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 October20261. Alif MaamathiVocals: TM Krishna & Shahabaz AmanMusic Composed by Shahabaz AmanLyrics: Sree Narayana Guru & Icha Abdul Qadir MastanMusic Produced by Rex VijayanLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Folk-Rock/indieIt has been a while since we have had a song released under “Guru Meets Mastan”, and this was totally worth the wait. What a brilliant collaboration: Shahabaz Aman and TM Krishna, vocalists who instill divine exuberance in listeners' hearts, come together to deliver a song that fuses classical Indian melodic verses with evocative Western instruments and arrangements. Sree Narayana Guru & Icha Abdul Qadir Mastan penned the lyrics. I was stunned like a snake bit me, and the venom here was not corrupting me but purifying me of my darkness. The aalap by TM Krishna with every note and every brief phrase of vocalization, is a great way to sensitize us to what is about to come.The production is mild, but Rex Vijayan makes your heart race ahead with the onset of rhythms in the background. As Krishna begins to sing “Ponnayama madhiyil” I am reminded of the great song “Maraindhirundhe Parkum” from the movie album ‘Thillana Mohanambal”. The accompanying guitars are creating a rage here, and we feel the mesmerism of these fused styles of global music. The tinge of the Mandolin is a great addition to softening the impact of the electrifying guitars. We have Sujith VV on both these instruments. Bliss is when we have the outstanding chorus singers performing in harmony, thanks to Chorus Lal Krishna Jasim Jamal, Amithav Suresh and Akhil Dev. Shahnaz Aman makes his entry and elevates the divinity quotient further.The gears keep changing as rex Vijayan works in a devilish mode, enhancing the soundscape with keys, guitars and rhythms. The interludes are brief, but we get a dose of interesting percussions, and maybe the Oud to give a middle eastern sound. The song takes a turn, a detour into another serene territory and past the 6th minute what I hear briefly is more of Raag Shindhubhaiaravi. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Rex Vijayan and the recording engineer is Sai Prakash.@lal_music @tmkrishnaofficial @jasim__jamal @akhildevvvv @sujith_v_v @saiprakashh @rex_vijayan @shahabazaman52. Amma Na HaaduVocals: Sid SriramLyrics: AP ArjunMusic composed and produced by Arjun JanyaLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light MusicMood: PathosIt has been a while since Arjun Janya was featured on my website, featuring the best of Indian music, and this one totally deserves a spot here this week. Sid Sriram is the playback singer, and he works with a more mellowed down approach using minimal vocalization. The gentle Piano, by David Selvam and the intervening flute by Sathish all do enough to let the melody instill some pathos into our hearts. The melody probably has shades of Raag Keeravani. “Ninna Thyagaki mikilu innyaramma” brings a tear or two thanks to Arjun’s mellifluous ballad, and the subtle but meaningful arrangements as well.We have a layer of strings in the background to enhance the pathos but immediately the transformation with the “laali laali laali” and the accompanying guitars, bass and rhythms act as a mollifying and pacifying agent. The solo on the Nadaswaram by Bala is evocative, but the best phrase is the one that follows with the choral section, with nice pauses, the Piano and Nadaswraam together. The melody written here works like magic and kudos to all the vocalists on chorus viz. Bishan Rai, Darshan Melavanki and Abhishek MR.The melody in the charanam takes a very divergent melodic route and maybe there is some delightful Brindavan Sarang involved here, the added impact of the chorus rather than just Sid’s voice makes it more blissful in my opinion. Ganapathy works the percussion and when the ending line of the charnam arrives , all you can think of is an image of your own mother in your mind as Sid Sriram effectively delivers the phrase “Amma Anno hesare punya amma” David Selvam handles all the mixing and mastering duties at Berachah Studios. The recording engineers are Roopesh CK and Siddharth ST.@arjun_janya @davidselvam_official @berachahstudios3. Raynnn

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 October20261. Naadasunaada Composed, Produced by Hesham Abdul WahabLyrics by V Nagendra PrasadVocals: Shreya GhoshalLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light MusicMood: Romance Hesham Abdul Wahab has reinvented himself in 2026 with some very enjoyable music and this new song from the Kannada movie album “Brindavihari” is one more proof of that. I listened to it and yes it does have the typical strains of Hesham’s music composition with classical raga influences, yet this one soars thanks to the fine arrangements, production, elaborate instrumental arrangements and a mellifluous meandering melody. The Nadaswaram plays and you are amidst some divinity, and the influences of Raag Dharmavathi become apparent. The Mrridangam , other percussion along with the string arrangements are executed beautifully and when Shreya Ghoshal sings with such class, there is nothing left to discuss and debate. I just then realized that the acoustic guitar arpeggios are stunning as well with some flute solo interventions. Get ready for some more magic on the Veena solo and when Shreya sings the swaras in the interlude, there could be some Kanada Raagam here, taking me back to ‘Alaipayuthey’. Hesham is just teasing us with some many variations as the melody treads into a new path here and this beautiful Charanam probably has the gloss and grandeur of Malayamaarutham. V Nagendra Prasad is the lyricist. The way she reaches the high-pitched notes, in this extended fag end of the charanam is testament to her legendary prowess as a vocalist. The whole song feels like a tribute to some of the great semi-classical music we have listened to old south Indian movies. “Neeni helo nanna Madhavane” and the notes that continue is one of my favorites of the song.@heshamabdulwahab @aanandaaudio @malvikasharmaofficial @devikabhattt @brindavihari_ @shreyaghoshal  2. Kaathangal Dhoore Vocals: Sanjith HegdeComposed, Produced by Mujeeb MajeedLyrics: Shabareesh Varma  We are welcome into this world with some beautifully arranged and executed harmonies and that is music can impact, affect and make or break your day. Thanks, Mujeeb Majeed for consistently creating songs that make our sapid days feel a little better. The melody feels like Raag Harikamboji to me because I do hear traces of Maestro’s “Pazhamudhircholai Unakkaga Thaan”, and to hear this mesmerizing line in Sanjith Hegde’s voice is another remarkable delight. The intriguing tempo, and the accompanying Ukulele and guitars by Anurag Rajeev Nayan make the listening experience an absolute treat. And what never fails is the kids chorus and here too Mujeeb employs that magical element. Yadhu Krishna’s gives a solo on the flute which plays a pacifying role with the gentle energy mf Goutham Suresh’s additional rhythms. Mujeeb Majeed makes his second album in a month after a very successful “Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakar” and this song from “It’s a Medical Miracle” is a gem. The choral harmonies at the end of the interlude feel like blissful treatment, thanks to Moses Toby’s vocal arrangements. The charanam goes onto become a milder expression with rhythms fading away, but I love the phrase “Kina megangal kolam maridum”. We get a masterclass in vocal arrangements as the layers of backing vocals is constant and elevating the experience. Kudos to Aadya Aneesh, Nila Raj and Vishnudath Santosh who are part of the kids’ chorus team. Leav it to Sanjith Hegde to serenade you with his vocal expression and some of the soothing aalaps and improvisation, especially towards the end of the song. Rithu Vysakh the genius is on strings, with all the additional programming by Anurag, The recording engineer is Lal Krishna, with mixing done by Balu Thankachan, assisted by Paul Daneil and Sreenivasa Sharma. @mujeeb.majeed @itsamedicalmiracle @thinkmusicofficial @nileen_sandra @sangeeth.prathap @akhilabhargavan @rithuvysakh @thebaluthankachan 3. Jaan Lutaaun Written and performed by Utsavi JhaMusic Produced by Pranay PartiLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Romance

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 20th September20261.Assa Vegala GaavVocals: Aarya Ambekar & Rahul DeshpandeComposition & Production: Tejas Aditya Joshi, Zariya and Prateek Omkar KelkarLyrics: Vikram EdkeLanguage: MarathiMood: Serene/HappyGenre: Light MusicThis is one striking feature of regional cinema, and Marathi industry stands out as a place where art is preserved, protected and enhanced. JP Thuminad has directed the Marathi remake of ‘Su from So’ which was originally in Kannada, and this title is “Tumbadchi Manjula’. Had it been a Bollywood remake, and I am saying this because I have countless examples, the songs would have been atrocious when compared to the original. But here JP Thuminad picks 3 composers who have given us a song that stands alongside K Sumedh’s original as equally brilliant. Kaushik Kelkar is handling the percussion, and we hear the hand cymbals giving us the feeling of a pristine temple town.The song is composed and produced by the trio Tejas Aditya Joshi, Zariya and Prateek Omkar Kelkar, and I cannot appreciate them enough for the mellifluous melody and the stunning arrangements/production. That faint acoustic guitar by Vicky Hajeri makes a foray and all we have time for now is to surrender to the vocals of two astronomical artists in Rahul Deshpande and Aarya Ambekar. The production is mild and kept that way to allow the listener to pay attention to the words of Vikram Edke as he romantically describes the beauty of the land and the simplicity of the village-dwellers with his lyrics.Once the verse ends, we get a soft pause and the chorus segment is elevated with multiple voices singing in harmony and this feels like a bhajan of insane purity. “Assa Vegala Gaav , Itha Rang Raav” as we have Ruchir, Vitthal, Zariya, Prateek, Shravani Atre and Prarthana Sathe singing the chorus. A striking solo violin by Ruchir Ingale is the hero of the interlude with some additional keys and strings supporting. Aarya Ambekar sings the Antara and if her voice isn’t enough to touch your heart, all the harmonium and female choral interventions just drive that feeling of love and joy deeper into our hearts.The song feels like a modern fusion number with some terrific rhythms and percussion and keyboard programming. That aalaap in the end by Rahul is what makes me realize if there is some Raag Pilu influence in the melody. Get ready to be shaken with that unnerving outro that feels like some techno-folk fusion.@zariya.music @theaudiophile @tejass241 @vikramedke @kswanandi @rahuldeshpandeofficial @ruchir_ingale @vicky.hajeri44 @kaushik.kelkar @ambekaraarya @pandit_dawn2.DavaaWritten & composed by Deepika SethVocals: Deepika SethMusic Produced by Deepika Seth & ParabadhLanguage: HindiGenre: Baroque Pop/ Semi-classicalMood: Immersive/pathosI just cannot wait to listen to Deepika Seth’s new album, and this new song here is the second I am featuring from this upcoming work. This is the kind of music that I cherish, yearn for and makes me feel good about the work I do as a music critic. Deepika Seth writes the lyrics, composes the melody and sings this gem. The viola intrigues you in the intro thanks to Protyay Chakraborty and he plays the strings in the track. Deepika convinces you of her stand “Pyaar Mera Jhootha Nahin” and when someone sings these words, how can you not believe her? The mild acoustic guitar accompanies, and Deepika wins you over time and time again with the emotional aptness in her delivery, because you can feel her pain when she sings “ghaayal hua itni dafa, haane par majboor hai”.The verse gets repeated but this time the strings and keys join with incredible effect and elevation. The magic is yet to happen “Koi Davaa Do Isse” is the most haunting line, though eh is asking for a tonic to her pains, the line feels like it sends you further into a path of musical madness. The harmonies are emphatic and the pause hits you harder. An interlude follows with the Requinto Guitar played by Mohit Shankar, and this feels like a earthy sound of the Sarod. Sanmbhav Pratap Singh is the acoustic guitarist, and we have the Bass Drum played by David De Menezes. Protyay is relentless with the strings, and we get to a point where the melody takes very unexpected routes and transformations especially the bridge section as she sings “Kya koi khabar, pohonchi teri dagar”. I have, with my limited knowledge, felt influences of Raag Bhageshree and maybe some Khamaj too, and when the bridge section arrives, the pathos of Raag Cahrukeshi too.Jami Bolton plays the French Horn, the recording engineer is Praneeth Kumar, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane. The outro with beautifully, seductively arranged harmonies feels like a gift that I never want to send the end of.@deepikasethamusic @parabdhtiiwari @anikabharwani @sarahhhbadarrr @prathmeshdudhane @jamibolton @davidde11 @praneethkumar @protyaych @mohit.chankar_

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 13th September20261.Dil Ki AawaazPerformed by AntarikshVocals: Rahul RamWritten and produced by: Varun RajputLanguage: HindiGenre: RockMood: EnergeticWhen you have a band that reaches for the stars every time they perform, we get an astronomical output like this. Antariksh is in terrific form and on top of that they get the vocal presence of Rahul Ram to uplift this song even further. The intro lead guitar arpeggios fee like cosmic rays that reach the earth from outer space. Varun opens the lad vocals in the verse here and I was already intrigues, but the Sarod by Rohan Prasanna was ethereal to say the least, and the phrase that he plays also feels magnetic in its impact. The use of Sarod in a hard rock number always feels like a great fusion choice and when Arko Ganguly’s drums and guitars by Shrikant Biswakarma and Varun.Here comes Rahul Ram and the way he delivers “lehron ke tofaanon mein” , he does create a stormy whirlwind by himself. Danik Ghosh is the bassist adding all the grooviness, and we get a very heartwarming segment as they go “yeh to Zindagi ka raaz hai” with Varun and Ishita Singh joining forces as backing vocalists.Things slow down to such a peaceful tempo, and the Sarod solo makes us feel the intensity of this tranquility. The Antara that follows treads through the same route with Varun delivering the words and we get a lavish and uber-cool guitar intervention in reggae style as he sings “ Tu, Kahin na rukha , badhta hi chala” with some Keys and synth support too, by Ashwin Krishnan. These creative choices, with drops in tempo, altered styles, and some funky arrangements all are the reason this song comes right on top of the list this week. We can also hear some Gospel styled harmonies in the background and Rahul Ram, with the high-pitched delivery and lead guitar counterpoints, just steals the show. M Krishna Rao is the mixing engineer here.@antariksh_official @varunrajput_75 @rahulnram @rohanprasanna @strings_of_karma @drarko05 @ashkrish6 @mkrishnarao2.Halki HalkiVocals& Lyrics: SaahelComposed and Produced by SaahelLanguage: HindiGenre: Qawwali-popMood: RomanceThe sound of the Harmonium calms you down in a few seconds itself, and to take down our heart rate down further, Saahel’s voice does the rest as he sings “ In fizaaon mein hum Kahin ghum ho gaye”, and the mild strumming of the rhythm guitar by Syed Shujauddin takes us along this dreamy melody. Saahel has been incredibly consistent with his music and I rate him easily as one of the top 5 indie musicians in the Hindi space. The melody starts ringing in our ears and Saahel has the ability to write a tune with such meaningful and moving notes and it happens here in the pre chorus section. “Halki Halki Bekarari” hits you like a feather, light but inducing joy like seeing light at the end of a tunnel. The rhythm production is very mild and that allows the melody and vocals to remain.The guy is also a gifted singer who never tries to morph or imitate some famous singer’s tone and that is why his singing wins hearts. “chupke tare main na dekhu, muje pe teri peheredaari” is a perfect example of how Saahel can sing the high-pitched notes with such conviction and when he delivers a few subtle harkatein, it mesmerizes you. This is also proof of the songwriter in him, which shines every single time. I do sense some Raag Bilawal as well as some influences of Raag Hamsadhwani as well in various portions and phrases of the melody.Now we move onto the producer and arranger in him, pay attention to the dynamics of the drums, as we have a change in beats and intensity when the second verse begins as he sings “ wakt ke fasle”, and the gentle keys accompany.  Saahel gives you the confidence that this artist is not here to settle for something easy, but he will strive for creativity and excellence. Listen to how he introduces this long phrase of sargams and that comes as a surprise but also showcases his technical expertise as a musician. Is that the sound of the Banjo in the background? The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ashish Raitani.@saahellmusic @ashish.raitani @pushkar.mp4 @shujauddin.syed @krish.wadhw43.Anta Mugisele

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 6th September20261.Onde ChandraMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Charanraj MRLyrics: Nagarjun SharmaVocals: Antony DaasanLanguage: KannadaGenre: Folk FusionMood: Dance/RomanceA modern-day genius comes on and gives us this brilliant melody that has such folkish fabric woven beautifully all over, thanks to the vocals of Antony Daasan, the Harmonium that intervenes and elevates, and the sensational Indian percussion and rhythms. Charan Raj is the composer, and he offers an absolute treasure here with lyrics by Nagarjun Sharma. “Citylightsal Baalthavo, eshtu chanda kaanthavo” he sings with the intermittent notes on the Piano and Harmonium together. The percussion comes on board as we get the Dhol and Kanjira combining, and the most beautiful line is composed by Charan with “Avala kandre ivanu fidaa, Ivana kandre avalu fidaa,” describing the way the man and woman are falling in love looking at each other, but truly it is the listener who is falling in love with the music; just pay attention to the beautiful Piano in the background.The Antara/charanam starts off, and Charan Raj keeps polishing the melody further and further, and this is why he is one of India’s absolute best, because the most creative juices can only flow in the form of the notes and chord progressions, and with Charan Raj, this will never wear off. The pause after “ Odh Kondiror Sigbodhu” and the Harmonium intervention that follows is all just giving goosebumps to the music lover. The body starts just moving and getting ready to make these short dance steps, all thanks to the arrangements and the vocals.When we get to the end of the second charanam, the beats start to dominate, and a song that this reminds me of is AR Rahman’s “Pennala Pennala Oothapoo”@charanraj27185 @duniyavijayofficial @aanandaaudio @anthony.daasan @nagarjun_sharma2. Kalyana VirundhuMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Maestro Ilaiyaraja.Lyrics: IlaiyarajaVocals: Antony Daasan and YugendranLanguage:Genre: Folk- popMood: DanceThis is a gift, a dream, a blessing to be writing about Maestro Ilaiyaraja’s composition. I am not qualified; I am not knowledgeable enough to review it, but thankfully I was born and raised in TN, listening to His music for 50 years, and that at least gives me the power to appreciate and analyze music. I listened to this and made a full IG video on this song a couple of weeks ago, and here is my written expression of love for this of God’s creation. The masterstrokes are many, but a few things that stand out are picking Yugendran Vasudevan as the lead vocalist, because many of Ilaiyaraja’s greatest dance/folk numbers were performed with great elegance by his father, the great Malaysia Vasudevan.The song begins with that mandatory Thavil, Nadaswaram, and Antony singing with such energy; the third line or anu Pallavi, as always, is the best in this whole segment: “anga nirayum echilila thottilu”, followed by the male chorus and this is the first place where I am reminded of Maestro’s “Mama Un Ponna Kudu”, where the male chorus sings “thali kattavum melam kottavum Neram vanthuduchu”. There is no way you haven’t gotten up from your seat and begun dancing to this tune and beats already. Maestro is giving away these easter eggs, like the interlude on Keys, bass that begins at 1 minute 6 seconds and goes on for the next 6 seconds. This is a completely inspired phrase that appears in the interlude of “Mama Un Ponna Kudu,” and Raja modifies the notes just enough for the true fan to still know what he intended.Yugendran begins singing in the charanam, and his attitude and delivery easily remind us of Malaysia Vasudevan with songs like “Ooru Vittu Ooru vandhu”. The most favourite and melodically richest gem comes in the phrase Love u la sikkum pasangale” as he allows the lead and chorus to sing it multiple times, but with the changing intensity of the Tabla beats, this is pure bliss. Since Maestro is also the lyricist, I think he wrote these lines as a message to every musician making music today: “Vanga da vanga masterclass eduppen”. Listen to the Thavil, Tabla, bass, acoustic guitar, and male chorus combine like God's finest creation.I feel so sorry for every composer of today who will continue to be a fragment of this man’s dream, imagination, creation and achievements; no matter what they try, his music stands tall, original, rich, pure and fresh even today. Maestro’s use of Western trumpets and drums in the second interlude against the folkish Thavil and Naadaswaram also reminds us of a similar technique he employed in “Ooru Vittu Ooru Vandhu”. Priya Jerson is on fire as she delivers the suave vocals as the female lead playback singer in the second charanam with all that contralto tone. Ilaiyaraja shows he’s a songwriter par excellence when his lyrics show the feminist side with words like “ Ponnunga nela unakku puriyadhu, sonnalum un thalaiyil eraadhu”.@yugendranvasudevan @priya.jerson @anthony.daasan @ksubbaraj @ilaiyaraaja_offl

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 August 20261. Ellam Neeye Music composed by Sai PrashobWritten and Performed by Sai PrashobMusic Produced by Sebastain SathishLanguage: TamilGenre: Rock FusionMood: Energetic This is one of the new songs on I-pop Tamil Stars, a reality music show and it blew me away for various reasons like Sai Prashob’s superlative vocals, his composition which sounded delicate and possessing traits of Brindavana Sarang Ragam. Sai also pens the lyrics, and this only creates such high expectations when a young musician can sing, write and compose and here he also plays the guitar with dreamy arrangements and music production by Sebastian Sathish. The Sitar is the star of the show at the very beginning, and you sense the Ragam influences straight away. The drums accompany along with keys, lead guitars and his soothing voice makes you close you eyes just when he sings “ Paara Vizhiyo, Puriya Nilaiya, Unara Unarvo Elamm Neeye”. The drums and guitars start upping the ante and with this instilled energy, we have a neutralizing effect when Sai sings with such classical vocalizations, ghamakas etc., and you can feel the tantalizing power as your hear “ Maraya Nilavo, Slolla Kaviyo”. Sebastian Sathish is terrific as the music producer as he allows the melody to progress without intrusion, but when there are pauses, he lets the Sitar intervention linger on.The brilliance of the vocals and the composition come in full flow with the variations surrounding “kayangal pala aarudhe”. I am so intrigued by this guys ability to write such heartfelt lyrics in a time when sounds have become lyrics and gibberish has become the soul. Listen to this amazing line “En manadhile varum Thaaragai, varigalai varaadho”. A song I am reminded of is by the great Vidyasagar called “Radhai Mandhil” also set in the same Ragam and obviously the richness of the melody takes my heart to soul to Viswanathan-Ramamurthy’s “Pen Ondru Kanden”. The counterpoints on guitars and Sitar are invigorating as we come towards the outro. That 4-note melody on the Sitar in the end – what a killer! @saiprashob @sebastiansathishmusic 2.Varnajaalam Vocals: K S Harisankar & Poornima KannanLyrics: Vinayak SasikumarMusic composed, arranged and produced by Vishnu VijayLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light MusicMood: Romance The song is one piece of magic that comes from Vishnu Vijay’s repertoire, and when I watched the film, the song felt even more mystical. Vishnu consistently delivers and how he can come up with these throbbing melodies is bemusing. Keba Jeremiah is the guitarist, and he also plays the bass on this one. KS Harisankar and Poornima Kannan singing unison right from the Pallavi and you feel like your feet are slowly lifting of the ground with their “ chaayameekiyo swarnameghame, sakshiyagayo paaridangale” line and the accompanying guitar. The melody melts your heart with every new note as Vishnu chisels something extraordinary here. Once we get to the chorus segment “perida dweepupol, ninnoren ulthadam, ethu sanchariyaalitha, kaalpadinjaadramaakave …Hey Varnajalaam” with Harsisankar’s high-pitched vocals, lift-off happens and the interlaced flute in the background is simply like a tonic to all our worries and problems. The bass notes on the flute in the interlude feel like the mother’s words of love whispering into our ears. The best part of the song is that it never stops giving and these days when composers get easily satiated with one hook line, here is Vishnu Vijay who after all the splendid Pallavi and Anu Pallavi, gives us even more in the charanam as Harisankar sings “Kodathan Kambalam, choodumee shaakikal..shanthamaayi thannidam thedidum cholakal”. The chorus singers Nila Raj, Chinmayi and Vasudev give us such immense pleasure in the outro. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sujith Sreedhar, with Amal Raj, and Amal Mithu as recording engineers.@kebajer @sujithsreedhar @yzakmusic @girish.ad @harisankar_ks @vishnuvijay01 @poornimakannan @vinayaksasikumar  3.Mellow

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 16th August 20261. Bin Tere Written and Composed by Akash TripathiMusic Produced by Ramil GanjooVocals: Janish Joshi and Alvina DsouzaLanguage: HindiGenre: Mariachi/Mexican folkMood: Romance I mean it when I say or write that songs can be made and can be destroyed in seconds. Let’s focus on the positive now, and this song had me with the intro, as male and female vocal harmonies along with Trumpets goes for a killer punch straight away. Akash Tripathi has been having a solid run, and this is the 3rd song I have featured this year I suppose. He has written the lyrics and I love the alternating English and Hindi lines, giving the song a very casual cool structure, almost colloquial. Janisht Joshi is oozing such confidence with his lead vocal lines singing “Smile and all the things you do, I’m staring like a dog at you”. The song’s biggest asset has to be its superlative music production and arrangements whether it is the ravishing horns, or the delectable harmonies. “Kyun dekhe us oar se, dil Daudi mera zor se”, followed by a choral humming, but also has both Janish and Alvina Dsouza singing in harmony. The chorus segment feels like treat for lovers and especially when you are in the mood for a few dance moves too. You better drop everything else and focus on what’s coming, because Alvina is on fire with her suave vocals. If Janisht gave you cool and snazzy, Alvina is ripping your heart apart with such a murderous voice. No man in his senses could turn down this offer with the way Alvina sings “I’m craving just for me and you, tere liye hi saans loon, Aaja mere paas tu”, as she does quite a bit with her falsettos. The acoustic guitar, the brilliant harmonies and horns during the chorus after the second verse is pure magic. The outro is a masterclass in vocal harmony arrangements. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ramil, with Mrinal Das as the recording engineer at Play Head Studios. @akashtripathi.i @janishtjoshi @alvina._.dsouza @ramilganjoo @lazyom @firstwav @playheadstudio @mrinal.das.334 2. Cold Showers Composed and performed by Sanjith HegdeLyrics: Prashant PandeyMusic Produced by Sanjith Hegde, Gautham Hebbar and Sunny MRLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Immersive Ruaa Kayy invites you with her beautiful vocals singing “bith gaye saawan tujh bin ye mann” in that intro line, and the song rather than just behaving like a pop track with rhythm guitars starts to engage like a mild qawwali fusion as the Dhol-like percussion by Deepes, gets introduced and the song starts to feel like “Ae Hairathe” by AR Rahman. It is impossible to not feel enamored and addicted to something as pure, and pristine as Sanjith’s voice especially when he singing this high-pitched phrase “aa apne nazaarey de, hai dil ki yeh khwaahishein” with that irresistible harkat in the last word and the melody just gets better and better. The lyrics by Prashant Pandey starts touching your heart too with some beautiful expressive lines like “ meri aankhen meri zubaan, tu inhe aazaaz de, hai jo khali aasman, tu hi sooraj de ise”. The music production is where the song gets some extravagant coolness, and one can trust the trio of Gautham Hebbar, Sunny MR and Sanjith to come up with some stylish layers. The basslines kick in but that solo on the guitar in the interlude takes the cake. I have told too many times, that even if you have the worlds best producers upping the vibe of your song, nothing else matters like the melody and Sanjith keeps inspiring with this beautiful Antara, that twists and turns and offers numerous surprises and treasures with its chord progression.“Boondhe paththon pe tehri hai, aake choo le inko kar de riha” is a magical line and I keep wondering if there is some Raag Shuddh Kalyan in this melody. Roland Fernandes is creating some crafty havoc with his bass guitar and I am getting swooned. The outro aalap and vocalization is another reminder of this man’s capabilities, take a bow Sanjith. The recording engineers are Shubhashree, Nikhil Mathew and Abhishek Poojari. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sunny MR.@sanjithhegde @warnermusicindia @sunnymr @prashantpandey @ananyaghosh_ @gauthamhebbar @noorhouse.in 3. Bata Zara Lyrics: Mihir ThatteVocals and composition: Subhi

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 9th August 20261. Sajje KhabbeVocals: Sudhir Yadhuvanshi, Bjorn Surrao, Simiran Kaur DhadliLyrics: Siddhant KaushalMusic composed by Jakes BejoyMusic Producers Jakes Bejoy, Alan Joy Mathew, Agastya Raag, Joel JohnsLanguage: Punjabi/HindiGenre: Disco-Pop/Folk fusionMood: EnergeticI was astonished to see absolutely no promotion, marketing, no reels and videos of this song and the whole album of “I, Nobody” anywhere on the internet and social media. When there are many mediocre songs and albums doing the rounds, how is it that this fine album got lost in the puddle? I recently did a full album review of this on IG last week, do check it out. This track was my absolute favorite, and, in many ways, I find it relatable to the anthem Jakes Bejoy created for Lokah. In my honest opinion this anthem wins over my heart even more than the former. The lyrics are penned by Siddhant Kaushal.The bass guitar feels like the spiderman’s web to me and I am immediately caught in its web thanks to Keba Jeremiah. I believe it is Bjorn Surrao opening the song with his English spoken poetry and this segment reminds me Apache Indians songs. It feels like so many layers of strings, maybe the Mandolin, Maybe the Banjo and maybe a slide guitar all were combining with the bass guitar showing up on top and giving style. All the additional guitars were played by Alan Joy Mathew. The melody was composed by Jakes, with music production handled by the quartet of Joel Johns, Agastya Raag, Alan and Jakes.Sudhir Yadhuvanshi’s voice towers over everything else and I loved Jakes’ pick for lead vocals. Many Bollywood composers make that mistake of constantly using Sukhwinder Singh and that becomes repetitive, uninventive, lazy and stale. Romy would have been another great choice too, but Sudhir truly kills it, and the accompanying harmonies are outstanding too thanks to backing vocalists Maahi Sharma and Prasidhi Patil. When we get to the celebratory chorus segment, don’t forget to notice those rousing horns, thanks to Trumpet Viji. Bjorn comes up with these lines “Nothing is real”. Trumpet Viji goes on to give us a very seductive interlude on trumpets in the bass/tenor zone. This is one  rapturous track and the outro with all the horns, bass, harmonies, and Sudhir’s aalap makes it feel like a worthy finish. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Balu Thankachan, the engineers on board are Amey Londhe, Midhun Manoj, Unmesh Unnikrishnan and Aniruddh Khanna.@jakes.bejoy @bjornsurrao @sudhiryadhuvanshi @simirankaur_dhadli @agastyaraag @theredmoone @joel__johns @midhunanand_official @inobodythemovie @sharmamaahi__ @kebajer @2. Ho Jayenge GhumWritten and composed by Raghav & ArjunVocals: Taba ChakeMusic Produced by Raghav & ArjunLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: DreamyThe start with the children’s chorus took me back to ‘Lion King’ and I am sure Raghav & Arjun won’t mind that comparison with the legendary Hans Zimmer. These guys consistently keep coming up with the goods and I have tears when I see that there are such musicians who truly are committed to making original, good, music and stay away from the corrupt environment of mediocrity and greed we are surrounded by. This collaboration is another massive plus point and Raghav & Arjun have been picking great vocalists to deliver their songs of late. Here comes one of my favourites Taba Chake on lead vocals.The guitar riffs are engrossing as they hit deep, but nothing comes close to joy like hearing Taba perform in his lower vocal register as he sings “seedha seedha rasta hai waise toh, tedha medha chalkar yum dekh lo”. The greatest asset for a composer-duo is their ability to write a melody, and Raghav & Arjun make me feel confident of this aspect, a case in point is the next line and how the melody subtly changes, with the chord progression created to cause a light tingle in “ Aur khwaabon ko din mein bhi dekh lo, khayaloon ko aawaara ghoomne do”By the time we hit the pre-chorus segment we are enamoured and a mild layer of harmonies also has a role to play in that effect. The keys and rhythms take a backseat and lose the intensity when he sings “phir main aur tum kho jayenge ghum”, allowing nothing to come in the way of this message of love. The interlude is an offering of bliss again, with the children’s chorus, Piano and relentless guitars. He leave me with a heavy heart whenever Taba sings “phir main aur tum kho jayenge ghum”. But thanks to the beautifully crafted bridge section, I am able to breathe and feel better. “Le jaaye meetha sukoon hum, le jaaye ghamo saare yeh duniya”Raghav & Arjun have created a song that feels close to heart and nourishing to my senses like how Lucky Ali would have in his peak. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane.@raghavandarjun @taba.chake @firstwav @lazyom @karanutd @raghavmkumar @arjunpremsangeet

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 2nd August 20261. Roshni Composed & produced by Rishabh ShahVocals: Melissa SrivastavaLyrics: Soham MajumdarLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Immersive  Melissa Srivastava kills this one like a star, and I was genuinely elated to discover this song. Vinayak Salbi on the rhythm guitar lays the brickworks but it is the sizzling bassline by Himangshu Borah and that mild humming that keep us hooked and intrigued. But wait for it, because you have heard nothing like her all this month. I guarantee. My god the tone and the contralto voice singing “Nayi hogi subah woh” and within seconds she explodes into a higher vocal register showcasing her wide range. The way she evokes passion and sings “Toota tha jo kal, aaj phir jod lena, aansoon bhi tu hi rok lena”, for all its vocal excellence, melodic magic and lyrical lushness is my favorite part of the song. This according to me is one of the most outstanding vocal performances by an artist this year. Melissa sure sounds like a Diva who has the whole world to conquer.  The melody is written by Rishabh Shah, and he combines all that richness with some effective and elevating music production too. The Piano gently plays a few notes and the humming by Melissa is the clincher that feels like an uplifting segment to glorify this track even more. All along I have been enamored by the sensation Himangsu with his ballistic bass, and what follows is a bridge section that further allows Melissa to establish her supremacy on vocals. All I can tell that artists is her own lines “Umeedon ka ho jahaan chhule naya aasmaan, sitaron mein tu Kahin rakh de apna nishaan”. This is a melody that is the same as the humming notes. You wish this never ends. The recording engineer is Pranjal Borah at Neo Sound, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Ajinkya Dhapare. @melissa_srivastava_ @lyricssoham @rishabhshamusic @salvivinayak @bassswithhim @ajinkyadhapare  2. Miskeen Lyrics: Ameer KhusrauSung and Composed by Yawar AbdalMusic Produced by AkashLanguage: KashmiriGenre: Soft RockMood: Immersive If there was a list of artists I consistently feature, rate highly and admire, Yawar Abdal would be one among the very few in that list. He is a magician with blessed vocals and that alone isn’t his trump card, it is his musicality in the compositions and that sensibility int delivering the song too. Vicky Hajeri delightfully opens with his intro lead guitar and the mild drums by Akash make way for the opening verse. He sings with that subtle melancholy, words that I don’t follow, but I can feel the music, I can feel the tranquility as his voice seeps through my system. It is Manash Saikia, playing the stylish bass guitar but he also does some interventions on the solo violin that captivate us. Akash is the man on sound design and music production and he perfectly lets these live instrumental elements play freely, improvise without ever stealing Yawar’s vocal and Ameer Khusrau’s lyrical thunder. Vicky and Manash are having a ball playing these beautiful, and poignant solo phrases on the electric guitar and violin. There is clearly an Raag Khamaj influences in the melody and that elevates the richness of the song further. Yawar’s ability to alternate between subtle shifts in his mood and then explore the higher end of his vocal range is all evident here and it only makes this song that perfect companion for your solitude and peace. That interlude with Vicky’s solo on the lead guitar is a phase that feed in such bliss. The bridge section that follows is another exhibition of Yawar’s command and control as a performer. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Tejus Srivastava with Jay Rana as the recording engineer.@yawarabdal @akashdrums @manash_inf @vicky.hajeri44 @tejussrivastava @xulkarnain @itsjayrana @ferriswheelstudios 

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 26th July 20261. DarmiyaanMusic composed by Raghav KaushikLyrics: Amrita SalujaVocals: Rekha Bhardwaj & Raghav KaushikMusic Produced by Nakul ChughLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Romance/PathosThe voice of Rekha Ji comes on and she makes you feel the pain and pathos with that tone, as we hear only the mild keys in the background. This whole album of “Musafir Café” has been a fine one with some excellent music from Raghav Kaushik, Neel Adhikari and Garvit-Priyansh and I recently posted a review on IG praising the artists. This is easily one of my favourites from the album. If you thought Rekha ji could serenade you, wait for “Hum, tere hote toh zakhm sabhi sile hote toh” sung by the magnetic Raghav Kaushik and you will end up giving everything you own to this man.How does he manage to tempt you with his voice, and also instil the beauty of classical-styled harkatein and showcase all his vast potential? “haaa..Tum mere hote toh”, with that extended vocalisation on “mere” is creating goosebumps. Nakul Chugh is the brains behind all the terrific music production as he introduces those mild harmonies and that faint electric guitar too in the background without taking attention away from the vocals and the melody. The music doesn’t just tempt you as it did in the verse, as we now head into the chorus segment and the lines “kyun, mere tere darmiyaan” with a mild pause before, and the heavy lead guitars, drums and backing vocalists combining is like the downpour of a shower, much longed for.Shudhi Ramani, Udit Kattar and Abhiruchi Singh are the backing vocalists that elevate the lines. One can never appreciate Mayank Raina enough for this glorious solo on the flute, as he takes matters into his own hands and makes your heartbeat so hard in joy, appreciation and admiration, during a time when instrumental interludes are slowly vanishing from our songs. My favourite line in the Antara is where I was stunned by the chord progression was “Ki hum, khwaabon mein hi doondhe marham” , with Rekha ji’s poise shining through. Bhushan Chitnis is that star on the guitars constantly. We get an unexpected but valiant bridge section performed in the higher vocal register only to keep the intrigue quite high all the way till the end.This is easily one of the songs of the year with a fully equipped package of terrific composition, heartwarming lyrics, by Amrita, devastatingly good vocals and invigorating music production. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abhishek Ghatak. This song will leave a lasting impact like “Endless Love” by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie, and George Benson’s “Nothings Gonna Change My love for you”.2. Ishq Seekh LoWritten and composed by Abhin JoshiVocals: Abhin JoshiBacking vocals: Saishruti KotianLanguage:Genre: Soft RockMood: ImmersiveBasslines hit hard, lead guitar stuns you and that is the gauge of a savvy intro. Jeet handles the former and Varun Agnihotri is here to electrify is on lead guitars. This track is a ferocious piece from start to finish and rightly as it called ‘Ishq Seekh Lo’, I think this song is telling us to love music a bit more. This is the brainchild of Abhin Joshi who I have featured before, and he writes the melody, the lyrics and performs the lead vocals too. I love the tempo, as the song hits you on the right groove with Sanket Pahurkar being slick and suave in this start-stop style.Never take your focus away from the brilliance of Abhin on vocals, interjecting some very classy harkatein in between. The chorus line is an absolute riot as the temperature rises with a layer of harmonies now joining the fray and Gautam David blowing us all away with his Sax solo, listening to “bheege thoda hum, thoda bheeg lo tum, khud se itna hare, khud se thoda jeet lo tum”. Bravo Abhin, for these lines, that soar melodically and lyrically too. The uplifting harmonies is all thanks to vocal contributions by Abhin, Jeet, Varun, Pratyush and Nidhi Vaja.I love how when the title lines comes on we hear not just Abhin but also Saishruti in union, “Ishq Thoda Seekh Lo Tum” as though love is a two-way street and both parties need to learn to love. Feel the power and sensuality of these guitar arpeggios as Varun demonstrates such excellence. This is the musicality that we need, maybe not what we deserve. The interlude is about to end and then the way the sax accompanies on the ending notes is throbbing with goodness. Abhin continues to impress with the melodic phrases that follow. And finally everyone sings together “yeh Ishq thoda seekh lo tum, with Gautam’s sax improvisation and Sanket’s creative juice flowing on drums is breathtaking. That outro on the lead guitar is a little extra , maybe the cherry on top for the music lover. Saishruti is in charge of all the choir arrangements , Hersh Desai is the mixing and mastering engineer.@sanket_paruhar @varun_agnihotri @bass_ki_aawaz_kesi_hot_hai @gautam.david

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 12th July 20261. Viraha VamanamLyrics: ShiyazWritten, composed, and performed by Radio LegsLanguage: MalayalamGenre: RockMood: EnergeticI am listening to this rock act from Kerala for the very first time, and I have nothing but words of praise . This is Radio Legs, and the 6-member band is ripping it apart in this energetic rock exhibition, but the main attraction is the melody that is composed. The vocalists are Abhi Thankachan, Sachin Lal and Hafiz Najum, with lyrics penned by Shiyaz. Emil Antony Saz is the keyboardist, Amal Raj is the drummer, and Abel John is the lead guitarist. They waste no time, as the tone is set right at the beginning with the brilliant union of lead guitar, drums, and keys. That voice is getting into your bloodstream: “neelan pathakal, neenga gathakal  vaahana vyuham pole njan thangi pathiyil” is something so pacifying, and just when we hit the chorus segment, we get a layer of backing vocals, and the song just elevates into something extraordinary. The way the vocalists perform the second phrase of the chorus segment “paazh kireedam njaan” with an extended vocal improvisation on “njan” is breathtakingly good. The drummer, lead guitarist, and keyboardist are not here to accompany, but you can hear them exploring so much with creative alterations. Emil Antony is killing it on keys, and you can hear this when the verse begins “indhanamilla jeevanai changala pole.” The way we get a vocal humming to replace the song’s melody in the chorus. During the bridge that follows, we get to feel all the drums and lead guitar fade away, with some acoustic guitar support, leaving “vaal thaarangal” alone. This is why this song is superlative: not only are the melody, vocals, and live instrumentals shining, but it also has terrific production. A moment of magic that still blows my mind is the chord progression when we come to the line “thaapathil theera maruvaai”, with the background sounding incredibly fresh. Also pay attention to the vibrato on “maruvaai” with a very classical Carnatic touch. Feel that pulsating solo on the electric guitar when we hear “viraha vimanam njan” towards the outro. @radio_legs @thankachan_abhi @sachin_lal @hafiz_najum @__abeljohn @amal_raj_b_s @emil_antony_saz @deepaksrproduction 2. IttefaqWritten and composed by Deepika Seth, Sagar VermaMusic Produced by Rohan Upadeo Vocals: Deepika SethLanguage: HindiGenre: Baroque PopMood: ImmersiveThe song has one superstar: Deepika Seth on vocals. From the very first note, as she sings “ Kya Ye Ittefaq Hai,” she sizzles and stuns, and this delivery and vocal expression are of the highest order. Every phrase comes across as something that is being performed by someone with immense abilities and skills in the Western vocals discipline. The vibrato and vocalization are just top-draw stuff, and you can hear it for yourself in the phrase “ jo tum aa gaye ho”. The melody and lyrics are co-written by Sagar Verma and Deepika, and we have Sambhav Pratap Singh on guitar, accompanying throughout.This is all we hear up until now , just the rhythm guitar playing in the background, but Rohan Upadeo, as the music producer , perfectly times the introduction of strings (by Protyay Chakraborty) and the Jazzy drums , with the expansive high-hat and cymbals. Sambhav plays some nice, intriguing arpeggios, then subsequently we get a melancholic solo violin by Protyay, as the double bass never stops hitting you deep and hard in the background. The melody stands out because Deepika and Sagar give us something beautiful, elaborate, and poignant. Listen to this phrase, for example, as she sings “ Raaz Khol rahi ho puraane”. The violins play alongside, and the intensity of the pathos works very effectively here. I am in awe of what Deepika is doing here, as the Antara is all about her classical Indian style vocalization , or harkatein as we say. “Mil gaye aur milne ke bahaane” is a case in point. If there is another standout hero in this song, it has to be Protyay with his constant intervention on strings. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane. @deepikasethmusic @rohanupadeo @sagarvermamusic @sarahhhbadarrr3. Midnight Train

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 5th July 20261. PrateekshakalWritten and performed by Gowry LekshmiComposed by Gowry LekshmiMusic Produced by Ganesh VenkataramaniLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Folk-RockMood: EnergeticThe OG, a relentless force to reckon with, that is Gowry Lekshmi in the Indie space, and you better get that straight to your head. I have featured her countless times throughout this journey in music journalism, and I regret the years before when I missed out. Listen to the way she haunts you with her contralto singing “ Thantha Thaayar Nattar Veetar ellame” with the lead guitars accompanying. The lead guitar starts to take hold with more gravitas as we go past the verse towards the chorus. Suddenly she is off to deliver with such rapturous intensity, singing the chorus line, and the electric guitar and drums are fiery now. Gowry is unparalleled when it comes to writing these excellent melodies and delivering every note with. The lead guitar arpeggios are sensational, adding more fuel to this conflagration of a song. Who else but this master, Durwin Dsouza, could generate all this passion and poetry on the guitar? Ganesh Venkataramani, who is the usual suspect when it comes to creating all the majestic soundscapes for Gowry, is teh man behind all the frenzied arrangements, music production, and drum production as well. During this second verse, we can hear so many things happening on keys, guitars, and the marching drums. This chorus line is to die for, with all its intensity and impact. If you can just try to pay attention to all the guitar counterpoints and devastating drums without focusing on Gowry’s vocals in the outro. Kalesh Govindan handles all the amazing album art. @gowrylekshmih @ganhitsthings @durwin_dsouza2. QaraarVocals: Kavita Seth and Kanishk SethComposed by Kavita SethMusic Produced by Kanishk SethLyrics: Dipti MishraLanguage: HindiGenre: Tumri-PopMood: ImmersiveThis is one of the best yet from the mother-son duo of Kavita and Kanishk, and the melody in Raag Yaman is as soothing as things can get. The melody is composed by Kavita Seth, with lyrics by Dipti Mishra. Kanishk comes on board with lead vocals as well as giving this traditional classical song a very lush electronic pop. “Qaraar deke mujhe aur bekarar kar diya” feels ethereal with some keys and synth work in the background. Not many voices can match up to the reverence of Kavita ji , and after Kanishk’s introduction in the verse, the guitar, keys and rhythms in the interlude, but the divinity quotient lands in as soon as Adwait Kashikar plays the solo flute. This segment is extremely catchy thanks to the keys and rhythms, but the flute solo elevates the experience altogether. “Woh ek shaksh jisse meri” and here you can hear Devashri Manohar accompany as the backing vocalist. Kanishk doesn't stop here; he gets the Sarangi to come and intervene beautifully, and when the Antara ends, we head back into the chorus line; the combined effect of the flute, sarangi, rhythms and keys is nothing short of magical. When Kanishk comes and performs teh second Antara, he explores the higher end of his vocal range. The Antara's melody is short, but that doesn't make this beautiful song any less impressive. If you thought it’s all over, we get an absolute treat with the sargams by Devashri and the flute by Adwait accompanying right through. This song just needs to be experienced in solitude, and I can only stand up and give an ovation for the solo flute exhibition by Adwait. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane. @seth_kanishk @prathmeshdudhane @devashrimanohar @kashikar_adwait @misra_dipti3. Zarb E JeenaVocals: Vibha SarafL

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 June 20261. Nee EnbatheyVocals: Pravin Saivi & Maalavika SundarLyrics: Ahamed Shyam and Pravin SaiviComposed, Arranged and Produced by Pravin SaiviLanguage: TamilGenre: Soul/PopMood: RomanceI have written about some music compositions by Pravin Saivi and, just like my expectations, within seconds of this song’s intro, I know this is high-quality stuff. Pravin and Maalavika Sundar start singing in harmony but at different pitches, making it sound like I am standing on the ground and soaring in the air at the same time. Vocal arrangements and production like this immediately tell you volumes about the musician’s abilities. Pravin sings, composes, arranges, and produces this stunning song, and when you have teh right teammate in Maalavika, half the job is already done. How does Maalavika hit these notes with such grace and efficiency, singing in Alto-Contralto style? We have Pravin’s rhythm guitar following along, but the ears keep looking for some amazing nuances where the two amazing vocalists shift Octaves as Pravin goes for the lower register and Maalavika goes high , in between the verse. “Munjenmame thodarum naatkale“ is one phrase, and roles reverse at “Mudhale Mudive”. We get a beautiful and light interlude on the acoustic guitar by Pravin, making the feelings of romance intensify like how a Maestro Ilaiyaraja guitar interlude would say in millions of his songs. “Kaalai megamo Saaalai oramo thevadhai veedhiyil pogumo,” written by Ahamed Shyam and Pravin, paints a wholesome picture, and the vocals and notes bring that scene to life. The vocals have a new twist in arrangement now, as Maalavika moves from harmonising to singing with a lag “karaiyai vilagiye” and then soon joins Pravin back to sing “alaigal theyadhanbe” together. These are terrific experiments that work brilliantly.The melody has a seismic shift, “adiye amudhe unai naan yendhave,” with Malaavika digressing and going into a Carnatic aalap mode, which is giving me goosebumps. Derick McArthur is the bassist, and we can hear Ramya Ram singing as a backing vocalist towards the end. Pravin interjects with a brief and sultry lead guitar solo, also playing some counterpoints towards the outro.  My mind quickly travels to the earth- shattering number “My Endless Love” by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Roshan Sebastian. @supernovarecords @roshansebastian @ahamedshyam @ramyaramofficial @parvinsaivi @sundarmaalavika @derickmcarthur 2. …Vinara VinaraMusic composed, arranged and produced by Devi Sri Prasad.Lyrics: SreemaniVocals: Sinduri VishalLanguage: TeluguMood: InspiringGenre: Folk-PopThis is probably Devi Sri Prasad’s (DSP)best song in years. The intro on keys feels like the faint sound of a violin or, even better, a Kottankuchi, but that nice melody apart, we get small packets of magic when the Piano hits you, and these intermittent chords are elevating. KP is the keyboardist, and he deserves an ovation, but let's not forget the man in charge, DSP, who has created a cracker of a song. Singeetham Sreenivasa Rao has for decades collaborated with Maestro Ilaiyaraja, so I am happy that DSP has internalised his hero’s musical sensibilities into this one. The gentle but folkish beats, thanks to Kalyan, take us back into the rural hinterlands of the Deccan region. Sinduri Vishal is unstoppable with her raw tone, and it looks like the song is tailor-made for her. Where she excels is in the way she can alter gears and sound sweet and innocent as well, and that is precisely what she does in the song’s Anupallavi. My favourite line is “Maa Manchi Kureti Devathaa, Shailajam Mari Kadaa”, and I would just stand up and bow to DSP for this melodic phrase. It literally gave me goosebumps. It took me to some masterpiece like “Sriranga Ranganathin” by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Sinduri’s voice and execution of these high-pitched notes are just breathtaking. Maybe that is why the melody has traces of Hamsadwani Ragam.The melody continues to mesmerise in the charanam “ Mattilona Pasidipaina Vaadi Kannepaddadi Aa Velana”, but DSP springs a dramatic surprise in the subsequent phrase as the melody turns into something suspenseful, energetic and mysterious, unlike anything we have heard so far in the song. This kind of experimental shift need not work, but here it somehow does, and kudos to DSP for trying it and landing it nice and soft. “Nelane Ammalaga Nammi Neekemi Laabham”, with backing vocalists in harmony, is the line I am talking about. @singersinduri @thisisdsp @nag_ashwin @singeethamsrinivasa @nivethapethuraj @vyjayanthimusic @divomusicofficial @shreelyricist 3. Thoduvaanathil

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 guitar arpeggios 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 a

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.