happen soon. This was just my wishful thinking, yet when it happened for an album in Telugu earlier in 2024, I hoped and wished for a better song, 'Vaazhai' is the answer. This romantic Alt-pop single blew me away and as much as the song lights a spark as a melody, it is also about Kapil's phenomenal vocals and the latter does everything to scale up the impact. I do recommend that all of you play this song with your headphones and you will be mesmerised. If possible also catch the movie and behold the song and the frames on the big screen. The song is composed, produced and programmed by the mighty Santhosh and he gives us probably the best Indian movie album of 2024. The beautiful keys and Kapil's affable voice start the journey in the intro. He sings these beautiful words penned by Vivek and the moment we hear " Oru kodi vamba thaandi anba vechom" my heart is filled with love and satisfaction. Vivek is ravishing in his description of this love in the village fields with the words "otha satti soru, kara ottikkitta seru, idha matthiyila vazhkai thulli sirichuduthe" and when sung by Aditya Ravindran in the backing vocals we can get transported to the villages of Tamil Nadu. The mild clarinet just whistles past us in the background and the interlude portion is just Kapil's inventive aalap but with a Scat singing style. The verse that begins "un mela patta kathum" is a union of a great melody, warm lyrics, splendid vocals and some soothing harmonies in the background. I could listen to this song all day and feel confident that tomorrow will be better. Thank you to Santhosh, Aditya, Vivek and Kapilan for this wonder of a song and as we hit that fabulous outro on vocal harmonies my heart just keeps wanting more. Aditya Ravindran does the additional production, the recording engineers are Santhosh, Pranav Muniraj and Rupendar Venkatesh at Future Tense Studios, Chennai. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Rupendar Venkatesh, with Studio assistant Jaba Raj and Meenakshi Santhosh as the musicians' co-ordinator.&nbs

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weekly 15th sep 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 15th 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 15th September 20241.  Main KahanWritten & Performed by: Karan VermaProduced by: Karan Verma, Ameen SinghLanguage: HindiGenre: RockMood: EnergeticI could hardly comprehend what was happening and Karan Verma as the composer and co-producer kept me guessing with the initial hint of a classical song aided by the Thambura. Still, suddenly there is a rush of blood to the head with bass guitars, drums and acoustic guitars pouring in. I am deceived, but pleasantly. Ameen Singh plays the guitars and he also co-produced the record, Shiv Sameer is the drummer and the bassist oozing style is Jose Juvinao. We have a full-blown Rock track on display here. Karan has written the melody, and lyrics and performed the lead vocals. He paces himself and then goes for total obliteration as he sings " Na Koi manzil". I am reminded of some of the exhilarating work by AR Rahman in the title track of 'DIl Se' when I hear this piece. The arrangements and production are spotless with all the live instrumentalists working together in supreme form. The melody is soothing albeit with an infusion of some energy and Karan sings it with poise and passion as he goes " faaslon mein kate ye din yahan"The electrifying guitars by Ameen in the interlude and the pick-up in beats per minute on drums are refreshing to hear in the second verse.  I was already impressed by the vocals, production and instrumental arrangements, and then Karan drops a bomb here with the solo violin. This is played by Subhojit Dey with precision as I am now slowly but steadily losing my faculty of speech, thanks to the awe and shock created by this set of musicians. I am reminded of another spectacular record by U2 " Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" of the Batman OST.  Can you hear the standing ovation brother Ameen as you shred me to pieces on the final guitar solo act towards the outro? The tracks are superbly mixed and mastered at Stereo Shinobi and recorded at L.A. Studios, LATF Studio, Beat Craft Studio and Tweaktone@karan.verma95 @subhojit_dhruv @shivsameerr @dopameen23 @jose_juvinao2. JaamSinger/Lyricist/Composer - GurnazarFeaturing - Delbar Arya & Shanaya KhannaMusic - Chet SinghLanguage: HindiGenre: Electronic pop fusionMood: Trippy/PathosA brilliant song and a dream record and for musicians wanting to do some impressive fusion music, here you go! The melody is hummable, and it sticks to your head. Once Gurnazar achieves that as a composer, he gets the song's lyrics to heighten the likability of the song with some witty and thoughtful writing. I do hear fragments of Raag Shanmukhapriya in the melody and I hope it is right. The song takes us back to the 'olden days cinema' where the protagonist is drunk and singing in misery. The Harmonium is in the prelude but soon enough we get Keys and rhythms with a modern electronic pop touch. Chet Singh is the man responsible for the fantastic arrangements and production. I love the line " Yaad aa rahe hain woh, jinhe bulana zaroori hai". The Harmonium keeps coming and engaging us in the interlude and then what we hear in the interlude is a stunningly written melody. This is what Bollywood should aim for, to create original and engaging music, and not focus on making just dance hits. Just feel the line "fikr karo na, yaaro meri, mera jhamela chod do, mujhko aur meri bottal humdono ko akela chod dho" with a fantastic ghamaka on the last word.   I love how interestingly he breaks the phrases "hum dono ko" as " humdo" and "noko" to fit the metering. The writing is creative and funny and speaks the truth like " barf aur paani mein, yeh gham milana zaroori hai". This is one of the best songs I have heard in 2024. Kudos to Gurnazar and Chet Singh. The melody kind of feels akin to the great RD Barman's "Rimjhim Rimjhim" in '1942 A Love Story'. Additional vocals help the impact of the song and we are treated to some more beautiful words in the second stanza. The amazing use of keyboard and rhythm programming is evident in the record. Let us make this song the 'drinking anthem' of 2024. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Chet Singh.  @gurnazar_chattha @chetsinghmusic @abhaynoorsingh_ @gurinderrbawa @shanayakhanna_official @delbararya @eypcreations @warnermusicindia 3. MehfoozMusic composed & produced by Raghav & Arjun

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weekly 8th sep 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 8th 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 8th September 20241. SuprabhatamVocal: Nandini SrikarProduction, Guitars, Keys: Dhruv GhanekarLanguage: SanskritGenre: Semi-classical Rock FusionMood: EnergeticI heard the album Voyage 2 by Dhruv Ghanekar and it was a voyage to remember. This is one terrific album of fusion music with inspiration from around the globe. I strongly recommend that you stream the album and get an everlasting taste of the musical equivalent of pure bliss. I have done a full album review on my IG page and even enjoyed the album gig at NMACC in Mumbai on the 12th of September. If Dhruv and his band do tour your neck of the words, do yourself a favour and get tickets for the show. Nandini Srikar performs the Suprabhatam which most south Indians would have grown up listening to with the angelic voice of M.S. Subbalakshmi. It begins with just the sound of the Tambura and Nandini's divine recital, but soon we get blasted into another orbital with the lead guitars by Dhruv, drums by Lindsay Dmello, bass by Mohini Dey and additional guitars by the scintillating Abhay Nayampally. We have all heard a million rock-styled versions of 'Aigiri Nandini' but the Suprabhatam deserved one zany and wild version like this.The interlude is pure madness with blazing guitars launching us into Sonic heaven. The creative juices are probably flowing thick and fast in DHruv's head as he gets Somashekhar Jois to perform the Konnakol in the background. The classical style of playing these guitars makes me wonder if it is the electric Veena. We get a verse with some Tamil lyrics here as Nandini shines. Lindsay is bruising the heart with these drums and Mohini, as expected oozes style all along. The galaxy of these amazing instrumentalists give us probably the most creative and stylish record of 2024. Sefi Carmel is the mixing engineer and PA Deepak is on the Dolby Atmos Mix. Gethin John at Haford Mastering handles mastering duties and Jashy Mistry is the recording engineer at Wah Wah Music, Mumbai. Khushboo Goyal handles the album art and Mallika Deb is in charge of Wah Wah Records Label Management.  @dhruvg @abhaynayampallyguitar @dey_bass @dmellolindsay @konnakkolsomashekarjois @nandini_srikar @wahwahrecordsofficial @niranjanmenon @hersh.desai.9 @krishnikkk @padeepak @seficarmel 2. Manasuna Manasu NuvveMusic: Gopi SundarLyrics: Saraswathi Putra & Rama Jogayya SastrySingers: Vijay Yesudas, Harini IvaturiSong Arranged And Programmed By: Gopi SundarLanguage: TeluguGenre: Light Music PopMood: RomanticGopi Sundar has a great streak here composing music in Malayalam and Telugu. As always his penchant for semi-classical-styled electronic pop comes out in the open here too and he gives us a smashing single as the composer, arranger and programmer. He ropes in stalwarts like Vijay Yesudas and Harini Ivaturi to perform the lead vocals. I do sense some Raag Pilu (Kaapi in Carnatic music) in the melody here. The swaras in Harini's delectable voice are followed by the chirpy kids' chorus in the intro. The kids performing are Sai Sahasraa, Veda Vaagdevi, Aasrith Raghava and Tanishka. The lyricists are Vishnu Sivan is on the additional programming. I love how Gopi allows a pause at the end of " Manasuna Manasu nuvve....Maralaa nanu kalisaave...Maruvani". The impact of pauses and breaks is delightful here and the accompanying string section arrangements elevate it. The lines performed "sagara sangamam" add such beauty between the two lead vocal parts. The interlude is excellent as a melody and the combined effect of the flute, bass guitars, keys and rhythms is magical. The stanza oozes more quality and my favourite part is "Yedhi anubandham Yevaritho naa bandham". Bhavani Prasad gives us a reason to smile with the Veena solo in the second interlude and the stanza continues to weave more magic. The string arrangements deserve special appreciation. The recording engineers are Srinath Komanduri @ Sruthi Audio Labs, Hyderabad and Gabriel Angelo Fe, Rajath Raveendran, Joe Antony, Nevin C Delson, Gopi Sundar. The mix/master engineer is Sai Prakash @ My Studio Cochin. @gopisundar___official @thevijayyesudas @hariniivaturi @vishnusivan_musical @rajathrian @mystudioco @saiprakashh @babu_velayudan @joeantony_ @nevincdelson @_.mayoni._3. KiliyeMusic Composer: Dhibu Ninan Thomas

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weekly 1st sep 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 1st 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 1st September 20241. Kaahe KaratComposition: Traditional, Anirudh Varma CollectivePiano/Keys/Production: Anirudh VarmaHindustani Classical Vocals: Prateek NarsimhaLanguage: TraditionalGenre: Classical FusionMood: RelaxingI trust Anirudh Varma and his band of amazing musicians to come up with something like this. This is a traditional composition but Anirudh takes up the project of giving it a flavour of arrangements and production spread across the Indian classical and Western music spectrum. Prateek Narsimha is the lead performer we hear in the sthayi singing the classical vocals. Apparently, there are influences of Raag Jhinjhoti, belonging to the Khamaj Thaat.  We have a star-studded array of instrumentalists shining together like Madhur Chaudhary on bass, Suyash Gabriel on drums, Shrikant Biswakarma on guitars, Soumitra Thakur on the Sitar, Rohan Prasanna on Sarod, Saptak Sharma on Tabla and Varun Rajashekharan on Ghatam. Anirudh plays the Piano, handles all the keyboard programming and sizzles with the music production of this record. Prateek continues to serenade us with his angelic delivery and I can think of no better way than this song to spend my twilight and retire into the night. The amazing backing vocalists are Suhavi Kalsi, Basudhara Roy Munshi, Santur Kundu, Aman Varun and Rachit Bose. Kindly check out this song released under the Sounchk 2 banner by the indomitable brothers Salim and Sulaiman Merchant. What would the state of Indian music be today without all these amazingly gifted and committed musicians? We get a super solo on the electric guitar by Shrikant followed by the Sitar, Sarod and Piano in unison. The tracks are mixed by Anirudh, and mastered by Shawn Hatfield at Audible Oddities, USA. The recording engineers are Jonty Indra at Blacksheep Studios, New Delhi, Nikul Vaidh at Treehouse Studio, Ahmedabad. Enjoy the outro and be spellbound. @anirudhvarmaofficial @hollyland.india @suyashgabriel @narsimhaprateek @strings_of_karma @basskarmadhur @vroonr @rohanprasanna @soumitra_thakur @saptak_sharma @suhavikasi @aamibangali @santur_kundu @a_man_varun @rachit_bose @merchant_records @salimsulaimanmusic @guitarded.jon @blacksheep.records 2. MakaneVocals by Sooraj SanthoshLyrics by B.K. HarinarayananComposition by Parvatish PradeepLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Alt-RockMood: RelaxingThis wonderful melody is from 'Vaazha', not to be confused with the album "Vaazhai" by Santhosh Narayanan. Parvatish Pradeep is the composer, for this and he sparkles all along with the melody written with such poise. one playback singer who I have loved to listen to in the last 5 years or so is Sooraj Santhosh and he serenades us with with his voice here. The Keys and guitars make way for that soothing lullaby in the intro. You can hear the piano, acoustic guitar and the rising intensity of the strings section and it feels like a crescendo with Sooraj's singing.The arrangements deserve great appreciation as Parvatish brings in so many elements to haunt us, like the amazing male-female harmonies in the interlude. I featured Parvatish in a couple of Indie songs last year and my favourite was "Raahein", so he has always been quite prolific as a composer/producer. I am reminded of Sushin Shyam's "Ottamuri Vakkumayi" from 'Romancham', when I hear 'Makane' from the melody as well as tone and production standpoint. The solo violin is played by the talented Sravan Krishnakumar. The chorus singers' lines in unison is uplifting and the music production of this song leaves no stone unturned. The composition too is elaborate with the well-written stanza. BK Harinarayanan is the lyricist. @soorajsanthosh @parvatish @mixwithabin @sravan.krishnakumar @thinkmusicmalayalam3. StrongerProducer: AdamyaComposition, Arrangements: JAHNVI & AdamyaLyricist, Vocalist: JAHNVILanguage: EnglishGenre: RockMood: EnergeticI came across this song when a musician posted great reviews and recommended it. I wasted no time and soon enough I was banging my head and tapping my feet to this slick production. JAHNVI writes the melody along with Adamya with the latter on music production. The melody in bits and pieces reminds me of "Dreams" by Fleetwood MacAdamya goes solo on this project playing all the live instruments we hear. He generates some astounding energy and mesmerism on electric guitars and drums giving the song the rock flavours. Adamya also is giving it some funk on bass and the tempo and rhythms through the shaker an drums. I love the writing as she sings " I wouldn't be anymore stronger for you". I was stunned when I heard the subsequent lines of the verse that go " Met you out there, thought you're are my everything". JANHVI sings like a dream that never leaves your head much after you have woken up.The melody continues to wiggle through and she expresses herself through the pain, agony and rage in her voice and we get segments that we just wouldn't expect like "I found you, you found me" This is also a masterclass in vocals and production, sound design. Kudos to Adamya who has mixed, recorded, mastered and created the sound design. We get a bonus in the outro with electric guitar and drums converging and enthralling us.   @jahnvi_4444 @adamyabajaj @rockchi__4. Ghanan

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weekly 25th aug 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 25th Aug 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 25th August 20241.  I Wear My Roots Like A MedalComposed/Written/Performed by DheeProduced by: Santhosh Narayanan, Aditya Ravindran, DheeLanguage: EnglishGenre: Jazz-KuthuMood: EnergeticI, last week, talked about the number 1 song "Oru Oorula Raja" from the movie 'Vaazhai' composed and produced by Santhosh Narayanan, and how he has redefined many new sub-genres or micro-genres of music. Here too Santhosh, Dhee and Aditya Ravindran coin and cook up a new exciting sub-genre I have tried to name it "Jazz-Kuthu", and If I am not wrong Santhosh has worked on a few songs before in this style. Dhee releases her 2nd single from her upcoming album and this puts her among the most sought-after musicians in the indie space. I think with this single we just might have found 2024's topper in the English Indie category in India.Her first single was so funky and catchy, but this one breaks all barriers and Dhee showcases her outstanding gift not only as a performer but as a writer too. The lyrics are fantastic taking us through her roots that originated in Sri Lanka and one of my favourite moments is when she sings " Jackfruit and Puttu, I can't leave, I stay Put". The prelude is like a perfect setting for the fun and dance to start as the Buddhar Kalaikuzhu demonstrate their mastery of the Indian percussions and all the horns blow us away into madness thanks to Rajamelam Band Set. I love the tempo that makes it sound like a perfect Tamil Kuthu song. Aditya Ravindran and Santhosh join on the backing vocals giving it the further flavours of Sri Lanka. The melody written by Dhee is brilliant as she takes us through so many segments, multiple verses and bride sections that have a different melody written for each, now that is a supreme talent. The section that begins with "At my grandma's house" and "3 nought 4 with the Neighbours", sound so different. One man who simply kills it is Naveen Napier on bass guitars as he plays a vital role in adding style and funk to the song. He plays in the background constantly, having his improvisations and tweaks done. All the additional tech is by Karthik Manickavasakam and the additional percussions are by Karthik Vamsi. When you get to the chorus segment Dhee sings it like a dream "I was caught in the middle, spent way too long feeling lost and refused, now I got my foot on the pedal, So I wear my roots like a medal" - sheer brilliance, lyrically, musically and vocally. The adrenaline and my body feel a surge when she sings " I was.. I was.. I was", with the accompanying percussion. Look at the verse "Pigtails and long skirts" with the lovely children's chorus in the background, comprising Sukhi, Rhea, Dhanya, Augustus, Ahana, Mithran, Krishaang, Shakti, Tara, Dhvani, Keerthana and Prarthana. The mesmerising effect continues as she goes on to perform "Khaki ain't my colour, Camo ain't a style" with the improvised effect on the last word, showing fervour, and such style in her delivery. The last verse is once again written with varied notes as here Dhee show her vocal range by singing " weighed heavy on me " in baritone. The song is one helluva of ride taking us through different emotions and one can feel her pain in " I didn't know how to make it stop.."Aditya Ravindran plays the Guitar and the Ukulele and the beautiful, relevant words "My past is written on my body, My future is all in my mind" are performed by Dhee, and here is where Santhosh plays the delightful Harmonica. This is easily the best Indian record I have heard in 2024 and I cannot thank Dhee, Santhosh, Aditya and all the amazing musicians and engineers for putting this masterpiece together. Santhosh is the mixing engineer along with Sriram Ravi and Rupendar, with mastering by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road Studios, London via Bohemia Junction Limited. Don't forget to check out the amazing music video by Amith Krishnan, with some wonderful choreography by Neromie Sriragurajah. @musicsanthosh @chillybeef @adityaravindran95 @dhee___ @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @rupendar_venkatesh @buddharkalaikuzhu @napier_naveen @abbeyroadstudios @anu_viswa @amrutha_unnikrishnan @nrajah 2.  Shukra GuzaarSingers: Gulraj Singh & Aditi PaulMusic Composer & Producer: Gulraj SinghLyrics: Manoj YadavLanguage: HindiGenre: Light MusicMood: RomanticIn my opinion, Gulraj Singh is a name one should memorize if you are a music lover. Very soon, you will find him on the best playlists of Indian music across languages. This supremely talented composer/producer surprises me every single time and his knack for writing a delicious and stunning melody. Let us just say that he is Old-school. Tapas Roy shines through with a terrific prelude on the plucked instruments, and we have Rickraj on the Ukulele accompanying throughout.The lyrics are interesting thanks to Manoj Yadav's wittiness. Gulraj sings the lines with such a cool attitude and I want him to sing more. The female lead vocalist is the wonderful performer Aditi Paul. She already cast some magic earlier in 2024 singing in All India Rank. I love the chord progression in the lines "Shukr Guzaar hai.... Shukr Guzaar hai tera", with the keys and harmonies aiding. There is an ARRahman-esque interlude with some Harmonica and harmonies. The stanza is fresh and just allows the heart to swell, with a lush Piano in the background. Thank You Gulraj for your commitment in writing these delectable lines "Tu hi me meri zindagi, oh meri jaan hai tere dum se sai saare kushi", with Gulraj and Aditi singing in unison. Vincent Joseph has assisted Gulraj and the recording engineers are Amey Londhe & Akshay Purandare. Ashish Saksena at Purple Haze Studios is the mix/master engineer. 

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weekly 18th aug 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 18th Aug 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 18th August 20241. Oru Oorula RaajaLyrics: Mari SelvarajSinger: Santhosh NarayananComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Santhosh NarayananLanguage: TamilGenre: Jazz Hip-HopMood: GroovyHe is unstoppable, is Santhosh Narayanan and here comes this sensation single from the upcoming movie "Vaazhai". Sometimes I think he creates his mini-genre. After mesmerising us with a folkish melody along with Dhee, Santhosh performs here in a genre-bending single that will strike you like a bolt of lightning amidst the dark thunderous folk percussions, and then the brass section and harmonies will feel like reincarnation. I can state with absolute certainty that there is no single Indian composer who can produce something like this, let alone envision it. The horns are not the ones we hear inside a music studio or as part of a symphony orchestra. These are the horns in lorries and trucks, just like how Vishnu Vijay used them in his song 'Welcome to Hyderabad' from the movie "Premalu". After that creative intro, we dive into the magic of the brass section with trumpets, trombones and French horns, if I am not wrong. Kudos to Babu, Maxwell, Dominic Xavier and Vijay for giving us an experience of living in New Orleans. We can hear the synths, keys and rhythms too, albeit in a very subtle way. I don't blame you because Santhosh is singing with his lungs trying to explode and when he performs with that raw tone, it is unmatched. We hit the interlude segment and the ‘Ramanathapuram Marungan Melam Team’ comes alive. The Keys and the folk percussion combine to create magic that even David Copperfield would be proud of. The percussionists that deserve attention are Rajakumar, Arulpandi, Hemanadhan on the Tavil, Pazhani and Janardhan on the Pambai, Mohanbabu on the Thalam and Kadhirvel on the Urumi. It is then the job of Santhosh to deliver the amazing story penned by the lyricist and director Mari Selvaraj. Kindly use your headphones, stand up and give some love to Napier Naveen for the outstanding bass guitars that the man plays right through. They are some of the most zany and ethereal strumming I have heard in an Indian song. Santhosh stands tall as not just the performer and composer, but also as the arranger and producer. The verse ends and when we hear " avan nimirnthu patha vanam, kuninju partha bhumi, idayila avanthan baaram, kaal nadakka nadakka neelum thooram", the brass section arrangements are majectic. We get some pumped-up energy in the second interlude once again with the brass section. I just want to get up and let loose when Santhosh sings " Kuthaattam aduran kuthaattam aduran..."Keep listening for more magic as Santhosh sings for one last time " oru oorula raaja ", The trumpets play that riff, followed by the stunning humming of Dhee performing the same notes as the trumpets. Yes "oru oorula oru raja" and in today's world of Indian music Santhosh is that Raja. The recording engineers are Pranav Muniraj, Karthik Manickavasakam, Rupendar Venkatesh and Santhosh Narayanan. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Rupendar at Future Tense Studios with Jaba Raj as the studio assistant and Meenakshi Santhosh as the musicians' co-ordinator. @musicsanthosh @mariselvaraj84 @navvi_studios @redgiantmovies_ @pranavbalu @karthikmanickavasakam @rupendar_venkatesh @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @napiernaveen2. How The Tables TurnPerformed by KitanuWritten by Omkar Raghupatruni, Pranav Wahi, Rijul Victor, Rohan Prasanna, Siddhant SarkarLanguage: EnglishGenre: Rock fusionMood: EnergeticThis Indian rock fusion band has already been an object of interest for me for some time now, I featured their prior work as well. Kitanu lives up to the hype and expectation again and here we have this upbeat and transcendental piece. The band's highlight reel is always their Sarod and the intro has the pulsating solo of the Sarod by Rohan Prasanna and in combination with the pacy drums by Rijul Victor, and funky bass guitars by Pranav Wahi, it feels terrific.  Siddhant Sarkar, the frontman makes it a throbbing experience with his energetic vocals as the lead. He even gets many tongue-twisters out of his mouth in the verse and feels pumping. The Sarod and bass are the constant support elements driving the song's tone forward. OMkar Raghupatruni plays the lead guitar and the subsequent verse has more passion coming through in Siddhant's delivery. The jugalbandhi between Omkar and Rohan is brief but breathtaking. Wait till the outro makes its way and you will be captivated by the confluence of the Sarof, guitars, drums and harmonies. The drop in tempo feels cathartic. @kitanumusic @blacksheep.records @guitared.jon @deepkharra @rohanprasanna @_pranavwahi @omkar_raghupatruni @corridormusic @siddhantsrkr3. Oh RaayaMusic: A R Rahman

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weekly 11aug 2024

Top Indian Songs of the week 11th Aug 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 11th August 20241. MemoriesLyrics, Composition: BrecillaProduction, Arrangement, Mixing and Mastering: Pranav KamatLanguage: EnglishGenre: Ballad PopMood: ContemplativeI wanted to listen to this song in May, but I guess my Memory didn't serve me right. Anyway, a good record needs to be given its due credit and praise, so better late than never! I am a fan of Brecilla's work as she stands tall in this landscape of mediocre music. She is a musician with gifted vocal abilities and when she writes a melody like this you only have to earmark her name and keep tracking her releases like a religious ritual. The Keys come in and flow like a gentle steam, also played Brecilla and the humming pierces through my heart. The singing starts hitting me like a nail, and the lyrics are equally incisive. We all get up one day and feel an inexplicable range of emotions at play. Thank God, I at least can listen to such music and relate to the emotions and thanks to the stunning quality I might even be able to recover out of the low. Pranav Kamat who is a usual suspect in all of Brecilla's acts is the man who has done the arrangements and musical production. I love the heavy sound of the Piano, and one line that will haunt me for the rest of 2024 is "But I wish we'd make more memories Before you decided to leave". Kudos to Brecilla for the chord progression here, especially the second half of the line which was unexpected and satisfying. Pay attention to the accompanying Saxophone (played by Brecilla) when the words "before you" is sung. The sadness here felt like a whiff of Raag Charukeshi in disguise. The backing vocals are performed by Nidhi Aswal and Brecilla and the harmonies are arranged to perfection. Pranav plays the guitars and the production is something that elevates the song despite its melody already being captivating. The vocal performance will give other contenders a run for the money in the race for the 'Best Vocals of 2024'. Nothing smells as good as the perfect end, and here we have Brecilla singing " But I think I held you close long enough, Now it is time for you to leave". I'll say no more. @brecilladsouza @pranavkmt @babybluu82. Le Chal SaawareComposed by AgneeLyrics by Abbas TyrewalaSinger - Mohan KannanLanguage: HindiGenre: RockMood: ContemplativeWe have the second season of 'Soundchk' with the music label of Merchant Records promoting and distributing this unique venture that celebrates Indian Rock music. The band Agnee is one of India's finest, and I have been a huge fan of their work. Here we have a spellbinding rock record thanks to the melody and vocals. Mohan Kannan is memerising beyond compare and he brings this delicate texture combined with a very semi-classical style of delivery while performing the lead vocals. John Jaideep Thirumalai plays the bass guitar and Koco is the lead guitarist and the two combine quite effectively without taking up the spotlight from Mohan's vocals. The number of variations in the title phrase "Le chal saaware" that Mohan brings on board and the improvisations in the lines "khul ja sabhi parchaiyaan" are poetic. Koco jumps in with the electric guitar solo and Hrishikesh Datar provides the oomph on drums. The chorus segment could go on for minutes and I would just sway and keep listening to it. The music production is by Koco and he sizzles with absolute profanity in the interlude playing the electric guitar solo. The verse that follows is written beautifully, in a way I would have never expected. Mohan Kannan, take a bow, as this song is like a vehicle that transports me to paradise and his singing is the fuel for that. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abhishek Khandelwal, assisted by Dileep Nair are YRF studios. Abhsiek and Dileep are also the recording engineers along with Anurag Sawangikar at Studio Manic, Pune. @agneelive @merchant_records @salimsulaimanmusic @themohalife @mohankannanofficial @theofficialkoco @royalewithcheese88 @hrishidatar @abbas.tyrewala @shivansh.j @nidhi_ketan3. O Raahi 

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weekly 4th aug 24

Top Indian Songs of the week 4th Aug 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 4th August 20241. ThenkizhakkuComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Santhosh NarayananLyricist: YugabharathiSinger: DheeLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/ popMood: HappySanthosh Narayan comes off the gigantic project of Kalki 2898AD with some unbelievable music and now we have this super collaboration that has always piqued my interest and expectations. The combination of Santhosh and director Mari Selvaraj gave us 'Pariyerum Perumal' and 'Karnan'. This song defines the brilliance and style of Santhosh as he takes a wonderful melody, adds some compelling elements to production and when it comes to the stanza, delivers the twist none of us could have predicted. Dhee is the lead vocalist and this son despite its tough notes, she sings it like a walk in the clouds.Two standout live instruments are the Violin solo by the master Embar S Kannan, and the percussions by Karthik Vamsi. Let us not forget the introduction of the whistle by singer Vijaynarain. Santhosh handles the keys along with all the insane arrangements and production. The song has so much to offer with the extended anu-pallavi segment. I love the sound of the bell-like the bicycle ring just after "Kudai pidippen thayaga". The line that follows " Nee nee sollum katha, naan naan kekkum vara" is like a breath of fresh air that we just did not see coming. Yughabharathi is a magician with his words in this song. The interlude is just magic with Embar Kannan piercing my heart with that melody on the solo Violin. There are some resemblances of Raag Neelambari here as well as some Raag Maand. Karthik Vamsi is the second hero here gently playing the Indian percussions and causing tremendous appeal and pacification. Who would have expected the line "Othaiyila pogum vetta veli megham" to follow this chord progression after what we heard in the song's opening segments? This is why Santhosh Narayanan is a genius for constantly creating newness and discarding tried routes. Look at the notes now when she sings "sitterumbu podum", kudos to Dhee and Santhosh for that. Her singing prowess comes to light as we progress and she sings " Athil Kodi raagam naanum meeeta" in that baritone register. The song is recorded by Santhosh, Karthik Manickavasakam, Pranav Muniraj and Rupendar Venkatesh at Future Tense Studios. The studio assistant is Jaba Raj and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Rupendar. Meenakshi Santhosh is the musicians' co-ordinator. The song's outro once again sparkles with the "nee nee sollum katha" playing in the background. @dhee___ @musicsanthosh @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @mariselvaraj84 @thinkmusicofficial @pranavbalu @karthikmanickavasakam @embarkannan @karthikvamsivr @yughabharathi @rupendar_venkatesh @vijaynarain2. KaahePerformed by Antony Mathew, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer NaikWritten by Antony Mathew, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik, Vallabh KaoreyProduced by Deeptha Ganesh, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik, Sandeep PatilLanguage: Traditional/HindiGenre: Semi-classical fusionMood: HappyThis record came as a beautiful surprise with Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik and Antony Mathew combing and creating this excellent Tumri-led pop fusion single. The melody is written by Antony, Riddhi and Sumer with lyrics penned by Vallabh. The origin of this song is apparently in the corridors of Berklee College of Music. Kudos to the whole team for creating something that justifies their hard work and passion. I can sense a clear influence of Raag Bhimpalasi in the melody.Risshi is the lead vocalist and she has this wonderful delivery style that mixes Blues and Classical Hindustani style. It reminds me of this amazing indie artist Aditi Ramesh who performs with the same vigor and class. The Blues flavour gets a lot of additional colouring thanks to the Keys by Antony, guitars by Sumer, bass by Joaquin Adrian Oribello and Joshua Tan on the mild drums. The melody goes through a beautiful shift and I would have never guessed the chord progression, almost sounding like a Latin Jazz number.The arrangements and production deserve a massive round of applause. Check out the introduction of the Tabla played by Aditya Pahuja and then Riddhi sizes on the swaras with the solo violin by Hrutuparna played alongside her. Additional vocals are heard in the background too and the melody on the Piano written during the other interlude is magical. The classical guitar and strings section along with the Jazzy rhythms make for some meaty moments that every music lover will embrace and enjoy. Kudos to Riddhi for the great vocal execution. The recording engineers are Deeptha G, Devanshee Bansal, Denis Tsyganov, Tushar Bhagat and Sandeep Patil. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Deeptha and Sandeep. @riddhi_vikamshi @antonymathewgc @deeptha.g @jamoribass @adityakpahuja @rey_vallabh @groovegridstudios @jt_rhythmia @sumerflaek_09 @devanshee_bansal @whatistushar @abluesaint @hrutuparna.71 @denis_tsyganov__

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tamil may june 2024

Top Tamil Songs of May and June 2024

Here are the best Tamil songs released for the months of May and June 2024. If you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Aasa KoodaMusic Composed and Produced by Sai AbhyankkarSingers : Sai Abhyankkar, Sai Smriti Lyrics by Sathyan IlankoLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: Romantic2024's best Tamil song so far is 'Katchi Sera' composed, produced and performed by Sai Abhyankkar. I loved it and featured it on my website showering the artist and others involved with loads of praise. However, there was always a doubt at the back of my mind if Sai Abhyankkar would deliver another song of this quality or if he would end up being a one-hit writer. Those doubts and fears have vanished and it looks like this talented musician is making his mark. Within a few seconds, the song creates butterflies in my stomach and that is actually what the video depicts too, a butterfly in flight. Sai Abhyankkar is not just a skilled composer, it seems he has the knack to produce a song effectively and that is evident with the vocal harmonies in the intro. Srinidhi Premkumar, Faik, Shiva and Elisa are the backing vocalists and we are treated to 43 seconds of intro music that just grows and brightens the day. Keba Jeremiah and Robin Sebastian play the electric guitars, while Keba is the bassist as well. I was blown away by the Clarinet and Sax interventions in the intro played by Ashish. Viswas Hari plays the Mandolin. The verse starts and we have Sai Smriti and Sai Abhyankkar in solid form taking up lead vocal responsibilities. The baritone style of delivery by Smriti is exciting to hear and she adds a few Carnatic-styled ghamakas too in between. The catchy chorus segment that goes " Nee pesa lighta aasa kooda, vaasam veesum" is a very infectious melody written brilliantly by Sai Abhyankkar. He proves the simplest adage that for a good song , the most important element is the melody. The song has a very beautiful and hummable melody and that is why I feel this song wins hearts again.The interlude is a Jugalbandhi between the Sax and the Clarinet and things do get quite Jaazy and funky in this segment. The stanza continues to showcase a fine melody and there are influences of Shanmukhapriya Ragam according to me. Towards the end when we get to the chorus segment, there is the Nadaswaram by Parthiban and Trumpets by John, Henry Park, H. Warner & Ben. Sathyan Ilanko, the lyricist mixes fun and romance in apt words. There are so many layers and all the keys, synths and rhythms are programmed by Sai Bhyankkar delightfully. He arranges and produces the song masterfully and elements like the aalap by Sai Smriti in the background are great strokes. The tracks are mixed by Sai Abhyankkar at YOLO Records and mastered by Rupendar Venkatesh at Sai Dhwani Studios. Don't forget to have a blast watching the song video with some terrific moments of choreography by Anusha Viswanathan and The Dancers Club. Finally, I am also glad to see this lovely actress Preity Mukhundhan on screen, she is graceful and captivating, just like her presence in the new Tamil movie 'Star' alongside Kavin. @abhyankkar @smriti_ekaa @sathyan_ilanko @preity_mukhundhan @thejobharathwaj @sanika_banerjee_ @brinda.indu @thinkindiacollective @believemusicindia @tdc.thedancersclub @himani.grooves @dikshitaaaa.___ @kebajer @srinidhi_prem @robinsebastianmusic 2. NeelorpamComposed, Arranged & Programmed by Anirudh RavichanderLyrics - ThamaraiVocals - Abby V & Shruthika SamudhralaLanguage: TamilGenre: Ligh MusicMood: RomanticFinally, Anirudh delivers an enjoyable song, after slogging with massy and loud EDM overloads. I wish and hope there is more of this that he has to offer to us now. In the album "Indian 2" this is the only enjoyable song with a fantastic melody that probably sounds like Raag Desh to me. Abby V who is a fine talent, comes on board as the male lead vocalist. He gives life to the song with his Carnatic-styled delivery and excels in all the ghamakas. He is accompanied by a very able Shruthika Samudhrala, and this is one vocalist I will love to track in the future. The song gets a soul thanks to Thamarai's romantic lyrics. I love it when Abby sings "ithai meeri pugaargal illai" with a heavy ghamaka on the second word. Anirudh composes, arranges and programs this eloquence. The additional rhythm and keyboard programming roles are filled in by Shashank Vijay and Arish respectively. Amalraj plays such a significant role in the song playing multiple instruments like the Electric, Acoustic guitar, Dobro Guitar, Charango, Ukulele, Violin, Violas, Ghunzheng and Harp. The man can play over 40 instruments, phew! The melody in the interlude is something that many songs in India are missing these days, so kudos to Anirudh for that. The indomitable Pratik Shrivastava sizzles on the Sarod solo and that is followed by a western piece on the Saxophone by Basanth Muralikrishnan. The stanza is the segment that fills the heart with joy because the melody written here by Anirudh is wholesome and inspiring, and Shruthika delivers like a seasoned campaigner. The parts with the Sax are like an ode to AR Rahman's 'Duet'. Anirudh goes further and creates a brief bridge section other than the stanza, and this song gives me hope that there is still gas left in his tank. The tracks are mixed Vinay Sridhar & Srinivasan M at Albuquerque Records, Chennai, and mastered by Luca Pretolesi at Studio DMI, Las Vegas. 

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weekly 21st July 24

Top Indian Songs of the week 21st July 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 21st July 20241. Raise the BarPerformed by Rahul Matthan, Thermal And A QuarterWritten by Bruce Lee Mani, Leslie Charles Premkumar, Rahul Matthan, Rajeev Rajagopal, Tony Jason DasLanguage: EnglishGenre: RockMood: EnergeticThe TAAQ as they are known impressed me immensely back in 2019 when I just started out as a music journalist. I have been waiting far too long for something like this, and I am reminded of 'Jethrotul' and 'Dire Straits' and all these phenomenal rock bands, as Thermal And A Quarter sizzle on all aspects in this rock single. Bruce Lee Mani strikes you hard with his lead vocals and guitars and it hits like a wrist slap from his namesake martial arts legend. All the lead guitar interventions are by Tony Das, the drummer Rajeev, and bassist Leslie combined beautifully to raise the bar. The astounding lyrics are penned by Rahul Matthan. The song has not just some breathtaking live instrumentals, it also boasts a very enjoyable melody. The arrangements and production deserve a special mention for keeping things lively and fresh. At times I also feel a resemblance to AC/DC's "It's a long way to the top". As we get to the trilling outro I am mesmerised listening to "Get a good grip and remember to breathe, when you raise the bar" as every band member is performing at more than 100% of their potential @matthan @thermalandaquarter @lesliecharles @bruceleemani @tonyjdas @oafrecords @therealdeaconblues2. Raahi ReMusic composed, Programmed and Arranged by Vivek SagarLyrics by Kasarla ShyamVocals by Kapil KapilanAdditional Vocals by Language: TeluguGenre: Light MusicMood: RomanticVivek Sagar is at times under-rated, or maybe there is a better word to express what I feel. He is never the first name that comes to mind when someone shouts Tollywood music, but I have always paid close attention to his work. This is a romantic track that gets a lot of positive energy from the brisk strumming of the acoustic guitars and Kapil Kapilan's lead vocals. Abhishai Jahudi is the bassist and we also have engaging keys and rhythm programming by Vivek Sagar. He handles all the arrangements other than writing the melody. Lyrics are penned by Kasala Shyam. I love the line in the pre-chorus just before the chorus segment of the song and this is where I felt a sense of Raag Shankarabharanam (Bilawal) or maybe some Raag Hamsadhwani. The interlude has this Westernised Sarangi played by Aslam Khan. The backing vocals by Shruthika Samudhrala come in and then the lead guitar solo too, adds style. Vivek Sagar showcases his wide-varied knowledge by including a Punjabi folk segment in the interlude. This segment was written and performed by Romi Kumar and produced by Juggy Gill. Credit must go to the strings section arrangements in the background as they decorate the song with lushness. It has been a while since I was so enamoured by Kapil, and I must thank Vivek for giving him a song the former deserves. The tracks are mixed, recorded and produced at Tapeloop with Sanjay Das as the mix/master engineer. @kapilkapilanmusic @oddphysce @aslamkhansarangi @chinttu_bassman @juggygillofficial @tapelooprecords @sanj_das @shruthika.samudhrala3. KismetWritten and Composed by Raman NegiPerformed by Raman NegiProduced by Raman Negi, Gaurav ChintamaniLanguage: HindiGenre: RockMood: Energetic

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weekly 14th July 24

Top Indian Songs of the week 14th July 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 14th July 20241. JaathreProducer: Michael LeagueComposer, Vocalist: Varijashree VenugopalArrangements: Michael League, Varijashree Venugopal, Pramath KiranLanguage: KannadaGenre: semi-classical fusionMood: ContemplativeThis is one of the finest indie albums released in 2024, and please go stream the album "Vari" right away by Varijashree Venugopal, Michael League and Pramath Kiran. The song's melody composed by Varijashree has traces of Raag Hemavathi and after the initial swaras we get fabulous support on the live instrumentals. The Violins are played by Smitha H M, Sindhu H M and Mattur Srinidhi in unison. The percussions are played to create an unforgettable thump like the Dollu played by Boodyappa H K, Raghavendra H M, Dinesh, Prakasha, Yogamurty, Ranjith and Srinivasa. We also have the Table played by Ojas Adhiya, and Gurumurthy Vaidya playing the Pakhawaj and Chende. Anat Cohen plays the stunning CLarinet at an unbelievably high register. To pacify things down after the pre-chorus we have the aalap by Varijashree and the accompanying Harp by Agnès Bérard Laty. This segment is pure magic and I was tempted to think there may have been some Raag DHarmavathi or Madhuvanthi. The mild Harmonium intervention is by Praveen D Rao and Michael League plays the Mellotron and Minimoog Bass. The Violins unite for the interlude and adrenaline pumping happens with all the combined effects of the percussions. Pramath is the recording engineer, the tracks are mixed by Nic Hard and mastered by Dave McNair@varijashree @pramathkiran @michaelleagueplaysmusic @nic.hard @groundupmusicny @mcsnare @juanospinamusic @____magdalini @misslucywoodward @adrianaospinamusic @silviaospina.art 2. StillComposer: Anhad Khanna, Tanner Willeford, Isheeta ChakrvartyArranger, Producer Anhad Khanna, Tanner WillefordLyricist, Vocals: Isheeta ChakrvartyLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical FusionMood: ContemplativeThe saddening Sarangi by Ejaz Hussain, in the intro forces my submission and I am unable to get my spirits up to write this review. Yet there is hope in the sadness, like a silver lining around the dark clouds, when I hear the strings section and piano, looking at the quality of the music out there within the first 40 seconds. The composition is by a trio of talents viz. Anhad Khanna, Isheeta Chakrvarty and Tanner Willeford. If the glimmer of hope wasn't enough we find the sun ray shining now as Isheeta opens up her throat and starts her vocal lead performance.The synths are heavy in the background and the combination of classical notes by Isheeta and the EDM-styled background sounds is haunting. The Sarangi is constantly present with subtle interventions at times and solid solo bits in the interludes too. Isheeta soaks you into pathos with the touching delivery and the mood is also mysterious with her powerful and improvised aalaps. Anhad and Tanner who have created many such magical songs before, hit the nail on the head when it comes to this production. The use of the Tabla played by Sarthak, is splendid and it says a lot about the arrangement skills of the duo. Was there some influence of Raag Pilu in the melody? Maybe, but Isheeta says there could be a mild Raag Keeravani influence. The tracks were mixed by Anhad and mastered by Shawn Hatfield. The artwork is by Dolo. @isheeta.c @anhadtannermusic @sarthak.pahwa @ejazhussainofficial @dorlorblind 3. Leta Jaijo ReComposed, Produced & Performed by Shashwat SachdevArtists: Shashwat Sachdev, Sunidhi Chauhan, Chotu Khan

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