Top Indian Songs of the week 15th September 2024

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Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 15th September 2024

1.  Main Kahan

Written & Performed by: Karan Verma

Produced by: Karan Verma, Ameen Singh

Language: Hindi

Genre: Rock

Mood: Energetic

I could hardly comprehend what was happening and Karan Verma as the composer and co-producer kept me guessing with the initial hint of a classical song aided by the Thambura. Still, suddenly there is a rush of blood to the head with bass guitars, drums and acoustic guitars pouring in. I am deceived, but pleasantly. Ameen Singh plays the guitars and he also co-produced the record, Shiv Sameer is the drummer and the bassist oozing style is Jose Juvinao. 

We have a full-blown Rock track on display here. Karan has written the melody, and lyrics and performed the lead vocals. He paces himself and then goes for total obliteration as he sings " Na Koi manzil". I am reminded of some of the exhilarating work by AR Rahman in the title track of 'DIl Se' when I hear this piece. The arrangements and production are spotless with all the live instrumentalists working together in supreme form. The melody is soothing albeit with an infusion of some energy and Karan sings it with poise and passion as he goes " faaslon mein kate ye din yahan"

The electrifying guitars by Ameen in the interlude and the pick-up in beats per minute on drums are refreshing to hear in the second verse.  I was already impressed by the vocals, production and instrumental arrangements, and then Karan drops a bomb here with the solo violin. This is played by Subhojit Dey with precision as I am now slowly but steadily losing my faculty of speech, thanks to the awe and shock created by this set of musicians. I am reminded of another spectacular record by U2 " Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" of the Batman OST.  Can you hear the standing ovation brother Ameen as you shred me to pieces on the final guitar solo act towards the outro? The tracks are superbly mixed and mastered at Stereo Shinobi and recorded at L.A. Studios, LATF Studio, Beat Craft Studio and Tweaktone

@karan.verma95 @subhojit_dhruv @shivsameerr @dopameen23 @jose_juvinao

2. Jaam

Singer/Lyricist/Composer - Gurnazar

Featuring - Delbar Arya & Shanaya Khanna

Music - Chet Singh

Language: Hindi

Genre: Electronic pop fusion

Mood: Trippy/Pathos

A brilliant song and a dream record and for musicians wanting to do some impressive fusion music, here you go! The melody is hummable, and it sticks to your head. Once Gurnazar achieves that as a composer, he gets the song's lyrics to heighten the likability of the song with some witty and thoughtful writing. I do hear fragments of Raag Shanmukhapriya in the melody and I hope it is right. The song takes us back to the 'olden days cinema' where the protagonist is drunk and singing in misery. 

The Harmonium is in the prelude but soon enough we get Keys and rhythms with a modern electronic pop touch. Chet Singh is the man responsible for the fantastic arrangements and production. I love the line " Yaad aa rahe hain woh, jinhe bulana zaroori hai". The Harmonium keeps coming and engaging us in the interlude and then what we hear in the interlude is a stunningly written melody. This is what Bollywood should aim for, to create original and engaging music, and not focus on making just dance hits. Just feel the line "fikr karo na, yaaro meri, mera jhamela chod do, mujhko aur meri bottal humdono ko akela chod dho" with a fantastic ghamaka on the last word.   

I love how interestingly he breaks the phrases "hum dono ko" as " humdo" and "noko" to fit the metering. The writing is creative and funny and speaks the truth like " barf aur paani mein, yeh gham milana zaroori hai". This is one of the best songs I have heard in 2024. Kudos to Gurnazar and Chet Singh. The melody kind of feels akin to the great RD Barman's "Rimjhim Rimjhim" in '1942 A Love Story'. Additional vocals help the impact of the song and we are treated to some more beautiful words in the second stanza. The amazing use of keyboard and rhythm programming is evident in the record. Let us make this song the 'drinking anthem' of 2024. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Chet Singh.  

@gurnazar_chattha @chetsinghmusic @abhaynoorsingh_ @gurinderrbawa @shanayakhanna_official @delbararya @eypcreations @warnermusicindia 

3. Mehfooz

Music composed & produced by Raghav & Arjun

Sung by Shreya Baruah

Additional Vocals by Arjun Sharma

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Trippy

The duo is back, and I feel delighted that Raghav & Arjun have returned to their A game. This music feels like the morning dew, fresh, pure and awakening. Shreya Baruah is the lead vocalist and her voice, tone and delivery feel like a dash of black coffee. Her westernised singing works in the line " Tab ek raat sambhalegi". The keys and electronic pop elements with a tinge of the guitar feel inventive, but nothing comes close to the superlative humming. 

It is not just Shreya's execution but the melody written here that sounds inspiring and invigorating. One can hear Arjun on the additional vocals adding some vital depth to the vocals. The verse written by Raghav & Arjun is just beautiful and uplifts the song. The melody is striking with lines "Kone Nam Aankhon Ke, Choomegi Tere". It is their ability to compose something heartwarming and then elevate it with rich and creative arrangements and production, that makes them worthy. Shreya steals my heart when she adds an Indian classical-esque ghamaka in the ending line of the verse " De Jayegi Yeh Sukoon".

The outro is dreamy with my feet lifting off the ground thanks to Shreya's vocal improvisations. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane at Bombay Live Studios and assisted by Praneeth Kumar. The recording engineer is Prashant Chetri. 

@raghavandarjun @arjunpremsangeet @xshreya_ @prathmeshdudhane @bombaylivestudios @praneeethkumar @prashant.chetri.3 @firstwav 

4. Taaralainaa Cheraalante Vela Dooraale

Music Composed, Arranged and Programmed by Vivek Sagar 

Lyrics: Bharadwaj Gali 

Singer: Mangli

Language: Telugu

Genre: Alt-Rock

Mood: Happy

Vivek Sagar is prolific as a composer and one thing can be certain, to expect something fresh and whacky. This Telugu single has both these elements going in its favour. I am glad because someone finally went up to Mangli and gave her a beautiful melody, rather than the mundane and uninventive dance songs which we have seen over the years. She sings this delightful melody adding her vocal spark to it. The Sloka in the prelude is by Priyanka Harish. Bharadwaj Gali writes the lyrics

The Alt-Rock nature of the song gets all its upgrades from Sanjay Das on drums and Vivek Sagar on guitars and bass. Saroja plays the Dilriba in the interlude and tags along beautifully in the background. Rudresh spices things up with that savvy Sax in the interlude and Vivek spreads all the goodness through his arrangements and production. Mangli tells us how amazing she is with her tonal shifts, ghamakas and the touch of playfulness she induces in her vocals. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sanjay Das at Tapeloop with studio associate Aditya BN. 

@oddphysce @iammangli @bharadwajgali @tepelooprecords @sanj_das

5. Beqarariyaan

Composed and produced by G. V. Prakash

Lyrics by Manoj Muntashir

Vocals by Monali Thakur

Language: Hindi

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Energetic

The first single of 'EMergency' was pretty much run-of-the-mill with no great freshness in the melody or tone. It was a standard hyperactive anthem. This single however is beautiful and takes inspiration from a lot of the tone and soundscape we have heard in Kollywood. GV Prakash has done a fine job in composing and producing this and I am especially impressed with the elaborate stanza. 

Monali Thakur is a fantastic pick as the lead vocalist and she delivers it with zest and purpose. The guitars and flute along with the accompanying strings section arrangements decorate the background, and the intense delivery of Monali is heartwarming. I feel a sense of Asavari Thaat in the melody. The percussion and strings guide us through the interlude. As the interlude ended and the melody on the strings played out a couple of times I was reminded of the line "Tere to hai ham, kab se sanam" in the famous song 'Akele Hain TO Kya Ham Hain' from the album "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. 

The stanza is rich with some terrific notes and the part that goes " dedhe koi dedhe muje, raahat ka ek pal" and GV adds even more to the already ravishing melody with the subsequent lines. " Neendhein mere banjar, sapney bhi", with excellent arrangements on the strings section in the background. This has to go down as the best record by GV Prakash so far in 2024, and one of my favourite Bollywood numbers of 2024. The lyrics are beautifully penned to convey the message of longing and sorrow by Manoj Muntashir. 

@gvprakash @monalithakur03 @manojmuntashir

6. Learn To Love

Composer - Shekhar Ravjiani 

Singer - Neha Kakkar

Lyrics- Rajat Arora

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Shekhar Ravijani flies with freedom high and unshackled like a Garuda bird, when he is creating indie music. This is through his label GARUUDAA MUSIC. There are only 3 people on board here and Shekhar's composition and production show how sometimes simple is beautiful and substantial. The mesmerism in the record is thanks to some stylish guitars and fretless Bass played by Rhythm Shaw. He has also produced this segment. 

Neha Kakkar is a blessed vocalist who I wish, gets such amazing melodies to sing and showcase her ability. She doesn't squander much here as the teasing and titillating tone in her voice is enhanced by the minimal production. Look at the playfulness and attitude as she sings "Ishq karna zara hamse seekho", but she also sounds so convincing and vulnerable in the line "hum marte tumhi par". The guitar arrangements, and execution are so enticing, and the juicy interlude on the bass solo is like a bite of the New York Cheesecake. 

Shekhar writes a hummable melody and that is essential for everything else to work together. Abhay Rumde is the recording engineer are Purple Haze and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Hanish Taneja. Well done Rajat Arora for these beautiful and touching words of love. 

@shekharravijani @nehakakkar @rajat__aroraa @rhythm_shaw @mixedbyhanish @garuudaamusic @deepikasdeepclicks

7. Lana Maaniye

Performed by Aman Sharma, Deepika Negi

Written by Traditional Folk

Produced by Aman Sharma, Shashi Bhushan Negi

Language: Kullu and Kinnauri

Genre: Folk Fusion

Mood: Relaxing

This is one beautiful packaging of a traditional folk song. Aman Sharma and Deepika Negi are the performers and this delightful song in Raag Bhimpalasi is a fusion of Kullu and Kinnauri folk from the hills of Himachal Pradesh. I cannot thank this team of musicians, engineers and technicians for bringing our traditional folk music into the broader spectrum for a Pan-Indian appreciation. 

Aman starts off with the music of the Kullu region and then the fantastic delivery by Deepika Negi in Kinnauri is elevating and transporting us to the regions of the Sino-Tibetan areas of Himachal. Interestingly the production is apt by Aman and Shashi Bhushan Negi as they get the instrumental elements and tonalities of music from Tibet and China when Deepika is performing the Kinnauri folk. The fantastic percussions, woodwinds and stringed instruments along with harmonies are mesmerising. The outro on woodwinds with the thumping percussion is top-notch and we get the melody beautifully written and executed by the artist on the flute solo 

@aman_0s @binita_budathoki @anuragvashishtmusic @_the_feisty_pisces_ @jeevanahh @rupsh_ @mutiny.records @auli_ester @rajasinghmalhotra @mr_dakol @shashibhushannegi @mutinyrecordsbyqala 

8. Night Queen

Written, Composed and Performed by Swati Bhatt

Produced by - Bob Lanzetti and Swati Bhatt

Vocals - Swati Bhatt 

Language: English

Genre: Pop

Mood: Contemplative

Swati Bhatt creates such dreamy pop and this Deli-based singer-songwriter is exceptional with her ability to write good melodies and perform vocally with a deep sense of passion. She has penned the lyrics, composed the tune and also co-produced the record with Bob Lanzetti. The layers of vocals are haunting as the arrangements are done with some exciting lag effect. 

Julian Pollack gets buys on keys and the Piano and the Harp is played by Maeve Gilchrist. The singing in the higher vocal registers feels like eternal bliss and we have Bob playing the guitars and handling the drum programming. The harmonies are a constant presence and we have an interlude where we hear the humming by Swati. The lyrics make this 'Night Queen' to be a mysterious entity and the musical production packs in even more thrills and spills. Jordan Perlson is on the Electronic drums. 

Suyash Gabriel plays the drums and joins later in the song and it follows the interlude and the humming towards the end. The outro feels like some splendid synth electronic pop, Bon Lanzetti and Swati deserve praise 

@swati_bhatt @boblanzetti @maevegilchrist @iamj3po @suyashgabriel @jordanperlson @lotusreestudios @mkrishnarao @nic.hard @thomash_juth @aydee____ @mohitkrtiwari @directedbynil

9. Meri Jaan

Written, Composed by: Swanand Kirkire 

Vocals by: Hansika Pareek, Swanand Kirkire

Music Produced by: Shrey Gupta, Bharath 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Romantic

Swanand Kirkire is an allrounder's dream, as he writes lyrics, composes music and performs male lead vocals in this. If you have forgotten he is also an actor! This is a spectacular song with soul and substance. Tapas Roy plays the Bazouki and Shrey Gupta is on the acoustic guitar. It is all mild and meaningful with the mild humming of Swati Bhatt in the background. The vocal production is done by Swati and the record is produced by Shrey and Bharat, so kudos to them for the savvy arrangements. 

Akshay Jadhav makes the entry on the Tabla and we get the most hummable line in the chorus segment with Hansika Pareek as the female lead vocalist. "Meri Jaan Jaan Jaan, Mera Dil Ka Yeh Makaan" is dreamy and it is like an ointment to any bored or sad heart. Can Hanisika get any more sweeter and adorable? Tapas Roy's mandolin comes in to support in the interludes. This is a simple song, but the excellent vocals, writing and production make it memorable. "Kya tere bein jiya nahi jaaye, kya chaen na aayi tere bin" is the bridge/outro and Swanand ji leaves you wanting so much more. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Carl Nazareth, and the recording engineer is Rupjit Das at Playhead Studios. 

@swanandkirkire @hansikaapareek @thatfingerstyleguitarist @mandolintapas @akshaymusic @swati_bhatt @carlnazareth @rupjit_playheadstudio @firstwav @bharath.mp3 

10. Mujhe Jaane Do

Composition, Lyrics, and Vocals by: Utsavi Jha

Music Production by: Manav

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop Ballad

Mood: Pathos

Just like how there are these actor-director combinations that never go awry, we also have singer/songwriter-producer duos who always create magic. Here is one with Utsavi Jha on lyrics, composition and vocals as she gets the brilliant Manav to produce the record. This is the 3rd straight single that I am featuring with this team in tandem. Her music has soul and it is mean to touch and move the listener. Utsavi clearly understands the impact of singing with emotional thrust and propriety. 

Her writing is like a shrapnel, intended to be sharp and pointed. She sings " Rokho na, chodh dho, tooth jaun main kya", and you can feel like Utsavi is breaking. Manav's minimal production, and just the mild Piano, helps the message get through clearly without noise or obstruction. Can you hear the pain and frustration when she sings " reth sa pyaar hai, ehsaan manoon main kya". The accompanying harmonies act like the support group helping the protagonist as she says " mujhe jaane do". Slowly but steadily Manav adds layers and elements of the synths, and strings section in the subsequent verses. 

The rhythms are like a spring in the step and now we can feel that the protagonist is free and relieved wanting to move on and head away. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Carl Nazareth. The recording engineer is Mrunal at PlayHead Studio, Mumbai. 

@utsavijhamusic @man.musical @raghavmattle @firstwav @shambhavisingh @priya_waingankar11 @sushantkul @carlnazareth