Top Indian Songs of the week 10th March 2024

If you are a musician submit your new music here.

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 10th March 2024.

1. Le Le Pangey

Singer: Sanjith Hegde, Anurag Kulkarni, Varsha S Krishnan

Composed by - Sanjith Hegde

Lyricist - Kausar Munir

Music Producer - Gautham Hebbar, Sanjith Hegde

Language: Hindi

Genre: Disco-pop

Mood: Energetic

Bejoy Nambiar must truly be appreciated for his commitment to the art of cinema, as keeps on experimenting. He deserves even more praise for getting indie musicians a chance to showcase their talent on the big screen. This song is the best in the album as Sanjith Hegde composes and performs this energetic disco-pop single. To me, Sanjith, Charan Raj and Gautham Hebbar show many Indian musicians how to create an original song in this genre without sounding similar to the work of Bee Gees. 

Rithu Vysakh sizzles on the violins as he not only performs but also arranges the section. Varsha Krishnan and Anurag Kulkarni accompany Sanjith on lead vocals, and the chorus is formed by Narayanan Ravishankar, Santosh Hariharan, Srisha Vijayasekar and Abinaya. The song feels uplifting as we hit the chorus segment. The outstanding, world-beating production is by Sanjith and Gautham Hebbar. 

The rhythm programming is of stunning quality and Fodfray Immanuel keeps up the charm on guitars. The singing by Sanjith elevates to a much higher orbital as expected in the stanza and it is one roller-coaster ride just listening to this splendid piece. The synth-heavy and keyboard-led part where Sanjith sings " aa aa aa" is brilliant. Nisthula Murphy is the project supervisor, Sanjay Romauld is the recording engineer and Sujith Sreedhar is the mix/master engineer at 2BarQ, Chennai. 

@sanjithhegde @varsha_skrishnan @anuragkulkarni7 @kausarmunir @nikifying @zoamorani @tjbhanu @sanchana.natarajan @imarjundas @kalidas_jayaram @tseries.official @gauthamhebbar @_srishaaaa__ @santoshhariharanlive @sujithsreedhar @rithuvysakh

2. Jaage Re Jaage Naina

Singers: Shashwat Singh & Prateeksha Srivastava

Lyrics: Himanshu Kohli

Music: Yug Bhusal

Music Production, Mix & Master: Roop Mahanta

Language: Hindi

Genre: Light Music/Pop

Mood: Romantic

Prateeksha Srivastava has been doing quite well in many indie projects of late, where she composes and writes but here it feels like some nice recognition of her abilities when another composer/producer offers her a vocal role. Shashwat Singh is another talented singer who deserves many more things going in his favour and this song is a good exhibition of the vocal abilities of both Prateeksha and Shashwat. 

We get a beautiful melody that reminds us of the works of Pritam, Shankar-Ehsan-Loy and so on. Prateeksha enhances the beauty of the notes with her expression and tone. I love the line " aankhon she khwaab churaye, hoton pe baat chupaaye" for its melodic strength, and lyrical value. Himanshu Kohli writes the words, Yug Bhusal writes the melody, and kudos to both. Kiran Vinkar's woodwinds play midly in the background and Ishan Das doubles the pleasure with his guitars. 

The interlude is laden with such goodness as we get some melodious notes on the woodwinds, and it is Roop Mahanta who glorifies the song with the fantastic arrangements and rhythm programming as well. The stanza is where Shashwat opens his account and it feels like a gift from the heavens as he sings the stunning line "behti tu ek nadiya". I had such a great recall of AR Rahman's album "99 Songs" when I heard Shashwat's voice. The vocal harmony arrangements are outstanding as well. 

The song transports me to a better place and I am sure it will brighten your day as well. Rupjit Das is the recording engineer and Roop does the mixing and mastering. The outro with the combined vocals of Prateeksha and Shashwat with the woodwinds playing in a feeble tone is a fitting end to the song. 

@officialprateeksha @shashwatsinghofficial @yugbhusalofficial @theritikarai @dishant_gullaiya @roopmahantaofficial @rupjit_playheadstudio @ishandas_666 @himanshukohli @kiranvinkarflute

3. Kagaz

Singers - Garvit - Priyansh

Composers - Garvit - Priyansh

Producer - Garvit Soni

Lyricist - Priyansh Srivastava 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical fusion

Mood: Relaxed

The song is named "Kagaz" and I can give it in writing on a piece of paper that Garvit-Priyansh would be one of the most trusted and reliable duos/bands in Indian indie music. They keep coming up with such beautiful songs like bags on a conveyor belt. Garvit Soni and Priyansh Srivastava are the source of inspiration to most Indie musicians thanks to their consistency and quality. 

This song as always has been composed by the duo and also been performed by both. Garvit is the producer and Priyansh is the lyricist. The soothing vocals along with the acoustic guitar and strings section in the background are tranquil. The line "na kahoge tum, na kabhi kahenge hum, kagazi sa hamara ishq hai" is sentimental and touching both musically and lyrically. The verses are simple in their structure but it is the singing and gentle instrumental arrangements that deliver the goods. A music lover can spend an evening just listening to this and he/she will never know the way time passes by. 

@garvitsoni_ @maninychakrabarty @ruchelle_dadwani @suhanichandhok @startistmanagement @gaganverma26 @priyanshhhsrivastava @garvitxpriyansh 

4. Love Nahin Toh Kya Hai

Music Composed & Produced by: Salim Sulaiman

Singers: Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal

Lyrics: Shraddha Pandit 

Music Co-Produced: Raj Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Here they come again, the Merchant brothers ain't gonna stop, and this is hopefully the start of something once more magical in 2024 from the brilliant composer/producer duo. They have composed and produced this beautifully written song and Salim-Sulaiman brings on Indian Idol supremos Pawandeep Rajan and Arunita Kanjilal as lead vocalists for this romantic single. 

Muheet Bharti is present and he paints a stunning picture using the acoustic guitars, and we then have Arunita and Pawandeep joining forces and adding vocal layers. To be honest the song's intro and pre-chorus segments were run-of-the-mill for me. It then starts sounding very catchy with the title "yeh love nahi toh kya hai", the bass guitars and innovative sounds probably from the talk-box amp up the style. 

The verse begins with a terrific line that goes "aankhon mein kaajal na tehre , ki tu basa inme", and is loaded with melodic and vocal goodness. If Arunita steals the heart with the voice and the mild ghamaka, Pawandeep stamps his authority and confidence when he sings the next lines. The arrangements, production and sound design are very typical of Salim-Sulaiman and that is why it remains the best segment of the song. Kudos to Shraddha Pandit for these relatable lines. 

Raj Pandit is the co-producer and we have the usual suspects Aditya Kalway, and Raj once again on recording at Blue Productions, Aftab Khan as the mix/master engineer and Vatsal Chevli assisting with mixing. 

@pawandeeprajan @arunitakanjilal @shraddhapandit @salimsulaimanmusic @rajpandit17 @aviral_kumar @mixedbyaftab @muheetbharti @merchant_records @warnermusicindia @adityakalway @vatsalchevli @choklate.pi @shivansh.j 

5. Sazayein

Performed by Abhijeet Srivastava, Akshay The One, digV, Dronark

Written by Abhijeet Srivastava, Akshay The One

Produced by Abhijeet Srivastava, Dronark

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop fusion 

Mood: Trippy

These are all talented artists and together they haven't let us down, because a proverb says " too many cooks spoil the broth". That adage has been proven wrong here as we have a collaborative effort between Abhijeet Srivastava, Akshay The One, Dronark and digV. Akshay The One has penned the lyrics and the singer/composer Abhijeet takes up the mantle of composing the tune and co-producing the song along with Dronark.

Abhijeet has this amazing gift of taking a very classical/folk-sounding tune and attaching, glossing it over with some EDM/Lo-fi sounds. The recipe has some secret sauce that I can only keep wondering about, but the end product is awesome. Here comes another classic example of that. digV is the lead vocalist and he just spices things up and then he is joined by Abhijeet's stylish delivery. The woodwind interlude is creatively catchy and we get some hip-hop verse. Overall the song is some exemplary fusion.

@abhijeetmusic @iamakshaydhawan @digvijaysinghpariyaofficial @dronark @gibsonbha @gibmusick @vedaant.music @pranavgupta_27 @unboundrecordz 

6. Khayaal

Singer: Asees Kaur and Goldie Sohel

Composer & Lyricist: Goldie Sohel

Language: Punjabi

Genre: Tumri

Mood: Contemplative

He is an absolute gem, and she is a shining jewel too! Two precious artists combine for no mediocre reason, do they? Take this song for instance, and just feel thankful that we can still boast of such amazing talent, amidst a degrading music scene in some of the popular money-minting movie industries! Goldie Sohel has been featured multiple times over the years and he possesses this innate talent to compose a delightful melody.

It is a rarity these days and here too this Tumri-styled song touches the heart. Asees Kaur has a gifted voice and her ability to twist and turn around notes never goes old, and she continues to pierce the heart with every note uttered here. The use of the Piano and Asees' voice combine like 'paratha and makkan'. The interlude has this delightful Piano melody and there are a couple of layers too. 

The stanza is a place where a music lover can just surrender to Asees' brilliant ghamakas. Goldie ends with his poetry recitation in the outro. Peace and beauty as he sings the line in the dying moments of the song. 

@aseeskaurmusic @goldiesohel @artistefirst @bombay_kalakaar @ebc_originals 

7. Uljhan

Singer: Parth Srivastava, Sireesha Bhagavatula

Music Director: Parth Srivastava 

Lyrics: Parth Srivastava 

Music Arranger: Garvit Soni

Language: Hindi

Genre: Retro

Mood: Romantic

It is a melody that fills the heart with joy. Retro music is fun and it rekindles our memories. Parth Srivastava and Sireesha Bhagavatula are sensational in this Hindi song that transports us like a time machine. Sireesha has already proven that she has this astonishing ability to replicate the greatness of the singers of the 1950s and 1960s. We all heard, enjoyed and got serenaded by her in Amit Trivedi's "Qala". 

The Tabla by Maitreya Kulkarni and the gentle keys are intoxicating companions and the two lead vocalists give us such a treat with their subtle ghamakas in "tim timathi si hai yeh sard raatein". Parth delivers the vocals with such a delicate touch and writes this gorgeous melody as well as these beautiful romantic words. One of my favourite musicians is Garvit Soni from the Garvit-Priyansh duo and he does all the fabulous arrangements for this song. The interlude has this melody on the Mandolin and it is played by Aarush Kapoor who also plays the guitars in the song. 

I am reminded of this famous song in Tamil called " Kannale Pesi Pesi Kollathe" from the album "Adutha Veetu Penn" sung by PB Sreenivos and released in 1959. The stanza is an extended melody of what we heard in the song's sthayi, and my favourite part was the closing stages of the stanza that goes "hai yahi nakhrili baton ki saza", and landing with a beautiful and brisk guitar piece. Shivam Verma is the mastering engineer.

@srivastavaparth @sireeshabhagavatula @ondhonodi_ @garvitsoni_ 

8. Dheeme Dheeme

Composed By: Ram Sampath

Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire

Singer: Shreya Ghoshal

Music Arranged & Produced by Ram Sampath & Arabinda Neog  

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical Fusion

Mood: Relaxed/Pathos

This song stood out for me in the newly released movie album "Laapataa Ladies". Ram Sampath weaves a heartwarming melody that has many strains of classical Indian music. It influences Raag Mishra Pilu and carries the mild pathos right through. Swanand Kirkire on lyrics and Shreya Ghoshal do the rest to deliver the poignant message through their brilliant work. 

The plucks are strong and take all the attention and slowly Ram and Arabinda Neog on production introduce various elements. The vocal harmonies are a huge component and make the melody feel even more mesmerising. Pratikhya Sarma can be heard contributing on backing vocals. The additional arrangements are by Nalin Vinayak and the musical supervisor is Vrashal Chavan. The keys and rhythm programming are apt with the rhythms providing the feeling of "Dheeme Dheeme". Shreya is stunning as expected and a good melody loses its way without the presence of such a vocal vehicle. 

Ram Sampath never stops, and he continues to amaze us with a beautifully written stanza as well. Kailash Patra plays the Violin and Viola and it is nice to hear Shreya improvise and sing in the outro. The recording engineers are Amey Wadibhasme at Omgrown Music, Mumbai and Pranjal Borah at Neo Sound. The tracks are mixed by Amey and mastered by Gethin John at Hafod Mastering. 

@ramsampathofficial @tseries.official @swanandkirkire @shreyaghoshal @pratibha_ranta @nalin.v97 @arabinda_music @kailashpatraviolin @vrashal @ameywadi 

9. Sayali

Lyrics and Music - Prem Vadakkandiaries

Singers - Prem vadakkandiaries, Nithya Balagopal

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Light Music  

Mood: Romantic

Josy Allepy on the flute and Roopa Revathi on the violin, invite us like those beautifully carved effigies at the threshold of a temple's sanctum sanctorum. Prem Vadakkandiaries and Nithya Balagopal perform the lead vocals and the sweet-nectar-dropping melody grows on us. It looks like the song has influences as Brindavana Sarangi as it reminds me of "Penn ondru Kanden", composed by MS Viswanathan

Roopa's violin solo feels like she is a sorceress and she is using her magical powers on the fiddle. My heart throbs with every note she plays in the interlude. The acoustic guitar is gently guiding the romantic mood forward and the song gets a beautiful segment in the stanza where our heart blossoms further. The second interlude is a joyous ride with the strings section. 

Madhu Paul is on programming and the song is produced by Prem. The flowy Pianos are one unforgettable highlight of the song. Akshay Kakkoth and Sebin are the recording engineers and Rijosh VA is the mix/master engineer. 

@prem_vadakkan_diaries @uday_ramachandran_ @nithyabalagopal @rooparevathi @akshay_kakkoth

10. Samayame 

Music: Gopi Sundar 

Lyrics: Vinayak Sasikumar

Singer: Sreehari Palakkad

Song Arranged And Programmed By: Gopi Sundar 

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Rock

Mood: Energetic

The voice of this youngster is unbelievably inspiring and it took me a while to absorb this fact into my system. The singing and delivery are energetic and uplifting and Sreehari Palakkad is an inspiration for so many experienced vocalists as to how to emote as a playback singer. Gopi Sundar has composed, arranged and programmed this thumping melody and song, with all additional programming by Cyriac George and Nithish Chandran.

The chorus consists of Amal Antony Agustin, Austin Shymon, Robil Raphael, Lalit Rison, Amalvinod Sunny, Aarya Janardhanan, Anjali Sanoop, Sariga Chandran and Nithya Aljo (Voxosaaa Vocal Ensemble) and together they up the ante and Amal Antony handles the vocal arrangements of the chorus. The stunning guitars and bass are played by Sumesh Parameswar and watch out for his solo electric guitar in the interlude. 

The recording engineers are Rajath Raveendran, Nevin C Delson and Gopi Sundar with Balu Thankachan on mixing and mastering, and Babu Velayudhan, and Priya Nair as Music Production Managers. Vinayak Sasikumar is the lyricist. 

@sreehari_palakkad_official @gopisundar__official @parameswarsumesh @voxosaaa_official @georgycyriac 

11. Raat Holey

Singer: Debayan Banerjee

Composition: Anis Ahmed

Lyrics: Pralay Sarkar

Music arranged and produced by: Anis Ahmed

Additional music production: Debayan Banerjee

Language: Bangla

Genre: Pop

Mood: Energetic

Indie Music needs all the push and pull it can get, because talent must be appreciated, boosted and celebrated irrespective of the means, money and muscle. Such great initiatives are being taken across most states to promote local indie musicians, and one of them was a project called "Banglar Gaan". I did like a couple of songs with this one topping the list.

The single is a collaboration between vocalist Debayan Banerjee and composer Anis Ahmed. Debayan also does all the additional music production while Anis produces the song and handles the beautiful instrumental arrangements. The Keys, and rhythms are engaging along with that stylish bass guitar and with these in the background, Debayan makes the heart feel heavy with his vocals. 

The interlude is bustling with energy thanks to the thumping rhythms, drums and the flute solo by Panchajanya Dey. It is transcendental with the whole arrangement of the vocals and instrumentals. Things fall off the cliff after the interlude and we have Debayan and just the mild guitars enthralling us in the stanza. Pralay Sarkar writes the lyrics. 

The production also brings in some string sections into the fray in the background and the song has all the elements of a stunning Pop creation. None of this would be possible without the core melody of the song and so kudos to Anis. 

@debayanbanerjeeofficial @pralay25 @anis_ahmed6 @riya.debroy @svfmusic #banglargaanindies

12. Jo Tu Mere Paas Hai

Written, Composed & Produced by Yohan Marshall 

Co-written by Neeraj Patil  

Sung by Yohan Marshall 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Yohan Marshall creates a very peppy, and relevant pop single for the current times. The mood is happy and romantic and the vocals, tune and arrangements, especially the loaded acoustic guitars help the cause. Yohan has been on my radar for quite some time now and he has been featured as well. 

Yohan has written the melody and lyrics, with lyrics co-written by Neeraj Patil. Yohan's breezy vocals are impressive and he also does quite well on the overall production of the song. I particularly like the rhythm programming and backing vocal arrangements which keep accompanying right through. Mallika Barot is the accompanying. vocalist. The guitar strumming is extremely soulful and it instils some spice and vigor into the song. Prathamesh Dudhane is the mix/master engineer.

@yohan_marshall_ @ranii_kaur @prathmeshdudhane @neeraj.nrp @shara_sethna @_tasveerz_ @mazdastudios @mallikabarot