Top Indian Songs of the week 17th November 2024

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

1. Teardrops

Vocals, Lyrics, Composition: Ananya Sharma

Produced by: Ananya Sharma & Jorge I Vazquez

Language: English

Genre: Pop

Mood: Relaxing

Before I start reviewing this song, I would like to mention here that, this is the 3rd song from Ananya's new album 'A Junkyard Wonder' that I am featuring in these weekly written reviews. This happens rarely, so Ananya Sharma deserves a huge round of applause. 'Teardrops' is a fabulous single that brings together some amazing live instrumentalists from around the globe. Ananya writes the lyrics, and the melody and performs the lead and backing vocals in this song. 

Aidat Witvoet plays the gentle piano and the layers of vocals come like an entourage you cannot miss or ignore. These are praiseworthy arrangements already and kudos to Ananya and Jorge I Vazquez for producing this song with such niceties. Ananya once again excels as a songwriter here with such clear and creative word choices to convey a message. Listen to this line " A sense of forgiveness starts to unleash like a blooming of a rose", with backing vocal harmonies enhancing the last phrase. This could just be me, but when this line comes and ends, I feel like a glimpse of Seal's "Kiss from a Rose" maybe because of the gentle and similar melody and the accompanying backing vocal arrangements. 

The string section arrangements in the background also could be another reason for that similarity. We have Jorge and Angela Moya Serrat playing the solo violins and the emphatic drums by Anthony Lafond. The string section arrangements are done by the Maestro Albert Palau. The eyes close automatically to enjoy the song when you hear the beautiful melody, vocals and arrangements and the irony is that Ananya just then sings " Your eyes start to open suddenly". The drum arrangements and the Pianos alternate between playing things with tenderness and aggression. 

This keeps the audience guessing and never for a second do we take the song's chord projection and tone for granted. The bridge section is filled with such goodness but it explodes onto the scene, with lyrics " Weak, you feel the blame, Palms cold and eyes wet, Every second of craving, Happiness and a light head" with some scintillating drums, electric bass by Samuel Keri and absorbing Pianos. The Oud which we hear very mildly is played by Nikos Siderakis and the Marimba is by Robed Fenelus. She ends the song with a much-needed message " You are your own bliss" with the reverberating drums by Anthony. The programming is done by Ananya and all the mixing and mastering are done by Ananya and Jorge with mix assistance from Ishaan Jagyasi, Arina Korenyu, Tanishq Seth, Lars Gardner and Jackie Walter. 

@ananyas.music @jorgei.vazquez @nic.hard @ishaan.jagyasi 

@anthony__lafond @samuelkeri.music @nikos.siderakis @angi_moya @albert_palau1 @jackiewaltermusic @ar_korenyu

2. Baat Itni Si

Composer: Shekhar Ravjiani 

Singers:  Pratibha Singh Baghel, Madhubanti Bagchi

Lyrics: Priya Saraiya

Arranged by: Shri Deepak Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Tumri-fusion/Ghazal

Mood: Relaxing

I don't remember the last time Shekhar Ravijani composed a Tumri-based melody, but it works like magic. Two ace performers Pratibha Singh Baghel and Madhubanti Bagchi take up the task of lead vocals and we are captivated all the way. The outstanding composer/producer Deepak Pandit handles the arrangements and carves a great jewel from this precious stone. Bhagirath Bhatt plays the Sitar solo with a divine touch and accompanying him is Aklakh Hussain on the Harmonium. 

Within seconds I am immersed in the melody as Pratibha and Madhubanti battle it out with their abilities and delivery. Sanjoy Das is stunning as the bassist providing the cool western funk all along and Dilshad Khan pitches in with the Sarangi to elevate the pathos from time to time. The rhythm master is Prashant Sonagra on the Tabla and we are entertained with some fabulous interludes and arrangements. The Sitar and Harmonium playing the beautiful melody in the interlude in unison is graceful to hear. 

The melody has Raag Pilu (Kaapi in Carnatic) influences in my opinion, and Priya Saraiya writes the tantalising words. I hope to hear more from Shekhar in this genre in the coming days. The lyrics are quite interesting with lines like "Maine Gulzar ke gaano se woh chaand churaya". The tracks are mixed by Kuppaiyandi Sethuraman. The song keeps playing on my mind much later after the outro.

@shekharravijani @priyasaraiyaofficial @bagchi_mb @iampratibhasingh @deepakpandit_31 @sanjoygtr @dilshhadkhan @bhagirath.bhatt @prashantsonagra @akhlakhhussainvarsi @kuppaiyandisethuraman @sanket.s.tole @kirti_narain @prabhat66 @garuudaamusiic

3. Kasturi

Singer - Arijit Singh

Music Composer - Prasad S

Lyrics - Kunaal Vermaa

Language: Hindi

Genre: Light Music/Pop

Mood: Romantic

I enjoyed this album by Prasad S which had some fine music. The album was " Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani". Arijit Singh is the lead vocalist and unlike many of his songs in recent memory, this one stands out as being fresh and neatly cooked. There has been a tendency for Arijit to overdo many of the aalap's and ghamakas and without such gimmicks, this song is a pleasant ride from start to finish. 

The intro has this beautifully written humming portion, performed by male and female vocalists. The melody written in the verse is also so heartwarming and Arijit touches the soul. "ek jaisa haal tera mera" is when you start swaying in total approval of this rich melody. The backing vocalists, woodwinds, guitars and the Sarangi by Dilshad Khan work together and elevate the instrumental portions of the song in the interlude. Naveen is outstanding on the flute solo and the keyboard and rhythm programing is adequate. 

Prasad S has written the melody, Kunaal Vermaa is the lyricist and the production is done by Prasad S with Piyush Seth on music supervision. Tushar J is the man on additional music production. The backing vocalists we hear are Suzanne Dmello, Gary Misquitta and Murishka D'cruz. "Rabb ne banaye, hai rang itne" is the opening line of the stanza and here I am bowled over by the melody and he vocals, making this song a rarity in Bollywood. Many young and experienced musicians can learn a thing or two from Prasad Sashte. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Shadab Rayeen and Himanshu Shirlekar. 

@prasad.sashte @kunaalvermaa @thejaythetj @himanshushirlekar @dilshhhadkhan @gboy.nwc @piush_k_setth 

4. Ghum Hain Kahin

Music- Aman Pant

Lyrics- Ramil Ganjoo

Additional Lyrics- Akhil Tiwari

Singer- Papon

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop-Ballad

Mood: Pathos

The web-series on Amazon Prime "Citadel: Honey Bunny" did have some good music with at least a couple of enjoyable songs, by various composers. I did a full album review on my IG page, please go check it out. Ramil Ganjoo's Ukulele drags you in with a faint sadness and calmness in the intro. Papon takes care of the rest as the lead vocalist and he needs no second invitation when it comes to delivering a song with immaculate emotions. 

The composition is by Aman Pant, a good composer I have featured a few times and the lyrics are penned by Ramil along with some additional contributions by Akhil Tiwari. Veljon Noronha plays the gentle acoustic guitar and the pathos is enhanced with the entry of the strings quartet. Samarth Srinivasan does a brilliant job arranging the strings section played by the Kaska Records String Quartet. The melody is enticing with lines " kisse kahoon ya na kahoon" as Papon makes you feel teary with his delivery. 

The interlude has the Cello playing such an intense set of notes and it is soon followed by the violin and Viola making things seem gloomy. Veljon joins with additional vocals and as a bassist. I love the lyrics which feel like a man entangled in dilemma and mystery and it matches the tone and tempo of the song. Neil Andrews does all the additional arrangements, Vishal Shinde is the recording engineer at Chirping Birds Studios. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ninad Lad. 

@amanpant02 @paponmusic @veljon6noronha @ineilandrew19 @samarthsrininvasan @shobin_joy @ramilganjoo @marchingakhil

5. Pussytalk

Composition, Vocals and Lyrics: Ananya, Damini and Brecilla D'Souza

Produced by Pranav Kamat

Language: English

Genre: Jazz/Pop

Mood: Haunting

I love everything about this act, the name, the band members, their genre of music, their amazing confidence and the consistency of songwriting. Oh yes, their vocal of course. Ananya, Damini and Brecilla are here to rule our hearts with yet another smashing single. The trio have written the song and performed the lead vocals while Pranav Kamat punctuates aptly with his arrangements and groovy music production. 

The intro has the 3 singers performing in unison with that scat-singing style and guitars and keys by Pranav. The slow tempo adds to the sensuality of the song and the vocal tones and additional vocal harmonies elevate the oomph factor. To be precise this feels like a 'Bond girl' song and Pranav does a fantastic job with the Keys and the strings section programmed in the background. Slowly but steadily the song gets some more energy with the stirring vocals by all the 3 leads who take turns and taunt us. The tempo picks up a notch as well. 

The bridge section gets into another mode as the ladies pose serious questions "I hope you find the strength to look me in the eyes when you break my crown and feel my pain, Here I ask "

@queendomindia @daminivox @brecilladsouza @ananyas.music @pranavkmt @edenn.shoots 

6. Daayre

Composer, Lyricist - Shreya Jain

Singer - Shreya Jain

Produced by - Himonshu Parikh

Additional Production by - Nakul Chugh 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Fresh from a fabulous EP called 'Bawra' Shreya Jain comes up with this new single that she writes and performs in the lead. Her voice is like that drop of sweet honey, or If I have to sound fresh and creative, it is like that drop of Maple syrup which just makes everything around it taste much better. Harshvardhan Gadhvi plays the acoustic guitar, but that is more like a rhythm guitar, it is the word"Daayre" that we constantly focus on, especially with the numerous ways and means she uses to deliver the same word differently.  

The man in charge of the music production is Himonshu Parikh and you know what to expect. The keyboardist/producer generates some oomph in the interludes with some lavish programming. The verse opens up after the interlude and Shreya stands out in the crowd because she can write such melodies that evoke a surge of emotions. There are vocal harmonies arranged as well and the lovely singers assigned the duty are Nakul Chugh, Abhiruchi Singh, Shriya Pareek, Salamat and Shreya Jain. Nakul does all the additional production. 

The bridge section that goes " yaadon se ab nahin" is another testament to Shreya's songwriting abilities. The music supervisor is Azeem Dayani. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane, and the recording engineers are Spandan Maskar at BayOwl Studios and Yash Ahire at Loud Sound Studios. 

@shreyajainmusic @himonshu @harshreality91 @prathmeshdudhane @nakulchughh @azeemdayani @tanviasher @raymudafare @dcatalentmusic @pankhurirnjn @saregama_official @deepika_rai09 @abhiruchimusic @shaandaarshriya 

7. I Can Fly

Music Composition: All The Fat Children

Music Producer: Ankit Suryakanth

Language: English

Genre: Alt-Rock

Mood: Energetic

It is such a wild experience to learn about a band for the first time, especially after working in this field as a music journalist for over 5 years. It is wilder to feature their music in my weeklies. Here come "All The Fat Children" from Bengaluru with Eben Jonhson as the frontman with lead vocals and playing lead guitars. The other members are bassist Vickram Kiran and drummer Sachin Savio. The band has written the song while Ankit Suryakanth is the music producer. 

I love the lackadaisical approach to singing that we hear from Eben, giving it an uber-coolness. Soon enough he ups the ante with his energetic delivery singing "Let's pretend it's the end". The lead guitars, bass and drums are pulverizing. I can feel his emotion when Eben sings " I won't give in, I won't back down" This brand of rock music is a perfect embodiment of that never-back-down spirit. This song is an anthem that celebrates the spirit of living up to your fullest potential and that is why the lyrics deliver the message aptly when Eben says " Why should I run, When I can Fly, and I can". Vickram sizzles with the bass guitar riff that he plays towards the outro. 

@allthefatchildren 

8. Ghar Di Rounak

Vocals by Devenderpal Singh

Composed by Amit Trivedi

Lyrics by Shellee

Produced by Himonshu

Language: Punjabi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

Please stream Amit Trivedi's " Azaad Collab" a fine folk-pop fusion album with 14 songs. I was quite impressed, giving the album a 4/5 rating recently on my IG page. After a long time, Amit shines as a composer and he gets some fantastic producers and vocalists on board making the songs special. This single performed by Devenderpal Singh is one of my favourites and the lyrics are penned by Shellee. The biggest attribute of this song's resounding goodness comes from Himonshu Parikh's music production, in my opinion. 

Devenderpal is a vocalist I have featured a few times and I love his tone, and delivery every single time. The ethnic strings and keys, synths drive the arrangements, and then the captivating chorus line performed by backing vocalists is admirable and hummable. The shehnai adds glamour and gives an effect indicating romance and nuptials. Devenderpal's high-pitch singing is awe-inspiring and sows seeds of love automatically. The stunning keys and rhythms give a modern touch to the song thanks to Himonshu, and the background Shehnai is a great fusion. Devenderpal's humming in the outro is another interesting addition as an arrangement. 

@itsamittrivedi @beleievmusicindia @shadabrayeen @himonshu @devenderpallive 

9. Narazgi

Vocals: Amarabha Banerjee 

Lyrics: Saswata Ray 

Music Composition & Additional Vocals: Rajkumar Sengupta

Music Arrangement : Souptik Mazumder 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Folk

Mood: Relaxing/Pathos

Two talented musicians combine in this folkish-classical number and what we get is just a beautiful uplifting song. Amarabha Banerjee is the lead vocalist and the melody is composed by Rajkumar Sengupta. He also joins in on additional vocals and Souptik Mazumder gets the arrangements perfectly aligned. We get a taste of rural India with the rhythms designed (sound of Kanjira) by Achint Darkar and the Esraj in the interlude played by Tathagata Misra.

The backing vocal arrangements are exquisite and the high-pitched notes bring about a sense of inspiration with Marabha singing " Sun kya Bole mann, tanha yeh saawan". He quickly gets back to the calming lines " kaun tujhe sambhale" and this wide vocal range shows what a fantastic vocalist Amarabha is. The confluence of the Piano and the Dotara sounds fantastic. The verse is short but it sticks to the overall tone and continues to touch the heart just like the pre-chorus and chorus parts written. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Tirthankar Majumdar. Saswata Ray is the lyricist. 

@amarabha_banerjee @souptikmazumder @rayofsas @blackndwhiterecords @tirthankarmajumdar @rajkumarmusicradio 

10. Nithalla

Lyrics: Bharg Kale

Vocals, Composed, Produced by: Bharg Kale

Language: Hindi

Genre: Punk Rock/Pop

Mood: Dance

Bharg Kale goes solo in this fine Alt-pop single, and he induces style and engages the audience with substance. Bharg has composed the hummable melody and with some glitz and glamour, he delivers the lead vocals. The acoustic guitars, rhythms and harmonies are 3 essential elements that work in tandem. Things moved ahead in a very comfortable pace and that is when Punk rock elements jut in and elevate the song,

The heavy drums and electric guitars are emphatic and move the listener into a trance-like zone. This segment becomes the outro and Bharg must be appreciated for the arrangements and production. Hanish Taneja is the mixing/mastering engineer.

@bhargkale