If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 21st June 20261. Tere Paas MainVocals: Vipin Aneja, Deepali SahayLyrics: Irshad KhamilMusic composed and arranged by A. R. RahmanLanguage: HindiGenre: Light MusicMood: SereneJust when you think of writing AR Rahman off, he comes up with something good and heartfelt, like this album ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, almost like these are the words of AR Rahman to his doubters like me. It feels like Arnold in Terminator, saying, “I'll be back, trust me”. After a couple of below-average albums, this one did impress, and this particular song, ‘Tere Paas Main’, is so tender, and it starts to kindle feelings of love from deep within our hearts. The song has two versions, and they are both beautifully sung, the female version  by Deepali Sahay and the male version by Vipin Aneja. The strings section by the Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague, is followed by a mild and mellifluous clarinet, and the melody of this song by now is already etched in your heart. “Jaise Tu Hai Paas Mere”, with his fresh and splendid voice, Vipin only takes a few nights to make a mark. There is an element of innocence in his tone, and that works for protagonists like the one in this love story. The melody is beautiful, but it is not entirely unheard of, as we are reminded of this gem by Shankar-Jaikishan, “Hum Tere Pyaar Mein Sara Aalam Kho Baithe”, sung like an unforgettable dream by Lata Mangeshkar. The strings continue to play in the background, with minimal production. The interlude is when I realise there may be some influences of Raag Desh. From time to time, the melody also reminded me of “Agar Tum Saath Ho” from ‘Tamasha’Sai Shravanam gives a masterclass on the Tabla as we head into the Antara, and when Vipin evocatively sings “ Jhoot hai yeh dooriyan”, these notes remind me of another soulful melody “, Sara Pyaar Tumhara” sung by Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar, composed by Shyamal Mitra. The lines from the Antara of that old masterpiece “Dekh ke teri Surat, Mitt Jaati Hai EK Hi Pal Main” are what I keep going back to listening to this Antara by AR Rahman and Vipin. His singing is calm and makes no attempt to add frills, and that is what shines through in this song, just like the great Kishore Da. The instrumental arrangements are more diverse and stunning in the female version, with Naveen’s flute solo, the unmistakable piano and constant guitar strumming by Shrey Gupta. Deepali Sahay reaches right into your heart, and she almost brings tears with her solo aalap in the interlude. Here harkatein on the chorus line is stunning. We get a fine interlude by the amazing Rohan Prasanna on the Sarod, once again rendering those influences of Raag Desh. This version also stands out for its second Antara, which has a modified melody “chahe bada lo, chahe ghata lo, kaajal nahin main, gaalon ka til hoon, mittha nahin main, kitna mita lo” feels so pure and pristine thanks to Irshad’s words and Deepali’s playful, teasing delivery. Shubham Bhat and Marisakthi are the additional programmers, with Hiral Viradia as the music supervisor. The engineers on board are Karthik Sekaran and Suresh Permal. @arrahman @saishravanam @vipinanejaofficial @deepalisahay @rohanprasanna @irsdhaskamilofficial @shubham_bhat07 @marisakthi @praguephilharmonic @thatfingerstyleguitarist @hiral_viradia @sureshpermal @sekarankarthik 2. I can get HungryComposed, Arranged and Produced by Santhosh NarayananRap written and performed by RANJTelugu lyrics: Rehmanvocals: Punya SelvaBacking vocals: Aparna Harikumar, Padmaja SreenivasanGenre: Alt Hip HopMood: EnergeticI watched the movie ‘Maa INti Bangaram’, and even if you know that the composer is Santhosh Naryanan and his iconic BGM tracks will come and pulverise you, he always leaves you surprised and shocked because a few tracks hit you hard,  thanks to sheer sound, scoring prowess and impact that this composer creates. It has happened in countless movies by him, and here, when Samantha climbs onto a bus full of thugs, I knew a belligerent fight sequence was on; little did I know that I would have goosebumps listening to the background music. This rising star RANJ, is the voice behind that intro and prolonged Rap segment, and I can only say, remember her name. Santhosh uses the piano as the only sound, along with this mesmerising style of vocals that RANJ employs. “Ooh, a wounded woman is a weapon, end you every generation, even after she just had you screaming’ truce’. Go back, boys, with your tail between your legs, is my advice to any thugs if they hear this. We get into some hardcore electronic and techno sounds to accompany and elevate the energy of the fight, but even now, I am still stunned from the intro vocals as Samantha adjusts her Saree and holds on to a railing, ready to kick some serious butt. The heavy Telugu lines create the aggravation with a nice folkish ring to the melody, performed by Punya Selva with Aparna Harikumar and Padmaja Sreenivasan as backing vocalists. This segment was written by Rehman and feels like Samantha’s entire tribe of women egging her on from behind. Is it a mouth trumpet or a Kazoo that plays an interludal melody? After that, RANJ brings the house down with her attitude, her delivery, and there is nothing more musically orgasmic than listening to her write and perform her own rap lines.

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 14th June 20261. YegandhiVocals: Sathyaprakash & Aparna HarikumarMusic composed, arranged and produced by Sam CSLyrics: Karthik NethaLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanceA beautiful song doesn't wait for long; it hits you with the first note. The strumming of the guitars by Godfray Immanuel is so mellifluous, and it feels like a moment in paradise. It reminds me very vividly of the intro guitars of Coldplay’s “Sparks”. A flute solo comes on and breathes fire into the proceedings, and is there some Hamsadhwani Ragam I am hearing in the melody? Maybe. The tempo, the melody and arrangements are all so refreshing considering how noisy, loud and preposterous songs have become these days. I love how Sam CS has composed the melody and done these enticingly romantic arrangements.Listen to the mild Piano and harmonies “Yedhedho Nee thedi vaadathe Yegaandhi” as the counterpoints on the Piano and Clarinet, by Nathan,give off a very Jazz style here. Sathyaparakash is in terrific form here, singing these lines with tenderness. Karthik Netha writes the lyrics, and this song can completely take over your mind when you sit alone and listen to it. Vignesh plays the solo violin in the interlude, as he teases and tantalises with that quirky style. “Settril pookkum siru poovam vaasam alli veesum”, writes Karthik Netha to evoke all the strong emotions of love. Nathan comes and plays the flute solo, and it has been ages since a film song has had two variant interludes, so thank you, Sam CS, for that. One of our finest playback singers, Aparna Harikumar, comes on very late, but what a cameo it is. She sings “ Yaarag Nee aana pothum”, and she wins my heart. 2. LihaazComposed by Abhijeet SrivastavaLyrics: Shayra ApoorvaVocals: Samyak PrasanaMusic Production: Karasama BeatsLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanceHere is a composer who has always been creating something hummable and catchy, and that is why Abhijeet Srivastava generates a certain amount of expectation and hype surrounding his indie releases. Here, he introduces a young, talented vocalist, Samyak Prasana, with composition duties handled by Abhijeet. The usual suspect, Shayra Apoorva, comes on as the lyricist, and the music production is by Karasama Beats. The soundscape is recognisable that it belongs to an Abhijeet discography, and when the lines begin, you start paying attention to Samyak’s vocals. The catchiest segment is the pre-chorus, where we get a pause, and then, with some delightful rhythms, we get launched, as Samyak sings “Milta ab jo sukon hai teri baahon mein, aisa pehle kahin na mila. Everything here is top-notch with Samyak’s dream vocals, Shauras intense romantic lines, the melody that swoons you and some simmering production by Karasama beats. “isi lihaaz se hum aapse yeh kehna chaahte hoye na juda kabhi, ho aisa raabta” is the icing on the cake. The Sarangi in the interlude feels like a bit of Raag Darbari to me, with some strains of the Sitar as well. I must give an ovation to Samyak, because his tone, his gleaming voice with perfectly strewn vibrato, is something that makes my heart grow fonder. The line in the Antara “hum to nahin tere kaabil huye phir bhi tumne chodi na yen baahen meri” is a case in point. I like how the song’s intensity zooms up with the introduction of drums, and it feels like an infusion of some rock flavours that work perfectly. @gibsonbha @shayra22 @samyakprasana @karasama_beats @vedaant.music @believemusicindia @unboundrecordz @abhijeetmusic 3. BloomComposed, arranged, and programmed by Barath DhanasekarLyrics: FatinVocals: Abhijih Anilkumar and Meghna Vijay

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 7th June 20261. Sattendru Marudhu VaanilaiMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Girishh Gopalakrishnan.Lyrics by SnehanVocals by Shreya Ghoshal and MS KrsnaLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticI loved this album, “Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai,” and gave it a good rating of 3.5/5, with two outstanding songs. This title song was one of those favourites as Girishh shows his capabilities as always. The lead vocalist is Shreya Ghoshal, and it is, in my opinion, one of the best by Shreya in recent years, demanding her to sound beautiful without gimmicks. It is a deeply engaging romantic song , with Shreya expressing some vulnerability as well. The rousing nadaswaram solo by D Balasubramani in the intro is outstanding, especially to hear the shift in Octaves. The moment the last melodic phrase on the Nadaswaram comes, it reminds me of something similar , the violin interlude in “Aagaya Vennilaave”, by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. This is why I was certain that the song’s melody has influences of Raag Darbari. Medha Ramaswamy accompanies on backing vocals, singing the same melody, and after that, the pallavi is mesmerising with the song's rhythm guitar,  by MS Krsna, Shreya’s sultry singing as well. The anupallavi with “Seendal Ilai, Theendal Illai” with MS Krsna’s additional vocal layers and the stylish rhythms take the cake. Shreya and M Krsna singing in harmony works like magic, especially since this is a romantic single. Snehan is the lyricist, and he does quite an impressive job throughout. Sayee Rakshith makes you want to weep with that seductive and melancholic violin solo in the interlude. Kudos to Girishh for writing this interlude so beautifully. Shreya is killing it with the line” Nee illamale ennul unai parkirene” in that contralto register. The subtle but succulent vibrato on “ bodhai kolven” and “enna velven” are examples of how brilliant Shreya has been in this song. Another stunning piece of magic is the landing phrase that leads up to the pallavi, “ nee illai endraale naan enge povathu,” with faster guitar strumming. The Nadaswaram can be heard in the background playing some fine counterpoints in the outro. The recording engineers are Amey Londhe and AR Subbaiah, with the amazing Sai Shravanam on mixing and mastering. @girishhgopal @shreyaghoshal @medhamelodies16 @kavignarsnekan @tseriessouthofficial @meenakshigovindharajan_ @mskrsnamusic @sayee.rakshith @2. O Meri JaanComposed and Produced by Sanyanth NarothLyrics and Vocals Anurag MishraLanguage: HindiMood: RomanticGenre: PopThe sound of the Guitarlele, by Rohit Lalwani,  feels like the sound of water flowing in a stream amidst all the silence of a thick forest. The lead guitar starts to take control with Sharad Rao in charge, and the catchy rhythms slowly ramp up the ante and tempo. The sound design feels like I am about to listen to “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dilko”, and the humming by Sanyanth only does things to mesmerise our senses. The song is composed and produced by Sanyanth Naroth, with lyrics by Anurag Mishra. Who better to deliver the vocals than Anurag Mishra, who possesses a certain magnetism in his voice?  Sanyanth plays the rhythm guitar, and Sharad is the bassist. The song is reflective of a simpler time that had some great music, as it feels like something from the 70s. “Na Parwah Koi Bhi…….Ude Dil, Kahin Bhi” is my favourite line, and the intermittent guitars and rhythms keep us engaged and moving our heads in utter delight. The core beauty of any song lies in its melody, and Sanyanth proves that with the subsequent line, which throws a few surprises in terms of the notes and chord progression in “Woh yaadon mein hum , hamare siva na koi”. The lead guitars are a terrific component of this song, and they spark up such electrifying beauty in just 6 notes, filling in the pauses between “woh karwaan” and “ab hain kahan”. Ashish Kujur is on keyboard programming, and the song’s one more unstoppable force is the continuous backing vocal layer that comes and stays in the verse, chorus, and bridge. “Par har jagah lage pehchani mujhe, yaad teri jahan bhi keeche mujhe, tujo mila laga woh” is probably the song’s bridge, but instead of being placed just before the outro, it comes ahead of the second verse, and I love the melodic phrases written here by Sanyanth. “Hamari Kahani , kisi Ko na sunaani” is so enchanting to hear, as Anurag sings it with such dreamy exuberance, and he uses such gentle falsettos to impress as well. Sharad Rao is determined to pulverise your heart and kidnap your senses to a faraway place with his lead guitar solo in the outro. The recording engineer is Tejas Ratnaparkhi, mixing is by Nitin Muralikrishna, and mastering is by Ronak Runwal. 3. Subah

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 31st May 20261. Tamil KadavulMusic composed, arranged, and programmed by Sanjay Manickam.Vocals Sanjay ManickamLyrics: Jegan KavirajLanguage:Genre: Semi-classical FusionMood: DevotionalThe opening conversation between two men in the song’s intro brought a wide smile to my face because 1. it is true what he says about who rules Tamil Nadu, and 2. it is one of my favourite moments from my all-time favourite indian film “Kadaisi Vivasayi”. I must thank Sanjay Manickam for giving me a fantastic new song that glorifies my favourite deity , Tamil kadavul, Lord Muruga. The song starts with a chorus led line “Vaa en kandhane, veladhi velane vaa en kandhane vaa”, after a peacock call perfectly capturing the common sounds of Tamil Nadu with heavily populated peacock and peahen species, especially around hills that have the Lord Murgan temples. I love how Sanjay has interjected that opening line with a sample of the voice of TM Soundarajan singing “Muruga”.The backing vocalists are singing with all that passion and devotion, and we have Shibi Srinivasan, Govind Prasad, Sanjay, Shobika MS, Rubashree S and Mihitha Rajavenkatesh. The heavy rhythms pump up the adrenaline thanks to Sanjay’s programming. Mambalam Sivakunar is on the solo Nadaswaram, and we have Hrday Sunil on guitars and bass. The lyrics by Jegan Kaviraj are laden with innocence and admiration as we get this beautiful line, “ Maratha thozhane, un thuna podhume”. I must agree that Sanjay’s voice sounds fresh, and he offers whatever this kind of energetic devotional song needs. The way he alternates between poise, subtlety, and evocative celebration by changing his delivery and tone is worthy of praise. Pay attention to how things change in a few seconds between “ ennalum vazha ennoda va va muruga “ and “vel muruga va va, perazhaga va va”. The fact that Sanjay Manickam opts to compose this melody along the lines of Karaharapriya Ragam instead of the usual Shanmukhapriya Ragam is itself a valiant and creatively satisfying choice. A solo on teh Nadaswaram comes in the interlude, and I am almost in tears, with that emotion of surrendering to the Lord’s greatness accentuated by this bridge section “ Thaai Thandaikkum nyayathai sonnaye, nee athanaale malai melai amarthaaye”, with some fantastic harmonies and a counterpoint running on the Nadaswaram. The absence of rhythms here enhances the effect of the melody, and harmonies and kuros to all the backing vocalists and Sanjay for nailing this segment. This has to be one of my all-time favourite songs on Lord Muruga, I can only close my eyes and say “ Vetrivel Murugannu Arogara”. The female folkish harmonies with TMS singing “ Muruga Nee Vara vendum” is pure magic. The tracks are mixed by Midhun Manoj at Soundtown Studios and Blu Academy, the recording engineers are Sankeerth Shaji at Soundtown, Hrday and Sanjay at Unison Recording Co. The tracks are mastered by Vivek Thomas at VTP Studios@sanjayyy.music @mihitha_warbler_ @sbk_ms @shreeeesings @mambalam_sivakumar @midhunmanojj @adityaravikumar @bluacademy.in @vivekthomasproductions @hrday_sunil @shibi_srinivasan @govindprasad93 @m_jegan_kaviraj 2. Sajna veWritten, composed, and sung by Prateeksha SrivastavaMusic Produced by Priyanshu SoniLanguage: HindiGenre: Pop Mood: RomanticShe is the real deal, one of the handful of Hindie Indie artists that I'll bet my bottom dollar on. Prateeksha Srivastava is a stunning vocalist, and she is a rare breed that can write a song, compose a melody, too, and make it all look like a walk in the park. A breezy romantic pop single is here with Prateeksha donning all the hats of singing and songwriting, and the music production duties fall on Priyanshu Soni. Akarsh Shetty joins the band as the additional music producer, and collectively, we are offered a song that feels refreshing and joyful to hum. We get Bhibhash Buragohain on guitars as he strums the acoustic guitar and tickles you with oodles of romance. Prateeksha opens up with a nice hum, and the moment she starts singing, we are filled with love, and our hearts swell. Now that is what a saccharine voice with great potential and training can do to you. Priyanshu Soni adds glitter with a mild Harmonium and some fancy trumpets. The chorus segment is where the rhythm ups the ante. She is so committed here to write a melody that sounds fresh and not just follow the usual trajectory of a Bollywood number. Perceive the variations in “ Ankhon se… aankhon se apne keh dosapno mein aake mujhe na sataye”. Prateeksha makes the heart sway and beat faster with graceful improvisations and subtle vibrato. The male chorus, in that tempo and rhythm production, just feels foot-tapping good. Ishan Krishan, Priyanshu, and Akarsh are the male chorus singers. Just stop reading right now and make sure you close your eyes and hear her pulverise you with the phrase” Hey, Ada Teri,” adding so many layers of vocalising techniques, and you will feel goosebumps at the end of it all. I love the keyboard programming in the background, which is the only accompaniment during this phase.Bring on some funky basslines, some woodwinds, catchy rhythms, and you get a hypnotic track that is bound to make you go nuts for a whole day. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Hanish Taneja. @officialprateeksha @priyanshu_music @akarshshettymusic @billy_birdie @pankhurirjn @tichkistudios @arjun_deswal

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 17th May 20261. ReligiousWritten and performed by RANJMusic Produced by Raj and ClifrLanguage: EnglishGenre: R&B/Hip-HopMood: GroovyThis is my favourite track in the mammoth 27 track Mixtape released recently by RANJ, and you can go check out my full-length review of this massive list of Hip-Hop, R&B, Tamil folk music on my IG page. Please do go and listen, and this is easily the best of 2026 I have heard yet. RANJ takes over all the writing duties, and she delivers a masterclass in songwriting. The opening pianos and basslines are succulent in this track, and we have her ususal collaborator Clifr, a master of his own game, on music production as well as Raj. The rhythms kick in some Calypso, Reggae style and the Cello, by Adiel Massar, help in infusing some pathos and gravity. The sound of Maracas as the percussion instrument, with some vocal intervention by Raj, brings us to the end of the intro and the magical voice of RANJShe is an A-lister when it comes to hip-hop. and the associated energies of that style, but here RANJ is simply decimating all doubts and showcasing some fantastic singing. The attitude, the falsettos, and the improvisation all are top-notch and let us remember her writing and words are the unique selling points. The harmonies add on when she sings “ I gotta say, you make me feel like maybe I'm religious” , as a music lover, you start feeling religious too, if this woman was a vocal Goddess. That hint of woodwinds, by Louk, in the background with the bass guitars, by Raj, simply lifts my spirits. Here comes the champion rapper in RANJ, and when I hear her say “growing up i thought there might be an answer, Life is like a rhythm and truth is a dance,” I feel like I'm sitting in a lecture series on the philosophies of life and truth. This is what writing should be like, for music lovers to sit with their ears open and words that can transform and teach and inspire us. How does she envision these and write words that jump off the black-and-white screens and go into our grey cells? Wow , looks liek her writing has inpsired me too. She says, “And I don't believe there's a way up. Heaven only exists on paper, and if they preach to you ‘bout the maker, tell ‘e, to pay up”. Is this Religious or the Sacrilegious? Who cares when it is the truth and it sounds like this in this voice? I love how Louk teases and plays that flute solo and a big round of applause needs to be directed at the song’s primary producer Raj. There are so many elements with the flowy pianos, seductive basslines, sumptuous woodwinds and the foot-tapping rhythms. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Vivek Thomas.@ranjaniramdoss @louk_around_you @rajkanwarsodhi @clifr_ @weneedasecretlife @speedysahana @ranjxclifr 2. BewakoofComposed and Arranged by Sreekesh MenonLyrics: Anshita MenonVocals: Kalika MathurMusic Produced by Nikhil SebastianLanguage: HindiGenre: Ghazal/PopMood: RomanticJust like the name suggests, don't be a Bewakoof and miss out on this beautiful track that feels like the evening wind. The chirping of the birds wakes you up from the slumber, and that whiff of the electric violin throws you into the ring, ready to face the music, literally. Sreekesh Menon has composed the melody and done all the arrangements, with lyrics by Anshita Menon and the sparkling vocals of Kalika Mathur. The string arrangements are generous, and this feels like a Ghazal with all its melodic and poetic quality. “Hum Tumse Ishq kar bhaite hain”, and that is all I need to hear to travel back in time and hold my lover’s hand for the very first time. Is there some Bilawal Thaat influence in the melody?. Maybe.The Tabla flows on, and Kalika serenades me, with my heart becoming heavy and a few tears down my cheek. How have I not heard this singer before? “ Isi liye Humein Shikwa nahin, aur tere pyaar ka ehsaas”. The Keys, strings and rhythms combine so effectively, and yet they never intrude with the sanctity of the melody and the magic of the vocals. Nikhil Sebastian is the man who handles all music production and sound design, as well as mixing and mastering. Being called a fool has never sounded so peaceful and beautiful “Bewakoof ho tum. jo tumhe mohabbat ka matlab na pata”. I recall the charanam portion of  this glorious love song by Maestro Ilaiyaraja, “ Un parvaiyil” set in Raag Bihag (Bilawal Thaat).We get layers of the acoustic guitar, violin, and woodwinds in the interlude, and what transpires in the Antara feels heavenly, and credit goes to Sreekesh's composition. “Agar humse pyaar karte toh” depicts simple words of love, but the melody and Kalika’s harkatein are nothing short of heavenly. The artwork is by Solaman Joseph. @sreekesh.menon @its_kalikamathur @tbhansh @soularts_ @nikplaysbass 3. Entho Annu De

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 10th May 20261. Amma Amma DhaanSinger:  Sreekanth HariharanLyrics: Mohan Rajan Music Composed , Arranged , Programmed, and Produced by Balaji Sriram Language: TamilGenre: Light MusicMood: InspiringA couple of weeks ago, I featured a fantastic song composed by Balaji Sriram, and it soared to the top of that week’s rankings. Here he is again with another single from the same movie album, and it is exciting to feature two songs from the same album, especially when it is a newcomer in the industry. Sreekanth Hariharan is the lead vocalist, and he is accompanied by Srinivas’ acoustic guitar. Just like the amazing lyrics by Mohan Rajan, we also get a beautifully written line here that goes “ Vaanam Bhoomi jodi pottu munna vandhu ninnalume Amma Amma Dhaan”, which is a tribute to Mothers around the world.  If a country’s songs of praise and anthems are set in Raag Desh “Vande Mataram”, it makes a lot of sense to sing a song extolling mothers, which also has a dash of Desh in it. The anu pallavi is where I felt so much bliss because the melody here is soothing, “Nirappa oru Neram, nizhala oru neram”, and we have that faint Violin by Aloshin Joseph and the folkish harmonies by backing vocalists Bhavya Ganapathi and Balaji. Kudos to Balaji for his stunning arrangements here on top of all the composition and programming duties he handles so elegantly. It is the sound of the Daf here that accompanies so mildly, thanks to Ganapathi Venkata Subramanian, who plays all the live percussion. Mohan Rajan deserves a special mention for his splendid writing. Bhavya does a fine job singing in that contralto register “chinna chinna anba solla.”The song continues to mystify as we get a flute solo by Karpagaselvam, and, in my opinion, this has to be one of Sreekanth’s best vocal performances, as he absolutely kills it with all his ghamakas and emotionally apt singing. “Nam kanavugal kai kooda tavam iruppa” felt like a penance. Listen to some keyboard-based riffs and female harmonies that keep following in the background. The combined effect of the Kanjira, Cajon, Daf, and the harmonies works like the magical touch of a mother as we head to the outro. Dhakshan Gajendiran is the recording engineer, and Rupendar Venkatesh is the mixing and mastering engineer at Mix Magic Studios. @imbalajisriram @ajay.dhishan @thinkmusicofficial @swasikavj @sakthi___ @mohanraja_lyrici @sreekanthhariharan @bhavya_ganapathi @ganapathi.v.subramanian 2. VellichudareVocals: Kapil KapilanLyrics: MadrasheComposed, Produced by Dhinu Ninan ThomasLanguage: TamilGenre: Pop/Light musicMood: RomanticDhibu Ninan Thomas and Kapil Kapilan are a great team, with the former weaving some savvy melodies and the latter delivering them with such style and charm. Add to this the formidable words of Madrashe, and we get a complete package of a song that not every team can say with certainty and pride, as these people do. The guitar riffs like a rhythm guitar, and we have Kapil just making your heart feel heavy with the line “Kanne en Kannamma, Kanneer yen sollamma.” The opening pallavi now repeats, and we get a rush of sounds, like the flowy, romantic acoustic guitar and some funky basslines. Naveen Napier is the bassist, and Sandeep handles all the guitars. Maestro Ilaiyaraja always packed his strongest punch in the anupallavi (or as they say, the 3rd line of the song), and just like that, the amazing Dhibu lets your heart swell with “ Kurunagaiye podhum, kurai irundha theernthe pogum.” Madrashe makes it all worth it with that one line (oru vari) “oru variye pothum kavithaigalum thorthe pogum”. The arrangements take you on a higher orbital here with the Thavil, Kanjira, and all the percussion, thanks to  Ganapathi, Sruthiraj, and Venkat Kiran in the subsequent line, and Kapil sings with such immense passion and energy here, elevating our spirits as well in the line “Nam vaanam rendagalam kalam rendu thundagalaam, onnaga naamirunthal, thunbam yethamma”. D Balasubramani engages with his Nadaswaram solo, and this, combined with the Thavil, is pure bliss. The charanam slowly infuses more love, and the line that truly breaks me into a joy-filled psychosis is “enge enge nee pogiraay, ange ange naan kannamma” along with nice choral arrangements and heavy percussions. In the outro, when Kapil sings “Oruvariye podhum,” the guitars and bassline arrangements simply give me goosebumps. The recording engineers are Amal Mithu, Amal Raj, and Manirathnam. The tracks are mixed by Kiran Lal and mastered by Shadab Rayeen. @dhibuninanthomas @kapilkapilanmusic @madrashe @dir_ramkumar @saregamatamil @amal_mithu @gibsandeep @napier_naveen3. Walking SunlightWritten and Performed by Dhruv Visvanath, Radhika Mohite, and JK

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 3rd May 20261. KareyoleWritten and Performed by Sanjith HegdeLyrics Dhananjay RanjanMusic produced by Sanjith Hegde, Sunny MR, Gautham Hebbar, ZIALanguage: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticThe unstoppable Sanjith Hegde motors on, and his discography in the indie space sparkles a bit more with every subsequent release. I was stunned by the intro, with the heavy sounds of the double bass, a plucked violin, some keys and woodwinds all combining to create a mesmerising union of sounds. Sanjith is feeble, and his voice can just about be heard, and then when we get to the chorus, Sanjith drags you in like a magnet on nails. The song is composed by Sanjith with lyrics by Dhananjay Ranja, but these guys are killing it as a team on the music production. Sanjith, Sunny MR, Gautham Hebbar and ZIA create a force field on keys and rhythms that you just cannot get out of. The vocal improvisation and vibrato on “Naguvalle” is just the last bullet to make me drop dead. “Hridayantara…Ninagagiye Usirasara” is my favourite phrase, and this is why Sanjith is rated as good a composer as he is a singer. Rahul Muralidharan makes a foray on drums, and it is Sunil Sylvester on guitars. The woodwinds are at it without any breaks, and they play on during the Antara like a counterpoint. Sanjith goes on to explode into some high-pitch segments towards the end of the Antara, and ther maybe some influence of Raag Keeravani in the melody, if I am hearing them right. The sound design, especially with the guitars, keys, woodwinds and drums, reminds me of “Everybody” by Backstreet Boys.  A very catchy bridge section, with some jaunty rhythms, just spices things up even more. The show is alla bout Sanjith’s vocal outro and the continued seduction on woodwinds. @sanjithhegde @gauthamhebbar @sunnymr @ziamuzik @vst_rahul @sunil_sylvester2. Vari VariComposed and produced by Dhee and Santhosh NarayananLyrics: VivekVocals: DheeLanguage: TamilGenre: Pop/Folk FusionMood: NostalgicWhat do you expect when you see these name, Dhee and Santhosh Narayanan? Well, you just have to open your ears and let your hearts soar with every note rendered. Feel the Reggae styleguitars,  bassline and catchy rhythms in the intro as Aditya Ravindran, Naveen Napier and Karthik Vamsi respectively lay down the ground work for some resplendent music to come on and take over. Dhee starts to sing and it is like she is batting in the nets ( to speak in criekting terms) yet she is leaving not even an iota of soace for error. She sings it like she really is missing someone and her delivery piques interest in you as a listenere wondering who she is singing about in this line “ Un kooda nadanthen, mathathellam maranthen,  kai korthu paranthen sakkaraiye”. The way the vocal arrangements are done with Dhee’s own voice coming in as another layer in a different octave just sounds ravishing. Words like “Unna enga tholachen, unna thottida nenachen” by Vivek make us feel like Dhee is eager and longing to meet her long lost lover. The phrase where the harmonies just give me goosebumps is in “thoovana thoosa naamagi ponom”. We have all the fantastic harmonies by TICE with some phenomenal singers viz. Yazhini, Sushmita, Sivaranjini, Nayansee, Shridhar, Chirag, Manikandan, Shivsundar, Neeraj and Cyril and the choir arranger is Karthik Manickavasakam. The chrous line hits you hard with the Thavil, and other percussionsand all you can do is wear your dancing shoes and hit the floor, just like Dhee does in the music video. The keys are played by Aditya and Santhosh , and when we hear the line “Sethukko nee, enna unnoda” and I love what they do in this gap before the subsequent line follows. All the 80s sounding 808s are by 808krshna. The harmonies are actually putting you under spell and when we get to the second verse you are spell bound “en naanellam unakanathaache unnoda aasa athutaahn en mooche”.Why Dhee and Santhosh are a cut above the rest, is because of their ability to write this song melodically. It is never just one hook line in teh chorus and 1 lined- verse. Composers should take inspiration fm such artists and push themselves to write more phrases and longer verses. If you have grown up in TN or maybe parts of Jaffna in Sri Lanka, you will agree that the Thavil sound just makes the heart beat faster in joy and reminiscence. As we come to the end of the second verse and chorus we start realising if this was a plaot twist right here and it does look and feel like Dhee is not talking about another person but her own younger self. She misses that child in her and to aggrandise the impact we get the bridge section that shifts imood and tone. Nothing speaks to you about nostalgia, introspection etc like mild pathos. The melody here achieves that too with Viveks words “thenam nee siricha en manasukkula oru minnal vizhum”. Dhee and Santhosh do the right thing by never going back to the chirpy, joyous mood we heard at teh start of the song and all the gentle melancholy continues in the outro, making the listener too travel back in time to imagine their childhood. The dance is choreographed byRavi Varma, with dancers Keerthana, Mythily, Abirami and Dwija. The director of this music video is the man, Someetharan, who made this much talked about movie ‘Neelira’. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 19th April 20261. Amaran Movie: PrathichayaMusic Composed, Arranged, and Produced by : Justin VargheseSinger : Job KurianLyrics : Manu ManjithMusic Producers : Justin Varghese, Vysakh Bejoy, Joe AntonLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Orchestral BalladMood: PathosJustin Varghese is undoubtedly one of the best talents not just in South music but in the Indian music industry as well. This song is a smasher just like last year’s ‘Paka’ from “Ponman”. Justin composed, arranged, arranged and produced this with Manu Manjith on lyrics and the inimitable Job Kurian on lead vocals. The rhythms are emphatic and feel dark in the intro, with the female humming and strings in the background. Out of this darkness comes long Job Kurian’s resplendent voice as he sings “ Pakal Suryan parayaathe, irul raavil marayunno”. He sings with such poise, making you feel engrossed, and the way he delivers the phrase “theera nove ..nove” gives you an idea of the pain the protagonist is feeling.  This is a masterclass in playback singing. The horns blast away in the background, adding to the impact of the pain the lyricist is referring to. Vysakh Bejoy has arranged and produced the strings and horns.My favourite line is “Chaayanaaya tholonnllath ottaykaay, Peyyathe thaane vingum nerathaay”, and this is where I felt strains of Raag Keeravani. The interlude is haunting thanks to an operatic chorus arranged by Moses Toby, and after this brief phase, we feel a calm in our nerves with Job’s tantalising and sedate vocals. Manu Manjith writes these exceptional lyrics, “ Veyilkattil Vazhikattum Viralthumbo Piriyunnu”, as the strings continue to deepen the pathos. The arrangements and production for this song are top-notch, and as we keep listening to this gloomy yet grand number, I am also thinking if there is some influence of Raag Gowrimanohari (Patdeep in Hindustani). When I least expected it, there was a change in mood with the strings, and the melody altered from being melancholic to inspiring. The words rightly read “ Amaranayi Maaru Nee”, meaning “ Transform yourself into a prince”. The amazing horns, harmonies and strings in the background elevate the song here, and we feel like we are on top of the world. Despite such a shift, Justin makes this all feel seamless and organic. Kudos to Joe Anton and Vysakh, who have also done the music production along with Justin, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Joe. @just_in_varghese @prathichaya_movie @manumanjith_s @jobkuriank @moses__toby @yzakmusic @joeantonhere 2. BarkhaWritten, composed and performed by Gayathri RamanArranged and Produced by Sai KeshavBacking Vocals: Pavithra ViswabarathyLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical Rock fusionMood: ImmersiveThis is what a song is supposed to do: cast a spell on the listener with the very first few seconds, and this does so with the intro lead guitars. This guitar solo is wondrous, and I am transported to a bar in the west where some soft rock music is probably being performed live. The song keeps you guessing, as a flute solo by Raghava Sai follows, and we keep pondering, what form and genre will this song take? The piano flows gently along with string arrangements in the background, and could this be a genre-bending song that hits all the right notes? Gayathri Raman has written the lyrics, the melody and performed teh lead vocals on this one. The flute solo starts giving us some clues now, as the melody has strains of Raag Cahrukeshi, and maybe this will follow a nice semi-classical melodic pattern.Gayathri stuns you into silence with her vocals, which show such class and technical prowess.  The harkatein, all the vibrato, whether subtle or not, are beautifully executed by Gayathri. The flute and guitar interventions continue, and that is why teh song continues to surprise and impress without ever feeling repetitive. Sai Keshav is responsible for getting all these arrangements done, and he is the music producer here. “Rookha Sookha dil Hamra, aaja rang la Barkha” almost breaks you down with all the melancholy and poised singing. The solo lead guitar is ecstatic in the interlude, and just when you think that the song is constantly throwing great surprises, we hear this fantastic Qawwali-style female chorus, along with the Dholak. Pavithra Viswabarathy accompanies as the backing vocalist. This chorus melody definitely takes me back to that great Charukesi-based song “ Vasantha Mllai” sung by TM Soundarajan and composed by G Ramanathan. When the Antara begins , I also realise Gayahri is really testing her full vocal range as well, with “Phool Kile” being performed at this contralto type of voice. Listen to her reach for the other end of teh vocal spectrum with “Soona Soona”, and The flute solo is palying a fantastic counterpoint here in the background. The recording engineer is Mrunal, and Sai is the mixing and mastering engineer. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 12th April 20261. KoodapirannorMusic Composed and Produced: Parvatish PradeepSinger: Sooraj SanthoshSolo Child Vocal: Nila RajLyrics: BK HarinarayananLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light Music/ BalaldMood: PathosWhen I heard the album of Vaazha 2, this was the song I was so eagerly waiting for. Having known and featured Parvatish Pradeep since 2023, it was expected that this guy would move you with his melody and arrangements. The intro Sitar by Paulson KJ, straight away reminded me of another outstanding song, “Aaradhike” by Vishnu Vijay. In that case, it was the Mohan Veena. Incidentally, both these songs have been sung by the magical Sooraj Santhosh, and the moment he begins performing the verse, the body, mind, and soul become numb, and all sense of time and space is lost. “vekame varu vaathilil, jeevane thodum ormagal" This part feels so powerful when we hear it, as the blood starts rushing and tears start rolling down. Goosebumps are guaranteed as Parvatish adds layers of guitars and harmonies in the background to amplify the effect. Sandeep Mohan plays guitar and is also the bassist, and Parvatish joins as the backing vocalist. This is the part that reminded me of Elton John’s ‘Sacrifice’. Parvatish is special because he writes these melodic phrases that touch your heart; such is the quality of these chord progressions. The charanam has this line: “snehamam mariyil nananju pokave, chiriyai kaliyai mozhiyai thazhuki nee mellave”, and I am speechless when I hear its intricate beauty. Parvatish’s greatest asset is that he keeps the music lover on tenterhooks, and one can never predict what amazing surprise he will throw at us. “ Aayiram Kinavukalaay” is  proof of that. Sravan Krishnakumar ups the ante of the pathos with his string quartet. Nila Raj comes on and delivers this tender line with her cute voice. What follows is a beautiful line delivered by the children's chorus and Prvatish, along with brisk guitars. This feels like the flood walls are coming down. Medha Ganesh, Shrita Ganesh, Nila Raj, Chinmayi Kiran and Vasudev are the children's chorus, and believe me, you will think of all the greatest moments of your siblings (Koodapirannor) as Subin Jerson plays the soothing flute solo and we get some heavy keys on board. Abin Paul does the mixing and mastering, and the recording engineers are Rohan Harish, Arjun B Nair, Amal Raj and Abhinav M K. The brilliantly touching lyrics are written by BK Harinarayanan. @parvatish @harinarayanan.b.k @soorajsanthosh @menonankit @vipindashb @savin_sa_ @sai_prabhaa @gibsandeep @srava.krishnakumar @subinjerson @mixwithabin @paulsonsitar @soni_island_studio @nair_b_arjun @rohanharish.flac 2. Gira GiraMusic Composer - Vasuki VaibhavLyrics, Vocals - Vasuki VaibhavMusic Produced and Vocal Arranged by - Soorya Language: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticVasuki Vaibhav is probably the very first composer I featured on my website for some fantastic music in a Sandalwood movie album. The song was called “Innunu Bekagide” from ‘Mundina Nildana’. Here is this guy now with a solid indie song, and I couldn't feel happier. Ritwik Bhattacharya makes a head start with the intro guitars, and soon enough, this delightful voice comes in and pulls us off our feet. Vasuki has penned the lyrics, composed the melody, and delivered the lead vocals. My Kannada isn't great, but I can make out what he's singing, appreciative of this damsel in front of his eyes, comparing the sight to a grand illusion.  This line is melodically captivating too, “Kannedhure nee haage minchi maaya vadhante” and the way he adds the slight vibrato on the first word brings immense fondness. The subsequent lines get quite catchy with the upbeat rhythms being introduced along with nicely arranged harmonies as well. Sunidhi Ganesh and Vasuki are on backing vocals, and the song is produced with vocal arrangement credits going to Soorya; take a bow, brother. The song’s melody winds into so many trajectories and the mood keeps changing from longing and mesmerism to energetic dance modes. Take, for instance, the way the energy shifts into higher gears in the chorus line “ Nee Thaane Karana Thala Gira Gira”. This is where the additional keys and synths make it a magical listening experience. Jeevan Joy, Nilotpal T, and Hriday Goswami handle all the additional programming, while Akshay Krishna is on the additional synths. The melodica in the interlude by Praveen D Rao builds on all the romanticism and tenderness of love. The melody in the charanam keeps giving more for the music lover, and the chord progression towards the end of the stanza is another segment where the song truly elevates itself, with credit to the composer and producer. The song instantly offers greatification and makes you want to hum all along when you hear these lines “usurina baashige vivarane yethake manasina lokake”. The tracks are mixed by Gokul Abhishek at Budbudke Studio, with mixing/mastering engineer Vivek Thomas at the helm. The recording engineers are Manjunath Naidu and Suvin Gowda. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 5th April 20261. Kaattu ThottapoolMusic Composed and Arranged by: Sushin ShyamSingers: iSai, Kapil KapilanLyrics: Anwar AliSong Co-Arranged by: AllanfromtheothersideAdditional Music Production: Nivin RaphaelLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Alt-PopMood: ImmersiveIf he comes out of his den, he's gonna make a kill and not just feed his own hunger, but everybody who has been eagerly starving. Yep, that is Sushin Shyam for you, and his murderous spree is the music he makes. This single is from the upcoming movie Patriot, and I don’t wanna bet on anything else except for the music, and this single sets those expectations high. The mesmerising piano in the intro eases your heart rate, and Sushin knows when to amp up the excitement. The song is composed and arranged by Sushin, with Allanfromtheotherside being the other arranger, and his usual aide, Nivin Raphael, does all the additional music production. Kapil Kapilan will drag you in with his vocals, and he will make you stay there till the end purely with the power of his voice. The harmonies kick in pretty soon, and they elevate and magnify the melody even more. She has your heart when she makes a foray with “Hridhayame”, this gifted singer iSai. The interlude that follows her lines is hauntingly beautiful, with the Cellos and the choir performing the humming. Rithu Vysakh performs the one-man string quartet like a one-man army, and the Choir is performed by the prolific The Indian Choral Ensemble. This extended interlude with rising pitch and intensity is just a brief phase with more of the pallavi and anupallavi being performed again. I love the sound of these catchy rhythms, and the choir performers soar even higher this time. We have Kalyani Nair, Aparna Harikumar as the Sopranos, Sushmita Narasimhan, Sivaranjini Chandramouli as Altos, Shibi Srinivasan, Shridhar Ramesh performing as Tenors, and Shyam Krishna, Neeraj M. Selva as Bass singers. TICE is directed by Kalyani Nair and Karthik Manickavasakam, with Kalyani prepping the Choir scores. “Paravai njan chirakukal aai maaridam, thoora thoorangal thaanda” is one of my favourite lines in the song. The charanam feels like a bridge section, almost pushing the envelope higher and being an effectively moving section of the song. Naveen Napier is the bassist, and Manonmani plays the sarangi. This song is more about the vocals,  instrumental and choral arrangements than anything else. Biju James and Amal Mithu are the recording engineers. The song is mixed by Abin Paul and mastered by Donal Wheelan. @sushintdt @patriot.movie @sai_prabhaa @kapilkapilanmusic @anvarali @allanfromtheotherside @nivin_raphael @rithuvysakh @kalyaninair86 @napier_naveen @manonmanisarangi @karthikmanickavasakam @theindianchoralensemble @sushmita_narasimhan @sivaranjinichandramouli @shibisrinivasan @shridhar_ramesh @shyam_krish @neeraj_msg2. AahanaWritten and performed by Rajat HegdeMusic Produced by Narayan SharmaLanguage: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticThe moment I heard this song, I was flying high with “Saptasagara Dache ELlo” Side A title track running on my mind. The electronic pop genre was one reason, the fine keys, synths and exuberant drums too were in that zone. I love the way the intro humming by Rajat leads us higher with our feet definitely above teh ground. Narayan Sharma makes a terrific case with those fabulous rhythms and I feel like I am listening to a piece of ‘One More Night’ by Phil Collins. These references and comparisons are a sign of respect and appreciation for the quality of music and sounds I am hearing here. There is a casual, cool vibe in his singing style, and it works; adding a layer of harmonies makes the song sound dreamier. Teh chorus segment is where all hell breaks loose, and the blood flow to the brain is intense; only good music can do that. “Neene Aakasha Neena Aahana”, with the way he improvises on “Aakasha” and “Aahana”, shows Rajat’s abilities and creative vision. The interlude is some funky Keyboard-led melody, and the impact is psychedelic. The charanam is where we come back to the ground, and Rajat gives off some very classical-styled vibes here, and the notes probably represent fragments of Raag Abheri. The melody here is soothing, and Narayan plays it wisely to be distant and minimal in production. But whenever he rains, he pours with those stunning keys and synth interventions. It feels like witnessing a firecracker show, especially towards the outro, as Rajat kingers in the high-pitched space. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aniket Mohanty. @raja.hegde @roshni.prakash @narayan_sharma227 @awwwwwwwwwniket @anushalimakeup @audiokraftstu

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 29th March 20261.Elelam KiliComposed by Sithara’s PROJECT MALABARICUS Vocals: Sithara KrishnakumarAdditional Vocals: Gana VimalaLyrics: Ahamed ShyamLanguage: TamilGenre: Folk FusionMood: EnergeticShe's one of my favourite singers, and when Sithara Krishnakumar isn't involved in a movie album, she’s raising the stakes and delivering some earthshaking performances for her Project Malabaricus. Being a Tamil, many times I find myself jealous of Keralam and its music, and its overall place as a model state, but I also have to thank that they are our neighbours and we can learn faster from them. It gives me a wide smile when Malayali artists write and perform for teh Tanmil audience just like this one here. O.K. Gopi invites you with his Nadaswaram solo, just like how one gets to feel the power of this wind instrument at a wedding hall in the south, just when you set foot inside. Liboy Parisly and Vijo Job give the rhythm guitar support, and soon enough, Sithara sings these amazing tongue-twisting words penned by the talented Ahamed Shyam. The energy doesn't sap for one second thanks to the percussion by Sunilkumar PK. Ajay Krishnan’s basslines and lead guitar interventions, along with Midhun Paul’s drums, elevate the intensity and western Alt-Pop influences to a great degree in this folk-fusion single. My favourite lines are when Sithara sings “Yettram thaazvu ingu vahvenbathe, maatram kondada, nootril ondraaga”, especially as she adds such love and warmth here. Subsequently, when the words are more charged up, Sithara too rides a wave with fire and dagger with “ooraar paarvai uruthum mirattum”. Dance away when we hit the chorus segment of this infectious song. Is there some Abheri ragam in the melody? Maybe. The interlude with the Nadaswaram, guitars, bass, keys and percussion is pure bliss to the music lover. Srinath Nair is the keyboardist, and the chorus singers are  Kaanjana Sriram and Sadhika KR. Can you hear those stirring strings in the background? That is Rithu Vysakh casting his spell on Violins and Viola. I love how the lead guitar comes on and plays like a whiff of the Late U Srinivas on the Mandolin. “Thonzhntha pothum munneru neeye un ulae aalu neeye”, Sithara sings in the charanam, with the drums, keys, and bass guitar in sync, and with every note she whips up more and more magic, such is her ability to express vocally. How does she sing this impossible-sounding phrase, “ maarum theermanam un kaiyile, neeyum neeyaga vazhum theermanam un kaiyile” with such fine vibrato? Gana Vimala joins as the additional vocalist towards the end, accompanied by those heavy folk percussions, singing “kannu” in the bridge section. Arjun B. Nair is the mixing engineer, with Balu Thankachan handling the mastering. The sound engineers on board are Arjun B Nair, Ashwin Kumar, Sankeerth Shaji and Vivek Thomas.@sitharakrishnakumar @rithuvysakh @liboypraisly @midhun.paul @srinath_nair_ @sadhikakr @sunilkumar.p.k @gana.vimala48 @projectmalabaricus @thebaluthankaxhan @vijojob @kaanjana_sriram @the_isolated_alien2.AvastaWritten and performed by 24 Karen Gold Vocalist - Jyotisha Santosh PillaiMusic Production - George Thomas Mathew & Jyotisha Santosh PillaiLanguage: MalayalamGenre: PopMood: EnergeticThis feels like 24 Karat Gold, and to have a song like this on debut makes me believe in this glitter. I love the bass guitar that sets the tone straight up with Athena Roy as the bassist in charge. Jyotisha Santosh Pillai is not here to mince words, and she gets to the point with impeccable clarity in “Premam Paranayam, what the fuck, yuck? That's what he said after we fucked”. Within just 10 seconds, you are impressed, and you start understanding that 24 Karen Gold is here to make some serious music. The ability of a vocalist comes to be known when they can change gears, shift tracks and make your heart race and also calm the nerves in a matter of seconds with their style of delivery. If the opening lines of the verse let you think that Jyotisha is a dominant force, her subsequent lines,” Why, do you not want me baby, am I not good enough?”, make you ponder if she is soft, tender and desperate. Now that is raw talent, according to me. Dennit Shibu Jacob is on the drums, and George Thomas Mathew is the guitarist who alternates between the rhythm guitar and that smooth and silky solo on the lead guitar in the interlude. Kudos to Jyotisha and George, who take on music production responsibilities and effectively create the perfect soundscape and keep manipulating the arrangements to perfectly be in sync with the lyrics and the messaging. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 22nd March 20261. ShambhoVocal, Composition & Lyrics: Vishal MishraMusic Production: Ishan Das, Kandarpa KalitaMusic Assistants: Kumar Gaurav Singh, Trihangku Lahkar, Bitupon Boruah, Kandarpa KalitaLanguage: HindiGenre: Folk-RockMood: EnergeticThis 16-track album by Vishal Mishra, called " Pagalpan, " deserves your time and attention, and I loved 5-6 songs at least, already having featured one song on my weeklies as well.  This is another stunner from the album, and within seconds, as the slide guitar, lead guitar and bass start. Ishan Das and Kandarpa Kailta are the guitarists, and Rahul Putai is the bassist. The terrific drums by Nawaz Hussain, accompanying this, give us some flavours of folkish-rock, something we would hear in country/rock music in the US. The arrangements and music production are by Ishan Das and Kandarpa, and this reminds me of “Dil Se” by AR Rahman. We have always heard a devotional song performed in a certain semi-classical way in India, and that is why this song in praise of Lord Shiva works brilliantly and kudos to Vishal for his creative vision. This feels exhilarating when Vishal sings the line “Ham toh tere saath hai, tere saaith Bhole Nath oh Bhole Nath Shambho”. Vishal writes the lyrics, the melody and gives us one heavy dose of adrenaline with his singing. The backing vocalists are Kumar Gaurav Singh, Kandarpa Kalita, Kaushal Kishore, and Trihangku Lahkar. The melody, especially in the Antara, has mild hints of the Raag of Bhimplasi, “ paaye tujhe toh udne lage hai”. I love the way Vishal has written this melody and encapsulated some terrific arrangements to go along with. There are moments I loved this track so much that I started feeling a resemblance to the impact U2 had with their “ Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”. Listen to the bridge section that feels like a bridge for me to walk towards Kailash “ Mere Kadam Teri taraf Kailash ko badhle lage, shiv mantar hai, shiv anth hai” is all testament to his free-spirited songwriting. The recording engineer is Trihangku, Abhishek Ghatak on mixing, and Dave Kutch on mastering. @vishalmishraofficial @theghatak @kumargauravsing @kandarpakalita @nruti_s @trihangkulahkar @ishandas_666 @tseries.official 2. Ulavum DhegamSinger: Pradeep KumarComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Aditya Ravindran.Lyrics: Sabarivasan ShanmugamLanguage: TamilGenre: PopThis was one of the best debut movie albums in recent times, as Aditya Ravindran makes it music-lover friendly with this Telugu feature called “Couple Friendly”. This song, like a few more, is terrific in many aspects, including playback performances, music production, and melody-writing. I am writing about the Tamil version so that I can better appreciate the lyrics. The song begins, and it immediately reminds me of Govind Vasantha’s album ‘96’, thanks to Pradeep’s voice, the song’s sound design, at least in the intro. Things deviate into another surreal soundscape with the title line “Ulavum Dhegham”. The highlights are definitely the lead guitar riffs and the basslines by Aditya, adding some suave textures. The interlude with those distorted vocals just after Pradeep's intense line “ Anal mel pogum ula” is reminiscent of the style of Santhosh Narayan, Aditya being his protege. Pradeep ensures your focus is stuck on his delivery, and everything else around is a blur, such is the power in his voice, as he sings “Kelvi Koondin or paravai , thadagam thaandi pogaatho siraiya”with all his fantastic vibrato, which is enough to prove why he is one of India's best. Aditya shines in writing these melodious phrases in the charanam, a skill most composers have started losing today, to prove once again that ‘Melody Is king’.  Pay attention to the strings in the background performed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and orchestrated by Karthik Manickavasagam. Aditya has composed the melody and also handled all the wise arrangements and programming bits, his class and purpose showing in keeping the charanam portion production-lite. The levitation of the mind happens with the high-pitched line “ aaz manathin kanaa, idhu yaar ezhuthum vinaa”, kudos to Sabarivasan Shanmugam for the beautiful words. The genius move is when Aditya decides to up the ante at the end of the charanam, and now the song’s opening lines hit you hard with the Alt-rock flavours, on drums, played by Bishwanth YR, and lead guitars. This moment and to me felt like the magic of “Fix You” by Coldplay, as Chris Martin runs and joins his band on stage after that lead guitar riff, singing” Tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace”. Well done, Aditya Ravindran and the whole team, because this song and album do fix you good. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Nitin Muralikrishna at Voyager Soundlab. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 8th March 20261. Yeh Dil Mujkho DedeVocals: King and Sunidhi ChauhanLyrics: KingComposed and Produced by Mir DesaiLanguage: HindiGenre: Reggae-PopMood: DanceThis new album, called “Raja Hindustani” a nice title considering it releates perfectly to the main artist King. The rising intensity of the brass section in the background is absolutely stunning, and when I heard this, I knew that the composition and production had to be by someone really special and talented. Yes, I was right. Mir Desai has composed this catchy, affable melody, and the production with heavy brass section elements is mesmerisingly good. I love the line “chaahe chota hai thoda, koi baat nahi” as a melodic phrase, and King renders it in his cool/casual style. When we hit the chorus line, it is a carnival mood out there with some Reggae-Pop styles flowing through and the writing, melody and arrangements all fall in place to give us absolute delight. ID Rao and Robin Fargose are the brass section players who are killing this with their skill and will. “bas yeh di mujhko tu de de, badle mein jo bhi le le, mera poora dhyan rakhoonga” is all just fantastic writing, and the rhythms, guitars and bass are electrifying in their impact. King finishes his lines and enters the Queen, Sundihi Chauhan, in her Altos singing. Her performance is stylish, dreamy, and raises the sexual tension. “main baaki saare ghum rakh loon piya, hone na doongi tujhko dukhi” feels uplifting, like how a girl says yes to your proposal. Kudos to Mir for writing these fantastic melodic phrases and making them addictive with the arrangements. It is a total celebration when she sings “tu toh pura dhyan rakehga” with the brass and rhythms in hyper mode, and this is the kind of touching writing that we need in a world filled with sexist and demeaning lyrics. Both King and Sunidhi improvised with their vocals and jazz-style scat-singing, which leaves us wanting more. @ifeelking @sunidhichauhan5 @trumpetrobin @idrao_official @rhsharma504 @studio5o4 @mixedbyhanish 2. Kadi Aavi VeProducer, Vocalist, Composer: Sambhav BaxiLyrics: KawanLanguage: Traditional PunjabiGenre: Semi-classical Pop fusionMood: UpliftingThis is not my first time getting impressed by and featuring this fine artist, Sambhav Baxi. The Keys, guitars create a very soothing soundscape, and when you are waiting to hear the opening line, Sambhav nails it with his tone, and the semi-classical melody that comes and touches your skin like a cool breeze. Is there some Raag Bihag in the melody? Maybe, but whatever the technicality of it, the melody glows and starts to grow on you. Samhav has composed the melody and also handles all the arrangements and music production. The song has a beautiful soft rock flavour, with the impending bass guitars and drums. The heart melts when he sings “Raanjhana Na Jaave chadke”. Aditya Sarkar plays the guitars. The slow tempo with all the harkatein on the “Kadi Aavi Ve” is nothing short of tranquillity, and Sambhav is just not acing it on the vocals, but every element of sound added speaks volumes, like the finger-clicks on the rhythm, and the Piano in the interlude with a lead guitar solo as a counternote. The song makes you completely surrender to the purity and creativity of this musician, and the emplyed strings section gives a sense of pathos and poise, making us feel deeply connected to the music and lyrics. The outro is climactic and elevates our spirits with the heavy use of strings and rhythms. The touching words are penned by Kawan. Jonty Indra is the recording engineer, with Abhishek Sortey on mixing and Donal Wheelan on mastering. @sambhavbaxi @kawan__.__ 3. MijajLyrics & Composition - Traditional, Harshvardhan Rajpurohit, Aviral SinghMusic - Harsh AviralVocals - Muntaj Khan, Harshvardhan Rajpurohit, Aviral Singh, Diya RajpurohitBacking Vocals - Nandini Agarawal

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 1st March 20261. Seelay SeelayMusic Composed, Arranged and Produced by Sean RoldanSingers: Sean Roldan, Chinmayi SripadaLyrics: Uma DeviLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanceSean Roldan is like The Godfather Trilogy or The Dark Knight Trilogy, where the rules of sequels don't apply and each new movie is as good as, if not better than, the prior. Sean is incredibly consistent with his fantastic music composition, and his streak just extends and keeps one-upping the prior. After having loved his 2026 albums “My Lord” and “With Love”, here comes the first single from his next project ‘29’, and this is the definition of “terrific music”. Rithu Vysakh makes you numb with the strings (violins in the intro), and what can you tell about Sean’s voice? Truly, as the words go “nanjam polambuthe”, and the effect on the Piano along with the pallavi, is heartening to hear.The song is composed, arranged and produced by Sean Roldan with lyrics by Uma Devi and the lead vocals helmed by Chinmayi Sripada and Sean. The more he sings, we do feel the heart becoming heavy and as Uma Devi rightly points out, “Kangal Kalangudhe”. The chorus segment is the moment when I felt like I had entered the threshold of paradise. The keys and rhythms are like the stairway to heaven, and the interlude with Ashish Venkateshwaran on the flute and Rithu on strings helps the song move forward like a bridge to the charanam. Chinmayi, who is generally irreplaceable when it comes to Ballads and Pathos, mesmerises with her first note singing “kannadi munne naanum naana illai”. When I hear the next line of the charanam “nee vandhai en nenjathin siragaga”, I feel glimpses of Shankarabharanam Ragam. The ending part of the charanam that goes “Vaan pirai kooda Oru naalil vizhi moodi Ilaipaarum nam kaadhal Olitheerummaaaa” is incredibly written by Sean, with the chord progression being immensely satisfying to the music lover. How many songs do we hear in movies these days with 1-minute-long verses (charanams) that are comprised of 3-4 long, unique phrases? Don’t bother answering that! The chorus line “Seelay Seelay” reminds me of that old song “Kalvi a Selvam a Veeram a”. The song is not just a charmer for its melody, but the programming, production , and sound design are emphatic too. The second interlude with the flute and Chinmayi’s humming is another segment where I was wondering if there was any Raag Bihag involved here. The charanam that follows here too has shades of the Raagam taking me back to “Un Parvaiyil Orayiram by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Sean Roldan goes one up on himself again, giving a second stanza that is fresh and completely different from the first atleast for the first phrase, or in western songwriting, you could call it a bridge section. “Suzhalum soora ulagail Kavalaigal maranthu” is the phrase I am talking about here, as it is entirely different from “Kannaadi munne naanum naana illai” we heard in the first stanza. I request you to stop reading now and just keep listening to this blissful music on repeat. Hariharan at 20db Sound Studios and Sabari Bharathi Krishna at Roldan Records, Vishnu M at Mystics Room, and Aswin George John at Sounds Right are the recording engineers. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aswin George John at Sounds Right. 2. AlvidaComposed, Produced & Written By: Raghav & Arjun Performed by: Anubha Kaul, Kamakshi Khanna and Raghav & Arjun Language: HindiGenre: R&BMood: Groovy“Tera Mera hai rishta jo bhi” sings this outstanding vocalist Anubha Kaul, who is known to cause severe heartbreak to avid listeners. The song is composed and written by a duo I immensely respect , Raghav & Arjun, who are like Karan-Arjun, hitting excellence every single time with their creative projects. The piano comes and sends mild shivers, for the earth has still not begun to shake. The music production is also handled by Raghav & Arjun, who skillfully assess and employ the right tools in sound design. I feel a trembling emotional air surrounding me, and the pathos is produced by the way Anubha executes this vulnerable tone with a touch of despair in her voice. The Piano notes begin to flourish and embellish the interlude, and the choral arrangements elevate this phase. Veljon Noronha plays the guitar from this moment on, as the second verse is all about Kamakshi Khanna’s controlled flamboyance. The string section arrangements and rhythms, along with some stunning bass and Piano interventions, make this an elevating experience. But the master stroke for me was when we heard a female humming, sending our emotions to a sky-high orbit. Kamakshi stuns you with the line “deewaron par kahin naam sajaun saath tere”, also full marks to the melodic beauty of the phrase. Kudos to the composers for writing the bridge section that progresses into a zone of unpredictable notes and touches. That is why Raghav & Arjun rock because they can think and write music that moves and surprises. “ Woh Saare khwaab jo phir pure agar na huey”, is the line I am talking about.  I don't think any wise individual can say ‘alvida’ to ladies who sing like this. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane at Bombay Live Studios, with Praneeth Kumar assisting. Kudos to the entire team comprising Shivi Arora, Karan Vaid & Annie Bafna, Akshay Nair, directing the video, and Aditya Verma on editing. @raghavandarjun @anubhaaaa @kamakshikhannamusic @neo.nair @veljon6noronha @prathmeshdudhane @firstwav @anniebafna @helloshivi 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 22nd February 20261. Vaada HaiComposer - Vishal BhardwajLyrics - GulzarSinger - Ananya WadkarMusic Arranger & Producer - Meghdeep BoseMusic Assistant - Anant BhardwajLanguage: HindiGenre: Light Music/PopMood: soothingI was in a car as it came around the hills of Uttarakhand as we left from Bhimtal, and no sane person will close their eyes when such a heavevnly beauty beckons in front of their eyes. Yet I did it because I was listening to the album by Vishal Bhardwaj called ‘O Romeo, ' which I rated highly on my IG page. Incidentally, the brightest spot in that was Ananya Wadkar serenading me with her voice in this gentle song that substantially touched me emotionally. The last time I heard her was on her indie project, which I featured, but this one feels like a song that she deserved. Vishal ji, take a bow for showing your commitment to creating such striking melodies. The words belong to another legendary genius called Gulzar, and a native Hindi speaker might appreciate the lyrics even better than my review here. Meghdeep Bose is not just tantalising our spirit with his live guitars and bass; he is also the man behind the spectacular arrangements and music production. I feel the love immensely when Ananya teases with “ohh tere liye jeena apna iraada hai”. The string section slowly starts to feed in even more serenity, and the killer punch becomes the harmonies by backing vocalists “Rajiv Sundaresan and Shazneen Arethna” singing “ Vaada Hai Humdum, Vaada Hai Vaada Hai”. The interlude brings in the accordion and rhythms, and this is where I felt a touch of resemblance to A R Rahman’s “Ae Hairathe”, from the album ’ Guru ’. When the antara begins, the melody just starts sounding even sweeter, and Ananya is in peak form, giving a touch of playfulness with “tujhe andheron mein jhoom lenge”. The harmonies are constant, and when we sing the subsequent line “tera saaaya pakadke chalenge” the heart grows fonder thanks to the mild Bansuri and the Keys that accompany. When you listen to a song like this, it creates a dilemma between feeling joy that such talents still create splendour and sadness because the industry standards are low and compromised. Listen to what Meghdeep achieves with his arrangements and sound design after she delivers the line “jab koi bhi na hoga gali mein, main pukaroongi khidikiyon se”, with the chords, magic!. The tracks are mixed by SoundsLikeTintin, mastered by Christian Wright. 2. Kya Bataun TujheVocal, Composition & Lyrics: Vishal MishraMusic Production: Vishal Mishra, Vaibhav PaniLanguage: HindiGenre: Alt-PopMood: PathosI am looking forward to this album of 16 songs by Vishal Mishra, but the very firsts ong I heard already makes the cut for me, and here is my review of the song. Kandarpa Kalita makes us all sway away in delight with his Nylon guitar intro, taking us back to the solo interlude in “Hotel California” by the Eagles. Vishal Mishra goes for Pathos in his songs, and it works better than any other mood, thanks to his ability to write the lyrics as well as the melody that carries this melancholy and finally, when he sings with that achingly beautiful voice, the package is complete. I love the phrase when he sings “ pyaar karne tujhe phir se lenge janam” because he brings a few modifications right at the end with notes that differ from the earlier line “chahne ko tujhe waqt kam hai mila”. All hell breaks loose when you least expect and this is possible because Vishal has this wide vocal range, and he goes from 0-100 in 5 seconds, as we hear “kahoonga toh chalne lagenge sabhi, jo kehte hai chahat hai unka dharam”. The accmpanying strings arrangements is ncessary to give us a very impactful sound that adds to the grief. Vishal plays the Keys, synths, bass and rhythms and the music production is handled by the talented Vaibhav Pani and Vishal. I love the unexpected pause in all the background sound when he delivers the phrase “mohabbat se kam”, giving us a jolt and making us pay even deeper attention to his misery. We get some heavy-duty Alt-pop here with Kandarpa’s electric guitar solo, along with some synths as well. The dude just did some face-melting stuff on the lead guitar at the end of teh interlude, making things quite exciting. The music assistants are Kumar Gaurav Singh, Trihangku Lahkar, Bitupon Boruah and Kandarpa Kalita. The song ends on a powerful note thanks to the exhilarating arrangements and production. The tracks are mixed by Arnau Figueres (Spain) and mastered by Dave Kutch – The Mastering Palace (USA). Trihangku Lahkar is the recording engineer. @vishalmishraofficial @vaibhavpani @kandarpakalita @b2pon_ @kumargauravsing @trihangkulahkar @arnaufigueres_ @tseries.official @nruti_s 3. Doob Jaane De

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 8th February 20261. Baanancha DaatiComposer/Singer/Music Producer - Narayan SharmaLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light Music/Pop/ Semi-classicalMood: Calming/RomanceI trust Narayan Sharma to deliver something that always speaks directly to the heart, not through letters but through notes. That is why my inability to fully understand Kannada is not a problem at all. His melody, the poetic and poised arrangements, with a galaxy of celebrated instrumentalists, all come together, and in 4 minutes approximately, even a disturbed and dejected heart is given a spark of joy, the joy of living and feeling the intricacies of music. I commend this man as Narayan composes the melody, produces the music and sings the lines written by the talented Sumedh K. Advait Pattanaik, who teases you with the guitar intro as he plays the acoustic and nylon guitar.You get a folkish flavour, rustic an drooted thanks to the one-man show on strings from the inimitable Rithu Vysakh. His range extends from the cello, giving that soothing texture, but he also plays teh Viola and Violin solos to strike you with their incisive pathos. The sound of Narayan singing ‘Baanancha Daati’ feels like the fresh smell of coffee to me, invigorating. The phrase means “beyond the horizon”, and it does make me travel to a fairy land far away. The instruments are present, distant, and they slowly start rising in intensity. Is there some fragmented piece of Bihag Ragam, because I am taken to Maestro’s “Un Parvaiyil Orayiram”, and there is also a devotional song from Thiruppavai in Tamil called “Oruthi Maganai Pirandhu” and maybe that is why I sense this Ragam’s influence. Santosh Jayaram makes you gasp for breath with that Veena solo in the interlude, and when that combines with the sizzling bassline by Naveen Napier, you already feel like seeing the best of both worlds. The charanam continues to grow fonder in your hearts, and this is where Narayan showcases his vocal range as well as his abilities as the string arranger. I love how the notes end up giving me a surprise “Karmodada usire”, after the way the phrase “pade pade hosa dani” starts. This is what I look for and get intrigued by, because Narayan doesn't settle for the mundane and expected, and with the phrase ”ade ade hale dhani”, that circle of merriment is complete. It is like Rithu’s strings are pulling the melody together and conjoining the various phrases. When you watch the amazing video along with the song, anyone will fall in love with love itself. He uses the anupallavi to land back on the main verse at the end of the charanam. The video is directed by Sucheth Ramprasad with Karthik Kamath and Pranam SK as DOPs. The recording engineer is Vishnuraj MR at 2bQ Studios. The mixing and mastering is done by Aniket Mohanty at Audiokraft Studios, Bangalore.@narayan_sharma227 @advaitpattanaik @santoshjram @rithuvysakh @awwwwwwwwwniket @sreesang_mpse @hypocr8 @audiokraftstudio @vishnuraj.m.r @sumedhk119 @karthiikk.k @ms._.shree @beyondhues.co 2. Yaad Sajan Ki AayeMusic: Shekhar Ravjiani Lyrics: Anvita DuttSinger : Rohit RautProduced by Abhijit Nalani Language: HindiGenre: Semi-classical/ PopMood: CalmingShekhar Ravijani’s journey in the indie space is something of an inspiration, not just because of the quality of work that gets produced, but also the frequency and the fact that Vishal-Shekhar were one of the most original and pathbreaking in Bollywood as well. This is at least the 10th single by Shekhar that I have featured in the last couple of years, maybe, and I must confess that this one here is probably the most profound yet. I listened to teh song wearing my headphones, performing a very laborious and mundane chore at home, but the song completely turned my mood around, giving me a new lease of energy and life to my spirits. So before I start writing anything else, I must say thank you to Shekhar and this super team. I remember Rohit Raut because his song Naar was, in my opinion, one of the best in NEXA S3, and I rated it pretty high, expecting him to be one of the winners chosen by AR Rahman. I am very glad that Shekhar has presented this opportunity to the talented musician, and it looks like Rohit has already paid back with his top-notch singing. A stroke of style with Rhythm Shaw’s lead guitar lifts the curtain up, and when Rohit starts singing, you will feel a rush of blood to the head and a few goosebumps all over your arms, because he loads up the lines with such juicy vibrato and improvisations. A point in example is “Kisse kahein tere bin na hain”, and then the chorus line drops with the ever bankable Gino Banks on drums. The chorus segment takes me back to Pritam’s “Aaoge Jab Tum” from ‘Jab We Met’, while the verse has some similarities with the ‘Taare Zameen Par’ title track composed and performed by Shankar Mahadevan. The most striking arrangements follow as Rohit embeliishes the “ Yaad Sajan Ki Aaye” line with such beautiful harkatein, thanks to Sheldon D’Souza on bass, Rhythm on guitars and Sanjeev Sen on the Tabla. Teh mild string arrangements are as stunning as the sight of string pearls with Abhijit Nalani handling all the music production. Anvitta Dutta gets into your mind with these tender words. How does one focus , if not he/she were a multitasker because the interlude offers so much on a lead guitar phrase and some slick basslines and rhythms arranged by Raju Sardar. This segment may be some strains of Raag Maand. When teh Antara begins, and the notes start heading up higher in the register, “De Dhoongi usko, tooti si duaayen”, Rohit does sound like Arijit Singh , especially when you hear the phras e” dukh hua meri chaar guna”. The recording engineer is Dileep Nair, and Abhishek Khandelwal does the mixing and mastering. This video is directed by Shruti Merchant, with Diptesh Das on VFX & Edit, and Aniket Mishra on the visualiser. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 1st February 20261. Yetho YethoMusic composed, arranged, and produced by AR Rahman.Lyrics:  Pa VijayVocals : Amina Rafiq and Shridhar RameshLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanceOne touch of a live instrument and the sound of that could invoke so many fantastic emotions, and here, when I heard the Santoor by Sathyendra Singh Solanki, that was 5 seconds of proof that AR Rahman has still some semblance of magic left in his head. How else could he have stayed at the top of the game in a very competitive and demanding space for more than 3 decades? Looking at all his accolades, fame, and achievements, it might not be surprising that he came up with a delicious track like this in the new album “Gandhi Talks”. But for someone like me who has seen the quality of work decline, especially in the last few years, this comes off as a stroke of promise and hope. I pray that AR Rahman stays away from mass cinema and big banner production houses, which are only keen to use his name and not allow the legend to write music with his heart. This movie is a silent film, and has the song released in 5 languages with a total of 10 different playback singers. I am choosing Tamil as that is my mother tongue, and I can feel the words and energy through my bloodstream. As the Santoor ends, we get a classical phrase on the Piano, and a solo violin intervention by Vignesh that reaches for the stars. A pause ensues, and the song’s impeccable quality oozes out with Amina Rafiq’s hauntingly romantic voice. I also need to tell you that her tone sounded the most unique of the 5 female lead singers. Is there some Raag Bihag in the melody because my mind goes to AR Rahman’s masterpiece called “Malargal Ketten”? The guitar notes are like blows to my heart as they keep coming whenever Amina pauses, “Yetho Yetho Ulle Arumbugindradhe.”The song’s brilliance lies in a few things, like minimal production, great lyrics, etc., at the top of that list being the melody, which throws enough surprises and googlies at you. When I kept listening and practising the lines, I knew the song’s anupallavi would kind of separate the pros from the amateurs thanks to the tough notes that follow “Neenda dhooram Nizhal Thedum Paravai”. I felt like I, too, was searching for the exact notes, unable to hit them exactly, just like the bird searching for some shade to rest. AR Rahman subsequently ups the ante with another tougher phrase, “Iman Oram Meendum Ilai Para Vendum”, and then he proudly smiles with a brilliant landing line “, Enna solla manadhin Mozhi Neeyo”. As this line comes to a halt, the flute keeps playing, reminding me of Maestro Ilaiyaraja’s “Sundari Kannal Enna”. Kudos to the lyricist Pa. Vijay for picking words that fit and also complement the amazing melody, not to forget Amina’s stunning delivery. Every single female lead singer cracks it with ease and grace, so kudos to Hinanaaz Bali, Nayansee Sharma, Aanandi Joshi and Sivaangi Krishnakumar. The Piano starts off by playing the melody of the charanam (Sanchari) and then drifts away, and you will recognise the similarity in the phrase “ Pogum Vazhi Engum Putham Pudhu Mutkal”. The charanam is simple with just a couple of lines, but here too Shridhar Ramesh gives that assurance with his delivery and stability, and Amina provides splendour with that mild vibrato at “ Koodam Kai Pidithu Naanum Nadakkiyil” especially on the word “Naanum”. It feels like this woman protagonist, Aditi Rao Hydari, is going to lead the main man Vijay Sethupathi into love and glory, and that is precisely what I feel even Shridhar Ramesh does, following the lead of Amina and doing a few ghamakas of his own in ” Ninaivulla Varai, Nenjil Ganapathu”. The brief yet interesting charanam ends with AR Rahman taking us back to the anupallavi (Antara) notes this time with the male singing “ Yezhudhadha Padal Yar Kaiyil Serum”. The highlight is when the singers unite in harmony, singing such meaningful words “pirivenbadhe sera thaane anbe”. It has been a long time in Indian cinema music since we got a song with two stanzas and two interludes. Kamalakar plays the flute, and the sun shines brightly with the strings played by the Sunshine Orchestra. Jerry Vincent conducts the session here.  The additional programming is by Shubham Bhat, and the tracks are mixed by Suresh Permal and Pradeep Menon. Gun to my head, I would want to go on and rate my preferences from all the 5 versions, and for me, my top pick would be the glorious version in Marathi performed by Aanandi Joshi and Abhay Jodhpurkar, because the lyrics fit so well, and these two stalwarts are cranking it up with their pitch-perfect and poised singing, also maybe bacuse my mind travels to “Moongil Thottam”. Nayansee and Shibi Srinivasan were in terrific form once again, with Telugu lyrics fitting well and the sweet nectar in Nayansee’s voice pulling in one direction and Shibi’s soothing texture in the other. Sivaangi is finally getting the deserved eyeballs , and she proves that she is worth this chance in the Malayalam version. Yadu Krishnan’s delivery is probably my favourite male version of this song. I think being a South Indian, listening to all of AR Rahman's greatest years of music, Hindi was the most distant for me , also because I understood the words much less. But I was elated to see two more worthy performers give this song their heart and soul, so kudos to Faiz Mustafa and Hinanaaz Bali. 2. Ini OndraaiComposed, Arranged, and Produced by Nishad GLyrics: Suthan BalaVocals: VijaynarainLanguage: TamilGenre: Folk-PopMood: UpliftingNishad G is one committed and talented musician who knows the whole 9 yards of composition, arrangements, and production, and he consistently raises the bar with some stunning music. The time of the year when he doesn't release his own music, I keep listening to his breakdown of some of the timeless classics of Tamil cinema music. Here we have a song that begins like the first rays of sunlight, thanks to Rijul’s nimble Piano and the chirping of the birds, transports us to the meadows of peace. A transformation happens, and we are no longer just in serenity, as the energy levels spring up with Chris Jason’s guitar strumming. The verse begins with Vijaynarain’s folkishly soothing voice and the line “Nee pazhaiyathai pazhaiyathi veesi” with the fantastic percussion in the background by Martin is where my heart started to grow fonder.

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 18th January 20261. AraginiyeSinger: Kapil Kapilan & Saanvi SudeepLyricist: Dhananjay RanjanComposed, Arranged and produced by Charan RajMusic producers: Charanraj and Sujith Sreedhar Language: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticExpect nothing less from this guy! Charan Raj, after a solid 2025, is back with a mindblowing sensual romantic single here, and everything about this song is tempting, arousing. I urge you to dedicate this to your loved one when things are about to turn hot and heavy. The tempo is what I loved the most, in this day of hyper-fast and noisy music. The mild Piano and rhythms with Saanvi Sudeep’s alto tone set the perfect pallavi, as the majestic voice of Kapil Kapilan soars in the high pitch when we get to the anupallavi. Kalyani Nair is instrumental in arranging and conducting the soothing strings in the background played by Chennai Strings and Cochin Strings. Keba Jeremihahs guitars and Keith Peters’ bass accompany, while the chorus line is uplifting, making a permanent mark in your mind. Just when you feel like you have been stung by the melody, Saanvi’s English lines, “ Your touch feels like home, your breath blends with mine” , and all I can do is stand up, give an ovation and thank Charan Raj for this. He is not just the composer; Charan also handles the arrangements and co-produces with Sujith Sreedhar. Saanvi is someone I am hearing for teh first time, but she belts this one out of the park into a different orbit. The tone and the mood of this song take me back to Elton John’s “Believe”. The string arrangements are present all through the charanam, and kudos to Kalyani and Charan for giving us a whiff of what the past sounded like. Maestro Ilaiyaraja's numbers like “Oru Poonga Vanam” come to mind. The melody during the closing stage of the charanam is where I felt some influences of Raag Abheri. The temperature rises with Saanvi’s “Ee Rathriya Ranjisutha”, and Keith follows up with a stunning bassline intervention. Sanjay Romauld and Raghothama NS are the additional programmers. Keba hits you with a lead guitar solo, and Saanvi perfectly describes it as “So Divine”. The recording engineers are Aniket Mohanty, Amal Mithu, Biju James, Sanjay Romauld and Sreerag. Sujith Sreedhar is the mixing and mastering engineer at Masterhouse, 2 Bar Q Studios (Chennai). Dhananjay Ranjan is the lyricist. @charanraj27185 @saregama_kannada @kapilkapilanmusic @kaajalkunder @hamsa_narayanaswamy @sanvisudeepofficial @supriyanvipicstudio @sujithsreedhar @kebajer @cochinstrings @kalyaninair86 @sanjay_romauld2. Jil JilSong produced, composed, arranged and performed by Amrit RamnathSong Written by SanjkayyLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanticAmrit is destined for big things, and that is evident from his indie projects that prove to be outstanding every single time. I am a little delayed, but that can never take me away from finding the best out there. Amrit performs this beautiful track, and he goes almost solo with the melody, arrangements and music production. The lyrics are written by this bright and talented actress, Sanjana AK (remember her from Lubber Pandhu?). Interestingly, the music video was also directed by this artist. Somehow, the opening lines with the string presence of the Mouth Organ (played by Ramnath VP) feel like AR Rahman’s ‘Kun Faya Kun’, and that is intended to be a ravishing compliment on the impact of the musicality of the intro. We wait patiently as Amrit sings Sanjana’s stunning lines in appreciation of the woman’s beauty and nature. Just when we hit the chorus line “Jil Jil ena mana pookirathe”, the heart truly blossoms thanks to Rithu Vysakh’s one-man show on the Violin, Viola and Cello. How can a woman say no to Amrit’s request “Ennodu Va Rathiye” along with the choral vocals by The Indian Choral Ensemble and the soul-stirring violins in the background. The humming gives me goosebumps, and we only get rocked and swayed away into oblivion with the interlude by Rithu. The violas take the lead with teh violins and Cellos adorning the background. When we get back to the chorus , this time the lines “Jil Jil ena “ and “Sol Sol ena” are performed with such grace by Nidhi Saraogi, Rajeevi Ganesh, Fathima Henna and Yazhini, with Karthik Manickavasakam conducting the session for the chorus. The song has additional music production by Nitin Muralikirshna, who is also the mixing/mastering engineer (assisted by Sanjana Shah). The recording engineers are Vishnu Namboothiri at Mystics Room and Hari at 20dB Sound Studio. K Shyamkrishnan handles the cinematography, and the dance direction is by Shakthivel at The Dancers Club. @amritramnath @sanjkayy @tdc.thedancersclub @deekshitanikkam @palindromamusic @rithuvysakh @karthikmanickavasakam @theindianchoralensemble @shakthivel.iam 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 11th January 20261. KunnikkuruMusic: CrishnaLyrics: Bharath Krishnan TRLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Folk RockMood: EnergeticThe elements for a rock single are all in place the moment we hear the electric guitar playing the lead, accompanied by the bass and exuberant drums. Crishna draws your attention not just because of that unique ‘C’ in his name but also his vocal presence and dominance as we start progressing. The song is composed and performed by Crishna as he also plays the lead guitar along with Gowtham. Brian Philip Fernandez is the bassist, and Mohamed Mufeed is the drummer. The guitar riffs are enlightening, and with the pause, Crishna makes a foray singing these Malayalam lines and giving the authentic folk rock feeling. The verse comes again, and this time the superb harmonies are enchanting, and this happens with the drums fading into a milder presence. I am tempted to believe that the melody has strains of Abheri Ragam, if I am not wrong. A highlight reel for me is when Crishna, along with some backing vocal support, sings “Aayiram Aayiram Aayiram Aayiram Aayiram Aayiram Kunnikkuru”. He might have said the word “Aayiram” 6 times, but I'll listen to this a thousand (Aayiram) times for its splendor and the way the notes ascend vertically. The words by Bharath Krishnan TR take us back to a time of innocence, and after that solo on the electric guitar in the interlude, the bridge section too is heartening. We get a whiff of the keys that add pop sensibilities and the aalap in the high pitch with some flawless ghamakas is an exhibition o Crishna’s talent. The tracks are mixed and mastered by the master Rex Vijayan. @rex_vijayan @mhd_mufeed_j @bassheart_bp @slowbharath @gowtham_sreenivasan_ @crishnajk 2. Keep YouComposed, Written, and performed by Shrestha DLanguage: EnglishGenre: Synth PopMood: HypnoticThe song begins, and it felt like the lick of a time machine that threw me back into the most cherished period as a music lover, viz., the 1990s. We have some flourishing lead guitars by Hiten Mukherjee, and Gaurab Chatterjee as the  drummer, to make us gleefully  enjoy the great Synth Pop of that golden period. The Keys come in and electrify the nerves in our body, and I feel like I was just stung by ‘Sting’. Mainak Nag Chowdhury oozes such exhilarating style on bass, but the champion is yet to make a mark here. Shrestha D comes on board with her scintillating vocals. Her alto tone is stylish and sultry, and every note she sings “Ohhh Ohh I don't have to touch you to feel you” is mesmerising with all her humming, vocalization, and improvisation. The harmonies are finely executed and arranged as well. My mind is racing, reminding me of the great works of Phil Collins, Elton John, A-Ha, and so many more exquisite artists of yesteryear. Sudipto Paul plays the Keys and his 4-note intervention at times took me to Elton John’s “Sacrifice”. This is a great start to 2026 with such an extraordinary display, and I wanna definitely want to keep artists like Shrestha on my radar of music love. We get a scintillating solo on the lead guitar by Hiten, and then the bridge section with her evocative high-pitched singing is another phase of magic in this track.@dasshrestha @hitenmukherjee @sudipto_paul_keys @bassbumpy @gaurabchatterjee19823. AazmaatiWritten & Performed by Akash KaushalMusic Producer: BharathAdditional Production: Akash KaushalBacking Vocals: Akash Kaushal, Bharath, Ashutosh AnandLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: MovingAkash Kaushal is hit

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 4th January 20261. NeelothiSingers: Sooraj Santhosh, Chinmayi SripadaLyrics: SarathiComposed And Arranged By Justin PrabhakaranLanguage: TamilGenre: Light MusicMood: RomanticWhen a movie like ‘Sirai’ gets excellent reviews, especially when it is from a regional language  like Tamil, there is an expectation that the music album too will be good. Of late, a lot of Masala-rich Tamil movies have disappointed with mediocre and loud music, but some good news is Just In, and the composer for the album is Justin Prabhakaran. Just about a couple of weeks ago, I featured a fantastic single from the album called ‘Mannichiru’, and now we have a song that, for me, scores even better. The moment Sooraj Santhosh starts singing, I am drawn, mortified by the brilliance. P Vijay Anant plays the flute solo to leave an indelible mark, and the melody probably has shades of Raag Keeravani. The similarity of tones between Sooraj and Pradeep Kumar is uncanny, both being super playback singers. As I hear the song’s charanam, with the Fretless bass guitar in the background by Keith Peters, I felt like I was listening to a Maestro Ilaiyaraja melody. Can there be a bigger compliment to a musician? Once Sooraj finishes his line, we get drowned in the pathos by Chinmayi’s stunning voice, and that masterstroke is the introduction of the Tabla by Shruthiraj. This mesmerising number, which could easily end up being one of the best Indian songs of 2026, is composed and arranged by Justin, with Sebastian Sathish handling all the additional programming. The Tabla and Flute in the interlude remind me of Santhosh Narayayan’s ‘Manam ENgum Maya Oonjal’, another solid melody that will stand the test of time. The string section can be heard mildly as we have the Budapest Scoring Orchestra playing. The heart feels full, and cheered when I hear Sooraj singing “ Ennam pol vazhkai, mabikkai poi vaa” with the astounding TICE (The Indian Choral Ensemble) performing the harmonies. Don't blame me if I have a tear or two in my eyes; the blame is squarely on Sooraj, Chinmayi, Justin and lyricist Sarathi, but I console myself as he sings “ Naan Varuven Naan Varuven athuvara ninappula kalangaathey”. The amazing choral singers are Kalyani Nair, Aparna Harikumar, Sushmita Narasimhan, Nayansee Sharma, Shibi Srinivasan, Shivsundar R, Neeraj M Selva and Cyril Simon, with Kalyani Nair and Karthik Manickavasakam at the helm. Kalyani is also the brains behind all the profound choir and string arrangements. Abinandan R David is playing the acoustic and electric guitars with a delectable touch. I love the way Sooraj and Chinmayi sing in unison, and the lines make me feel so inspired and hopeful for a great year ahead. “Ellarayum pola, Nallarippom Nala, Neethi Tharum Sethi Varum, Namakkundu Azhagiya ethirkalam”. The tracks are mixed by Balu Thankachan, assisted by Paul Daniel and Sreenivasa Sharma, with Shadab Rayeen on mastering duty. The recording engineers are Vishnu Raj M R (2Barq), Senthil Prasad (Vanaj Kesav Digi Audio Waves), Arjun B Nair (Sonic Island Studio, Kochi) and Aswin George John (Sounds Right). @prabhakaranjustin @soorajsanthosh @chinmayisripaada @anishma_anilkumar__ @keithpeters_bassman @theindianchoralensemble @abinandan_r @thebaluthankachan @sushmita_narasimhan @kalyaninair86 @karthikmanickavasakam @aparnaharikumarh @nayansee__sharma @shibisrinivasan @shivsundar2001 @cyril_simon_ @neeraj_msg2. Theher JaComposition: Garvit - Priyansh Lyrics: Aniket Shukla, Priyansh Srivastava Vocals - Garvit Soni, Priyansh Srivastava Language: HindiGenre: Light Music/ PopMood: CalmingGarvit-Priyansh make your heart skip a beat, more than one too, when they come along, write and perform this semi-classical styled pop. The melody begins, and it immediately reminds me of the stunning evergreen “Kabhi Na Jaao Chodkar,” and maybe that is why this Yaman-based melody also has a similar message: “Chodke Jaane Ki Baatein Kiya Na Karo.” Lucky Sharma teases with the rhythm guitar, and the singing is lighting sparks with these harkatein by both Garvit Soni and Priyansh Srivastava. The melody just becomes incredibly mellifluous as it takes a turn for “khamoshiyon mein bhi alfaaz tu chun lena”. By the time we come to the song’s chorus segment, the heart blossoms, and how can we move away from this enriching experience when we hear “ Yen aankhen meri kehti hain ki tu theher ja, adhoora sa yeh ghar lagega tere bina”. This is where the melody starts showing colours of Raag Bihag or Bilawal, maybe. The lyrics are written so charmingly by Aniket Shukla and Priyansh, with Garvit taking over music production duties. The interlude plays the chorus again on the Piano ever so gently. A fact that can never be debated against is that the core of a song is its melody, and that is why Garvit-Priyansh stay on top. They value a good melody and showcase that with their extended composition, proof of that being heard in the song’s antara like “ kehne ko kitna bacha, kaise karoon main bayaan”. The tracks are mixed by Garvit with mastering by Lucky and Garvit. @garvitxpriyansh @startistmanagement @luckyrsharma @tseries.official @garvitsoni_

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 28th December 20251. Shuru ShuruVocals: Sanjith Hegde, Punya SelvaLyrics: Jayanth KaikiniComposed, Arranged, and Produced by Santhosh NarayananLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticThis is going to be a glorious debut for Santhosh Narayanan in Kannada, and I am indeed excited for the album to release. For now, let us celebrate this stunning romantic single from the upcoming movie “ Balaramana Dinagalu”. In an industry that is already doing well musically, thanks to some fine composers, I hope Santhosh stays here to raise the bar, and this track exemplifies that feeling and hope. The moment Sanjith Hegde starts singing, and after the moving Piano, he does a falsetto vocalisation that sends shivers down the spine. The greatness of this song lies in the composition, with so many segments and elaborate writing, the sequence of notes, and the progression of chords. The line “Shuru Shuru” is just the beginning of this great song, and probably Santhosh’s great innings in Kannada. The amazing strings section begins to mesmerise, and this is omnipresent in this track. Karthik Manickavasagam is the man behind the string arrangements. The line that goes “ Helalu Hodare” is where we start feeling that grounded emotion, surrendering all our pride to the beauty of music. The man, Jayanth Kaikini, who has written numerous songs for the amazing Charan Raj, writes this too for Santhosh. The anupallavi is long and elaborate in times when the whole segment has gone missing in movie songs these days. “Usire Helide..Bisiyada Suddiya.. Heegeke Nannali.. Eedaha Omele..Idakintha Hattira..Neeninnu Bandare..Nanagantu Gotilla..Aamele” is a 25-second segment that serves as a launch pad for the song’s most beautiful melodical patch that numbs you for good. “Mella Bali Seladu” Sanjith starts singing with the continued string arrangements, and the heavy periodic rhythms, and the sweetest part of this melodic segment is “Helu Idu Nijave NIjave Nijave”. Santhosh is a rare gem who gives music lovers like us 2 minutes and 10 seconds with just the intro, pallavi, and anupallavi, in a world where songs last less than 2 minutes, making millions of views. The interlude has the string section in full flow, but what struck me even more were the basslines by Naveen Napier that played the same notes as the strings, but the finesse and style of the bass guitar made an even bigger impact. The charanam is about to begin, and the music lover in me is waiting eagerly, and that pause after “Nee” gives away all the sense of the song’s direction as the string arrangements act like a guiding stick for the lines that follow, like “Hoovina Peteya Mohaka Thangaali”. Listen to the harmonies that taunt you at the end of this phrase in true Santhosh style. Punya Selva joins so late but plays a perfect cameo with some blessed lines “Ee Mounave Thumba Mohaka Manase Maathanu Aadiduvaag”, and I couldn't have expected or predicted the progression of the melody in this entire phrase, whihc is what makes Santhosh the best that he is. That haunting humming by Punya in the background is one final kiss of goodbye from her in this track with the phrase “Naguve Naguve”. Santhosh, like I say endlessly, stands out as a composer because he is not looking for shortcuts. This phrase, “Chalisade Ninthirali Heege Ee Kshanavu,” is never heard anywhere else in the song, and yet Santhosh digs deep and writes a phrase at the end of the song for it to appear just once. Wait a minute, this whole phrase does appear in the interlude on the violins. That seems to be Santhosh’s unique style, and he did this with a song called “Pottala Muttaye” from ‘Thalaivan Thalaivi’. The outro strings are like a winning home run with time running out. A signature ending by the greatest of this generation! Thank you, Santhosh Narayanan. @musicsanthosh @priyawajanand @km.chaitanya @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @vinodprabhaakar_official @karthikmanickavasakam @punyasworld @sanjithhegde @napier_naveen 2. Noodhana NoodhanaVocals: Kapil Kapilan & Srinisha JayaseelanLyrics: P. VijayMusic composed by D. ImmanLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanticIt is nice to hear how D. Imman still does a good job with his compositions, without letting the external trends and environment corrupt his style. This song comes from a new album called “Niram” and the song, despite its likable melody, gets the ultimate boost thanks to the two phenomenal lead vocalists Kapil Kapilan and Srinisha Jayaseelan. I love the line “Yaarenna sonnalum ketkala,” taking me back to Maestro’s “Pottu Vecha Malligamottu.” Imman composed, arranged, and produced this, bringing in some electronic pop elements onto the table, especially the keyboard and rhythm programming. As we head into the charanam, we get to hear some savvy vocals with both Srinisha and Kapil excelling in the high-pitched vibratos. The soundscape reminds one of Imman’s work in recent years, like the album “Teddy”. “Adi Adi Noodhana Noodhan, Unnai Vittu engum povana” is filled with all of Kapil’s great improvisation, and when Srinisha sings “Mayamo,” one will feel like a Maya surrounding us with a blanket. The combination of the Thavil and Nadaswaram in the outro gives the song a very traditional wedding style end. @srinisha_jayaseelan @immancomposer @kapilkapilanmusic

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 14th December 20251. Kaarmoda Karagi Maleye ShuruvaagideComposed, Arranged, and Programmed by Charan RajLyricist: Pramod MaravantheSingers - Kapil Kapilan, Sindhuri VishalMusic Produced by Charanraj, Sujith Sreedhar, Sanjay RomauldLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light MusicMood: RomanticI love how people get involved in IG comments, and recently, when I posted my weekly picks of India's best music, someone asked me why I hadn't featured “Kaarmoda Karagi Maleye Shuruvaagide”. I end up having a few delays and lags because of teh sheer volume of songs I listen to every week alone. But thanks to that comment, my faith in Indian music got restored, both from a consumer and creator standpoint. So here is my review, 2 weeks later, and what a fine song by the magnificent Charan Raj we have here. One can add this song to the short list of songs that mesmerise and have the ritualistic phrase “Mangalyam Thanthunanena.” The melody begins with such grace as Kapil Kapilan delivers the line. The influences of Raag Hamsanadham are apparent, and one song that immediately comes to my mind is Vidyasagar’s “Poo Vasam Purappadum” from the album “Anbe Sivam”, thanks to the tone, sound design, the Piano, and tempo. Pramod Maravanthe pens the words, and the song generates even more awe and wonder when Sidhuri Vishal sings her line in her astonishingly beautiful voice and delivery style.  Feel that seductive flute by Vishnu Vijayan intervening, along with Keba Jeremiah’s guitars. The power of Charan’s composition comes alive when he surprises you with the phrase “ Ninna Sero Nadiyaade naa”. The man is a magician, and he knows how to deliver a semi-classical melody on a platter of modern sounds like the electronic pop here. The backing vocalists Kavitha, Kamalaja, Abhijit Rao, and Sanjay Romauld sing the “Thanams” with the energising keys and rhythms, and we are in the midst of musical bliss. The interlude with the humming by the lead singers is followed by a fine melodic phrase on the flute and then the nadaswarm by Adyar D.Balasubramaniam. Charan tells me that there are also glimpses of Raag Saraswathi, and I do find those tonal similarities with the interlude of AR Rahman’s. “Malargale Malargale”. The song is composed, programmed, and arranged by Charan Raj, with Sujith Sreedhar, Sanjay Romauld, and Charan producing this breathtaking track. The charanam starts with a pleasant and mild phrase sung by Sindhuri, with minimal additional instrumental support, but the energy zips through when Kapil sings “Olave nannolave”. Pay attention to Vishnu’s flute interventions here. Raghothama NS is in charge of additional programming. The counterpoints on teh flute are fantastic as we can keep hearing it at the end of the charanam and the pallavi when it plays again.  I am taken back to Maestro’s “Sorgame Endralum,” which is also set in the Hamsanadham ragam. Kapil and Sindhuri sing the lines with such finesse, adding the mild ghamakas. The recording engineers are Amal Mithu, Sanjay Romauld, with mixing, mastering by Sujith Sreedhar. @pramodmaravanthelyricist @charanraj27185 @chaithra.j.achar @varsha_v_acharya @sonugowda @shilpanishanth_ @vishnuvijay01 @kaplkapilanmusic @singersinduri @sanjay_romauld @kebajer @2. ChakorComposed by Ashwin Iyer & Mayank SainiVocals by Aaditya LaddhaLyrics by Mayank SainiProduced by Ashwin IyerLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: PeppyAshwin Iyer and Mayank Saini have hit this one out of the park. The very first time I heard this song, I had a mix of emotions, like pure bliss from the melody, and then the arrangements and production gave off a peppy vibe as well. It is Aaditya Laddha’s affable voice and his casual delivery that set the initial spark, but soon, we get a barrage of factors that make this a very deeply resonating track, like the Mandolin in the intro and the stunning bass guitar, both played by Manash Saikia. If you see the video, the song begins after a disappointing cast call experience, and the Mandolin perfectly creates the change of mood to positivity. My favourite line in the melody is “Mann mein na bair, na lalach koi, chaand hai tu, chaand se preet hoi”, for some fine notes and the way it surprises me. So well done, Mayank and Ashwin.The harmonies, thanks to Maya Bajaj on background vocals, are a great way to add more juice to the song, and it works brilliantly. Ashwin Iyer, who is also the keyboardist, adds the icing on this cake with his music production duties. Sharodiya Chowdhury makes your heart stop multiple times with her cuteness and impeccable grace as the lead girl. Aaditya’s voice and style remind me of the great Mohit Chauhan. The interlude is where Manash shines further with that solo on the Duitara and Mandolin. In fact, the sound of the Harmonica that follows makes me think of “Masakkali” by AR Rahman, which was also performed by Mohit. There is a drop in tempo, and the production turns mild with the pathos in the song’s tone, which is a very bold but witty take on the movie industry called Bollywood. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 7th December 20251. Thaenkoodey Composed, Arranged and Produced by Pranav Muniraj Singers: Sean Roldan, SublahshiniLyrics: Surya Bharathi A ALanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanticPranav Muniraj’s debut for ‘Middle Class’, the Tamil movie, speaks to me through his musical choices, and the sound design and songwriting give me confidence that he is here to stay. The song here is my favourite from the album, and it is composed, arranged and produced by Pranav, with lyrics written exquisitely by Surya Bharathi A A. The intro is like an indelible mark on my mind as we hear the Solo Violin by Anirudh Kashyap, and the accompanying rhythms on the Ukulele and acoustic guitar. That whistle (Vijay Krishnan) that comes in the wind reminds me of Sushin Shyam’s ‘Kannil’ from the album “Kappela”. The tone, the overall vibe of the song and its arrangements also generate that feeling of similarity between these tracks. Vijay Krishnan and Simeon Telfer are the guitarists (Simeon also plays bass), with the Mandolin and Ukulele played by Simeon. Everything comes to a standstill when Sean Roldan sings “Ponanbe Poongatre Naan Setha Thaekoodey”, and that is the impact this man creates with his inimitable voice. The Keys are alive and well with some beautifully arranged harmonies. The solo violin that comes like an interludal piece is stunning, and the swelling of the heart is unavoidable with the Ukulele tickling away. I love how Pranav has knitted this melody by giving surprises and twists in teh chord progression, and you will feel a high when you hear “ Bhoomi mele vandhu aadum santhosha moochu kaatre oh oho oh”. You cannot keep this star Sublahshini away from action, as she rides the wave along with Sean, but makes her presence felt on the additional vocals. The joy is endless when we hear the innocent and cherubic voices of the kids' chorus singers Tanu Shree, Divya Shree, and S.Nidra. Sublahshini is terrific singing the line “Ponanbe poongatre, naa setha thaekooday”, with a slight lag. The tracks are mixed by Josh Bourbon and mastered by Rupendar Venkatesh. The recording engineers are Pranav Muniraj at PM Studios, Aswin George John at Sounds Right Studios and Srinath at 2 Bar Q Studios. Ajay Sivashankar is the music supervisor, and the musician co-ordinator is Victor. @pranavbalu @rseanroldan @sublahshini @milirkal @kishoremuthuramalingam @kvdurai @trendmusicsouth @goodshowofficial @simeontelfer 2. Aalapikkey UmmakComposed / Arranged / Programmed by Santhosh NarayananLyrics: KelitheeSingers: Kelithee, Santhosh NarayananLanguage: TamilGenre: Gana-Pop fusionMood: DanceWho else can you trust when you need a funky Gana song fused wth synth Pop and heavy Brass section? One man - Santhosh Narayanan is the answer. A small snippet of this song’s melody and arrangements was known when the “Vaa Vaathiyaar” teaser was shown a few months ago, and when I heard this as a full-length song, things started getting groovy and upbeat. Kelithee is the writer and lead vocalist who lets you know what he is going to achieve with her very first word “Maame”. This guy impressed me a few months ago with a single along with OfRo, and that devotional fusion pop was produced by Santhosh called “Vetrivel”.The percussion is on, and we get the combined effect of the Keys and the Clarinet. Santhosh composes the melody and does all the arrangements and programming, while also joining as the additional vocalist. He sings that opening intro line “Variya ah ah Variya, Thariya ah ah Neriya, Varane eh eh Magane, Tharane eh eh Tharane”, which sets the ball rolling. I love the fact that this melody portion never gets repeated in the whole song again, and that makes it intriguing. We get a beautiful interlude on the Accordion (if I am not wrong, it does sound like one), and what follows is the strong point of Santhosh. A super funky line “Skipidi kippidi a, Mattuna Semmadi a” with some powerfully addictive synths. The writing is so witty, and when we hear the first stanza “Annan Judge kke Lawyeru, City la Mayoru, Church la paduvan Choiru, ellarum gatheru, vantaru thootharu, buddharu, sittharu, fatheru” followed by teh cionic voice of Karthi saying “yenda”, one can imagine how this song will play on the big screen, inviting the whole crowd for a celebratory dance. The highlight is that snazzy solo violin by Manoj, and these are elements which put Santhosh above all his competition, to have the vision to incorporate a classical instrument like this in a Gana-pop song. Naveen Napier is killing on bass, adding to the song’s originality and funkiness. A line that truly made me smile was “aatathula Ronaldinho, koopudunga veladino”, making me trust this songwriter Kelithee’s abilities. Aditya Ravindran is on electric guitar, and all the additional arrangements are by Karthik Manickavasagam. The tracks are mixed by Santhosh at  Future Tense Studios, Chennai, with additional mixing by Akash Shravan. The sound designer is Vijay Rathinam MPSE, with sound mixing engineer AM Mohammed Rahmathulla. All additional mixing and mastering are by Rupendar Venkatesh @ MixMagic Records. The recording engineers are Karthik, Santhosh and Rupendar Venkatesh. @keli.thee @vaavaathiyaarmovie @musicsanthosh @nehagnanavelraja @napier_naveen @karthikmanickavasakam @adityaravindran95 @ak

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 30th November 20251. I love You SolladaComposed, Arranged and Sung by Shweta MohanLyrics - Madhan KarkyLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanticIt was just a matter of time before this fabulous singer turned a new leaf and wrote songs! Shweta Mohan marks her debut as a songwriter (If I am not wrong), and this feels like a dream debut to me. Shweta not only shines as a composer who gives moments of unexpected surprises in the notations and chord progression, but also gives us some inspiring and uplifting phases, thanks to her arrangements. Madhan Karky loads up on the romance with his immaculate writing as she sings “ Ethai Sonnai Nee Arivay, Ethai Seythal Nee Unarvai”.  Bhuvanesh Narayanan is present at every nook and corner, and you can hear him delicately creating some wonderment on the Keys. Aalap Raju gives us the whole 1980s Ilaiyaraja vibe with his basslines, and one phrase I love is just around the chorus segment “ I Love You Sollada Nanba, Un Ulle Nanangal Yenada”, especially the notes on the last word of this phrase “yenada”. On Vocals, Shweta is a champion who is singing this like a walk in the clouds, and the harmonies are executed and arranged to thrill. Look at her give that vibrato at the end of this line “pazhagiyaval kannai kandu, nee unmai sollvaya”. Bhuvanesh spices it up on the keys  in teh interlude with a tectonic shift from Pop to Jazz, with Josephn Vijay on lead guitars and Siddharth Nagarajan on drums accompanying. The melody continues to sizzle, and Shweta shows immense potential here as a composer. When I listen to the line “Nedunal mayakkam etharko thayakkam, natpai thaandi vaaray”, the last phrase comes as a pleasant surprise. As a music lover, the song is like a box of chocolates as I don't know what amazing thing is coming up next, and I feel the energy, and mesmerism with these stylish pauses, on the whole segment after the “Kalathai Veenakkamal” with the savvy “ippo..the..sonn...naal...enn...naa”. Shweta ends the verse flamboyantly with her vocal improvisation.  The tracks are mixed by Abin Pushpakaran and mastered by Jehovahson Alghar and Roopash Tiwari at Divine Labs. The recording engineers are Abin Pushpakaran and Lijesh Kumar. @_shwetamohan_ @madhankarky @abinpushpakaran @supervijayoffl @aalaapraju @bhvanesh_keys @lijeshkumartk @roopash.tiwari_ @jehovahsonalghar @drumssiddharth @2. Jaane KahaanComposition: Nirmit & LothikaLyrics: Lothika & NirmitVocals: LothikaArrangement & Production: Nirmit ShahLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Immersive Dreamy and immersive right from the very note, with that keyboard and this falsetto voice. Love the way she delivers the notes on the phrase “Jaane Kahaan Chalein, Hai Hum”. Lothika is outstanding as the vocalist, giving the song such amazing core strength and goodness. I have featured her in some amazing songs like one in the ‘Gehraiyaan’ album by OAFF and Savera. Wow, just as she finishes the phrase “ek khwaab sa”, the bass guitar is just sparkling away, and from there on, the fire is ignited in the melody and production. The song’s melody and lyrics are written by Nirmit and Lothika, with Nirmit handling all the scintillating arrangements and production. “Khaali Khaali Sa man, Dundhliyaan” is where the Keys, bass start giving off some feverishly good vibes. Let us not forget the impact of the stirring strings by Ajay Jayanthi and the lead guitar solo by Harshvardhan Gadhvi. Ajay goes on to sow even more seeds of melancholy with that solo violin in the interlude. Lothika is in fiery mode here, and you can feel the melting heat when she sings “dguan raha, jahaan aag tha”. Harsh and Ajay are operating with utmost creativity as they intervene, creating beautiful counterpoints in the background. This is one easily one of the best-produced songs in November, and kudos to Nirmit for that.The outro continues to shine with that solo violin and the Piano proceeding relentlessly. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane, with Praneeth Kumar as mix assistant. The video is directed by Karthika Muraleedharan & Lothika Jha. The artwork is handled by Lothika Jha, Karthika Muraleedharan, Shivani Javeri, and Riddhi Goenka. @nirmit.music @prathmeshdudhane @luceamma @riddhigoenka @ajayjayanthi @firstwav @aneri108 @sanjanakamra @harshreality91 @karthikahp @taroonishw @praneeethkumar 3.  Bekhudi Ishq Ki