Top Indian Songs of the week 19th March 2023

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 19th March 2023. 

If you are a musician submit your new music here.

1. Rangreza

Singers: Mahalakshmi Iyer

Music Composers: Rishi Dutta & Shivangi Bhayana

Lyricist: Karan Mastana 

Music Producer: Sandeep Chatterjee 

Additional programming: Rishi Dutta 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical fusion

This I found by chance, and that is why I am thankful for the way great music finds a way to reach my ears. I would like to give a massive ovation to Shivangi Bhayana and Rishi Dutta who are involved in this glorious project. Crest Music, USA is responsible for getting these two composers on board for a wonderful Original Music project called the "Baithak" series. There are 3 more songs which I will listen to subsequently but here is this week's unassailable number 1 song.

The flute solo by Rajat Prasanna is a straight giveaway that this is Raag Yaman (Kalyani in Carnatic) and it torments you with the notes, immediately followed by Megha Rawoot's classical Sitar. It is not a dream, we are hearing the great vocalist Mahalakshmi Iyer's gleaming voice and we are taken back in time when she does that high-pitched aalap. Rishi Dutta plays the keyboards and the fantastic chords start showing up when we hit the Title line. He is in-charge of all the additional programming. We have Tanay Rege on the Tabla and Tushar Gosavi on the drums and to hear both give that sense of fusion. 

The composition and production are stupendous, and get a load of the funky bass guitars by David Roy, with Alok Kulkarni on the electric and acoustic guitars in the interlude. Mahalakshmi sings the swaras and to add more classical touches Megha sizzles on her Sitar Solo. Sandeep Chatterjee is the producer and he gets all the elements right with the strings section in the background and the arrangements of instruments and vocal harmonies are delightful. Listen to the brilliant flute that continues to play in the background as we hit the outro segment. The song is mixed and mastered by Sandeep and Samir Dharap is the recording engineer. Karan Mastana is the lyricist. 

@shivangibhayana @mahalakshmiiyermusic @rishiduttaofficial @mashmastana @soundonsandz @alokkulkarni78 @rajatprasanna @megharawoot @tanay_tabla @david.roy1234 @tushudrums @samirdharap9 @studio5o4 @crestmusicusa 

2. Ghosts

Lyrics, Composition and Vocals: Kamakshi Rai

Original Guitar Riff: Ishan Naik

Music Production & Live Guitars: Karan Parikh 

Language: English

Genre: Indie Pop

In the later parts of 2021, I did feature Kamakshi Rai for a wonderful single called 'Thodi Si Dua' and though the wait has been longer than I like, she enters the charts with a blinder. When I heard it I reached out to her saying that this song will easily be one of the best vocal performances of 2023 even though we were just in the first quarter. 

Ishan Naik plays the starting guitar riff and that is an original piece but when I hear it at the beginning it reminded me of "Everybody wants to rule the world" by the British rock band Tears for Fears, which was released back in 1985. The moment Kamakshi starts to sing, it is time for everything else to dial down as we are consumed by her impeccable vocals. 

Kamakshi has written the lyrics, composed the tune and sang this brilliant single while Karan Parikh produces the song and the live acoustic guitars that accompany her vocals are also played by Karan. I have to take a step back and appreciate the writing as well with lines like "We paint our faces to hide our flaws, put poison in our blood and metal in our jaws", and this is what songwriting is all about. 

I kept listening to this song, and I was eagerly awaiting the bridge section and there it was. It had all the elements that I was hoping for with a well-composed deviation in notes, intriguing lyrics and to top all that magnificent singing. The line "Oh, there's a consequence for hate" summarizes all the points I just made above. Chirayu Vedekar is the bassist and the electrifying drums are played by Nachiket Karekar. The bridge section not only showcases Kamakshi's fabulous vocals but also the sizzling electric guitar solo that follows. Shivam Trivedi plays the Piano and the engineers are Varun Parikh who has done the recording, Jason D'Souza on mixing and Kristian Montano on mastering. 

@kamadiorama @ishannaik @nachiketkarekar @royalewithcheese88 @shivamtrivedii @karanparikh27 @veepsified @kristianmontano @leisha.r @bayowlstudios @jasonmxaudio 

3. Zindagi Kameeni

Lyrics, Composition & Vocals: Akash Tripathi

Production, Mixing & Mastering: Akshay Dhabadkar

Backing Vocals: Akshay Dhabadkar

Language: Hindi

Genre: Retro/Pop

Welcome to the world of the 1950s, with a black & white Hindi movie playing in the background and this slow, sad, philosophical song talking about the unfair nature of life as we know it. The tune is retro-styled but soon the sound design and production take a turn for the better. Akash Tripathi goes solo for this one as he writes, composes, and sings this intense single. The song wouldn't be as impactful as it is without the solid production of Akshay Dhabadkar.

The tone of the song feels Vishal-Sheykhar's 'Main Agar Kahoon' , once again thanks to the retro style. Akash carries an attitude of indifference about the world around us and that is why the song's messaging gets transmitted well. The strong points of the song are the fantastic arrangements of instruments as well as vocal harmonies.

The Ukulele and the guitars are a constant presence, but never take your focus off the bass guitars, strings section and mainly the lagging vocals that keep following in the background. Akshay is the man behind the backing vocals and he also is the mixing and mastering engineer. Towards the end, we get to hear the trumpets and the Latin Jazz styled percussion and that is why the song gets a very fitting outro. The lyrical video is done by Prathyusha Puppala. 

@akshay_dabhadkar @kevin_theaudioguy @buggershut @prathyusha.puppala 

4. Colours

Vocals: Piyush Ambhore 

Music and Lyrics: Sparsh Agrawal 

Language: English

Genre: Synth-Pop

It came just about when the whole nation was in the celebratory mood of Holi, the festival of colours. I am not sure if that was the intent of the song's creators, but as it turned out this was the best song for me beating all other Hindi songs focussing on Holi for the year 2023. This is one of the most refreshing songs I have heard in my 3 years of music journalism. 

Sparsh Agrawal exhibits an enviable ability to produce this song. The melody itself is well-scored, but the keyboard and rhythm programming is next to perfect and I cannot think of a way, it all could have sounded and gelled better together. I can hear those massive Marching drums or Snare drums, along with the haunting sounds of the solo Violin in the background. My favourite line, though it was tough to pick one, is when Piyush Ambhore sings "Like Alice in the wonderland, I'm falling down the rabbit hole"

With the combination of Sparsh's outstanding melody and production with the heart-felt and poised vocals of Piyush, we get a superlative mix. The more we hear we get a clear understanding of Piyush's delivery, and how he masterfully evokes the perfect emotion and modulation while delivering every note. I would be amiss if I failed to mention the quality of the writing in this song and those female harmonies as well. 

This is a feel-good song that can just elevate your spirits with a minute and it would not be an exaggeration If I compared it to some of the work of famous UK bands like "Boyzone" or even "Coldplay" for the sheer production quality and lasting impact on the listener. Abin Thomas is the champion engineer who has mixed and mastered the song. 

@sprshagrawal @piyush_ambhore @mixwithabin

5. Rutho Na

Composer & Lyricist - Aditya Anand 

Singers - Priyani Vani Panditt & Aditya Anand 

Music produced and recorded by Aditya Anand

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical fusion

We are back to listening to something that has been the easiest bet for me as a music lover and journalist over the last 3 years. Let me explain. If I ever am in doubt about whether a particular song will sound great or if it will offer me value and pleasure, I would just focus on the composer usually and not on the label. Except for one i.e. Merchant Records. The brothers Salim and Sulaiman have not only composed and produced some of the best music in India, especially over the last few years, but also lent their label for amazing young musicians to use and excel like this one here. 

Aditya Anand is the composer and lyricist and he gets on board a fantastic vocalist Priyan Vani Panditt for the female lead. Aditya himself is the male vocalist and the two singers take us into a world of semi-classical pop which never fails. The element that triggers amazing value for me is the Keys that accompany the opening lines and it is Aditya playing the guitars, Keys and drums as well. The unbelievable skill in getting those ghamakas right is heard here every step of the way as Priyani gets into her A+ game and delivers a masterclass. 

We have some young musicians supporting Aditya with Alok Merwin on additional keys and Vipul Guria on additional drums. The beautiful lyrics too get some help through Khushi Singh. The interlude is spectacular with guitars, bass and a swara rendition by Aditya and he follows up the work carried out by Priyani in the opening lines. Saurabh Lodha is the bassist. The stanza sees a little more calmness but there is never a drop in quality. 

How can a song that has many influences and tendencies of Raag Bhimpalasi not be amazing? The outro is nothing short of brilliant, with both vocalists combining, the guitars and drums. Nitin M Krishna has mixed while Pablo Schuller has mastered the song. 

@adityamusic01 @salimsulaimanmusic @priyanivanipanditt @palindromamusic @schullersound @shivansh.j @shivangijoshi @alok_merwin @vipul_guria @__riff_life__ 

6. Tanha

Composed, Produced and Performed by: Tajdar Junaid

Vocals: Mohammad Muneem

Lyrics: Mohammad Muneem

Language: Hindi

Genre: Classical Rock fusion

I have interacted with and also featured Tajdar Junaid a few times especially when he worked alongside the band Blackstratblues. This EP did create intrigue and although I was happy with the songs composed, what I loved, even more, were the BGM soundtracks. 

This was my favourite song and it kind of fell in the semiclassical rock fusion style which I generally like. Mohammed Muneem has performed the vocals and also written the lyrics on this one. Tajdar has composed the melody which I believe follows the Shivranjani scale in Hindustani music. He has also produced this song brilliantly reminding us of super hits "Tere mere beech mein" and "Jaane kahaan gaye woh din". 

The fantastic electric guitars by Tajdar straight away narrate the sadness and it only gains traction with the emotionally apt Muneem and his vocals. When he sings "Rehne do mujhe" I feel the protagonist's pain and that is a true mark of excellence for a singer. Blair Sinta plays the mild drums at first and then he moves to higher gears. Nathan Thomas is the bassist who joins along in perfect sync right through the song

"Bataane se behtar hai chupana" and this is why Mohammed Muneem does brilliantly in his lyric writing as well. This rock fusion is exhilarating and demands your full attention and we get some amazing lines when Muneem sings "kya koi nahin hai jo tanha" gets the pulse racing. 

The outro is just jaw-dropping good as the line gets boosted in a higher pitch and some fabulous accompaniments on the backing vocals, electric guitar solos and drums. Shakeel Ahmed Ansari is the recording and mixing engineer, and some mixing and mastering duties have also been performed by Kyle Holland stationed in Nashville, USA. I also like the song "Naye Armaan" the version sung amazingly by Mansa Jimmy. She is a musician I featured back in 2021 and after 2 years it feels nice to review a song she was involved in. This synth-heavy song just tries to paint the background and supports Mansa's vocals. 

@tajdarjunaid @blairsinta @mansa_jimmy @mohammad.muneem 

7. Fly Fly Away

Vocals: Anuj Danait

Composition and Lyrics by Anuj Danait, Shekhar Ravjiani, Shivam Sengupta

Produced by Anuj Danait & Shivam Sengupta 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Synth-pop

After the success of Pathan, Shekhar Ravijani is back to indie music and I am supremely delighted about that. The last couple of years have seen Shekhar explore this space wonderfully and I am here to review his latest single which is just nothing short of addictive. The combination is even more powerful when Shehkar joins hands with these amazing musicians Shivam Sengupta, and Anuj Danait. I have featured this duo for their excellent work in the series "Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein" on Netflix. 

Here is a song that makes you want to fly away to a better world, fantasy or dream of sorts and great music like this can transport you for a few minutes at least if not forever. The song is composed by Sheykhar, Anuj and Shivam and the trio have also penned wonderfully inspiring lyrics.

The initial dreamy synths and the vocal harmonies are symbolic of the mood I just described. Anuj sings the lines and then the accompanying guitars and bass decorate it even better, but the true mark of genius is the constant vocal harmonies and that is why I feel Anuj and Shivam have excelled in this song as producers. The title line is something that stays stuck in your mind and Shekhar can be heard in the backing vocals.

The interlude on acoustic, electric guitars and rhythms is very 90s pop styled and it is a good deviation from the rest of the song. In line with that, even the interlude is a beautiful melody that feels like we are listening to some Bollywood music from the early 2000's. The title line is just pure magic with the heavy synths and rhythms and then when we hear the Hindi lines "baithe baithe gum ho kahaan" following up with a lag behind the title line, you feel like you are flying high into the night sky. 

Kudos to the entire team for such a great melody, its production and execution vocally. The mixing and mastering engineer is the renowned Hanish Taneja while the wonderful artwork is done by Kanchana Sawant.

@anujdanait @shivaminsanegupta @shekharravijani 

@mixedbyhanish

8. Ninna Naa Kandu

Song Composed: Mano Murthy

Sung : Chinmai Athreyas, Supriya Raghunandan

Lyrics: Chinmay Bhavikere

Arrangements And Orchestration: Praveen Duth Stephen

Language: Kannada

Genre: Filmi Melody

The last time I featured a Mano Murthy composition was back in 2021 when Sonu Nigam sang the Kannada song. This is another outstanding melody that goes straight to your heart. The opening credits go to Pushpa Kashinath for the delectable solo on the Veena. It immediately moves away from being very classical to a more pop melody genre. Davy Suresh Kumar performs the whistle and he is the man behind the Keyboards. 

Chinmai Athreyas and Supriya Raghunandan are the lead vocalists and I am featuring them for the first time. Their performance is on point and well executed. The breath of fresh air and their sense of romance are exhibited through their vocals. The song is very traditional in its treatment with a longish anupallavi and the rhythms remind of a calypso or reggae style and Paul Praveen Kumar is responsible for that. There are some indications of a potential Nalinakanti Ragam in the opening lines.

We are taken to the days of Ilaiyaraja with both the interludes that have the Veena in focus and the strings section in the background. It is almost as if Pushpa is the heroine of the song thanks to contributions on the Veena. The electric guitar is played by Alwyn Dominic Fernandes and Keith Peters is the bassist. The Chennai Strings Orchestra does a job which is expected of them with all the wonderful strings section throughout the song. Another very important and unforgettable role is played by Praveen Duth Stephen who has done all the arrangements and orchestration. The mastering engineer is AL Thukaram. Chinmay Bhavikere is the lyricist. 

@mano_murthy @chinmai_athreyas @supriya.raghunandan @keithpeters_bassman @davysureshkumar @auleef 

9. Gun Gun

Song composed, Arranged and Produced by: AV Prafullachandra

Singers: Ashish Kulkarni & Kavita Raam

Lyrics: Vaibhav Deshmukh 

Genre: Filmi Melody

Language: Marathi

It is one of the most complex songs I have heard in recent times and hence probably will be one of the toughest to review. There are so many elements and variations that even after a few times of me listening, I can only remember the opening lines. Let me tell you this, the title line is incredibly beautiful and melodious in true AV Prafullachandra style. Only a genius and visionary like him could have even begun to work on this song and executed it like this. 

AV's production is solid and the initial riffs on the Keys set the ball rolling. Kavita Raam who I am hearing for the very first time is sizzling with style and elegance as she delivers the title line and then immediately there is a shift in the mood as we get to hear the strokes by Tapas Roy. Ashish Kulkarni follows it up in the high pitch and that is so well portrayed with the shy and reluctant heroine singing in the low pitch, and the usually bloated and confident male singing out loud in the high pitch. 

The lines sort of influence Raag Keeravani. The interludes are quite elaborate and we first get Naveen Kumar on Flute and all other woodwinds by Omkar Dhumal. The stanza takes a few twists and turns and every one of those is well executed by Ashish. The winds come into play in the second interlude with even more impactful strokes by Tapas. A huge support system is also available in place with a band of female and male backing vocalists who sing in the background. We have Aditi Prabhudesai, Madhura Paranjape, Mrunmayee Patil, Aparna Nimkar, Seema Lele and Arohi Mhatre performing this role effectively. 

It is in the second interlude that I get a sense that maybe there is some Raag Pilu (Kaapi in Carnatic) involved. Omkar Dhumal also plays the Shehnai in this elongated second interlude which also gets the folkish Maharashtrain elements in place through the percussions. 

The second stanza is very different from the first and shows how skilful AV is as a composer. The song is mixed by AV and mastered by Shadab Rayeen. Vishal Sadaphule is the assistant to the composer and he also is the associate mix engineer. The recording engineers are Samir Dharap, Dhananjay Sathe and Rahul Sharma. 

@avprafullachandra @ashishkulkarni.music @kavitaraamofficial @vishal_sadaphule @omkardhumal @shadabrayeen @naveenkumarflute @mandolintapas @samirdharap9 @zeemusicmarathi @paranjapemadhura @mrunmayee @aparna_nimkar_55 @arohimhatre 

10. Amadher Icche Gulo

Singer – Mekhla Dasgupta & Barenya Saha 

Composition & Music Direction - Barenya Saha

Lyrics - Somraj Das 

Language: Bangla

Genre: Semi-classical Ballad

I featured Barenya Saha a few weeks ago as the number 1 song in the land, and it was sung by Ujjaini Mukherjee. Now we have another melodious Bangla indie single, and once again the lead vocalist has been one of my favourites. Mekhla Dasgupta is a name that immediately jogs my memory to a song called 'Swapno Perie'. This one is just a soothing melody with Barenya as the male lead vocalist. 

The song I believe has tendencies of Raag Khamas and the arrangements bring a smile to my face with the Sarangi by Debhashish Halder accompanying mildly in the background and Jakiruddin Khan on guitars and bass. Barenya has not only composed the song but also produced and Dipesh Chokroobarty has arranged it. I love the brief interlude with the Flute and the Violin and the intervention on the Violin is so heart-wrenching that it sends all the pain and pathos of the instrument right back into your heart. It is a beautifully arranged segment. Sandipan Ganguly plays the strings and we have Debojit Sengupta on mixing and mastering. 

@barenyasaha @spontaneous_somraj @zeemusicbangla @iam_mekhla @yours_zakir

11. Musafir Dil

Composed, Written and Sung by Marshall Tyagi

Music Production - Marshall & ER 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Indie pop

I heard this song very early in the morning maybe at around 4.30 am just after I got up and did a few morning chores. It is very rare that a song captivates me and grabs my attention so early in the day, but it happened with this song. I had to immediately play it on a loop a few times just to appreciate and understand all the different elements in it separately.

Marshall Tyagi is being featured by me for the very first time and he has written, composed and sung this beautiful song loaded with more than a few intricate details. I like the texture of Marshall's voice and he uses it to his advantage. I love the lines, "Kisi ki yaadein jeene ki wahah ho" because it is well written, composed and exquisitely sung. 

The acoustic guitars keep accompanying with a spring in the step and we have some fantastic instrumentalists like SHivam Tyagi on the FLute. In this segment when Marshall sings the title line, we hear a folkish influence thanks to the change in rhythms and the notes played in the flute solo. 

We also hear the violin riffs playing in the background by Dimple Saikia and that adds a nice layer to the song just like the Keys. Dimple doesn't just stop there, wait until the outro to hear a brilliantly absorbing segment played by her. Hanish Taneja does the job of mixing all these varied elements and then mastering also. 

 @ermusicofficial @marshalltyagi @shivam_tyagi @mixedbyhanish @its_dimps 

12. A Calendar to get By

Composed by: Luv Mahtani and Radhika Mohite

Written by: Radhika Mohite and Luv Mahtani

Vocalist: Radhika Mohite

Producer: Ronak Runwal, Luv Mahtani and Radhika Mohite

Language: English

Genre: Indie pop

A song based on some simple fundamentals like a melody, vocals and just a Ukulele can become a fantastic end product. It just needs a talented composer and producer to get the arrangements and creative juices flowing and a vocalist to deliver the song with poise. Luv Mahtani and Radhika Mohite have composed and written enchanting lyrics. 

A song like this wouldn't have created a positive fun impact without its clever lyrics. Radhika sings with Luv's Ukulele keeping up alongside her and when I heard the first few seconds, I jumped to the conclusion that this was going to be a run-of-the-mill boring song with just a simple Ukulele. 

I was proven wrong within seconds as I hear the Keys in the background beautiful and mild, and the lines go " Mid-week in September, Why does this still hurt?" and the backing vocals go "Tell me why, tell me why, please explain" giving the song a fantastic garnish". 

The song just has a very noticeable gradient where it just moves from simple, to elegant and artistically complex. The layers are the reason, Radhika sings" Come October, We'll be sober" we hear the Keys gaining traction and now the advent of the strings section. Behold the beauty of what follows. 

Radhika doesn't make one wrong step, and, every note, every syllable she delivers is on the meter and so beautifully rendered. The innocence in her voice makes you fall in love with the song. The backing vocals are just fantastic when they intervene and sing some allocated lines thanks to singers Radhika, Luv, Ajay Majethia, Joel Johnson and Prateek Kelkar. The song is mixed by Ajay Majethia and mastered by Ronak Runwal. Ronak is also responsible for the song's superior quality thanks to his work as the producer along with Radhika and Luv. The project's EP is Ashish Kujur, and the attractive art work in by Gaurang Oza. 

 @radhikka.mo @youfoundluv @jxoelmusic @ronakrunwal @guitars_n_chopsticks @_audiophile_ @spacemanstripes @grasparkaudio @o.k.listen 

13. My Sweet Caroline

Performed by Vinayak Rajan

Written by Vinayak Rajan

Produced: Iniko & Vinayak Rajan

Language: English

Genre: Alt-Rock

I heard this EP by Vinayak Rajan which has 5 songs, and my favourite was this 'My sweet Caroline', the musician and his tonality seemed to be taking inspiration from the UK Alt-Rock band Coldplay. The song here too feels like 'Fix you' by the band. 

The guitars are solid and enhance the impact, with Vinayak's vocals depicting the trembling feeling of love and its associated vulnerabilities. I love it when he goes "My sweet Caroline uh oh". The song is very nicely produced giving the colour of an Alt-rock set-up. The lead guitars are the soul of the guitars, and after a chilling solo, the song progresses with acoustic guitars and bass handling the proceedings. 

@vinayakrajan.18 @inikocc @phoenixrecordingstudio @prithvidotpsd 

14. Void

Performed by Aanchal Bordoloi, Sanketh

Written by Aanchal Bordoloi

Language: English

Genre: Blues

Aanchal Bordoloi is a celebrated vocalist, and she displays exactly why there need be no doubt about her brimming potential. The guitars keep playing as an aid as we focus entirely on the vagaries of the notes in the composition and the twists and turns Aanchal brings forth with her vocals. 

Check out the short movie made by Mehak Matharu, featuring Ajar Srivastava and Sneha Gogoi. Mehak has produced, directed, written and edited this short with Anubhav Deka as the cinematographer. Ragini Saikia handles the BTS. When it comes to the audio credits the song is written by Aanchal and it is Sanketh's enthralling guitars that keep us glued along with Aanchals delightful and bustling vocals. 

The highlight reel is when the song makes a surprise detour as she goes " oh it is such a mystery" and the tempo and mood get altered in milliseconds. It is a masterclass in employing your vocals to the fullest potential and being innovative and successful in delivering the unimaginably tough falsetto tones Aanchal demonstrates. The vocal texture of Aanchal is such that it makes you get up and take notice of her message. She sings "It doesn't matter as I'm going my away" and you get a tinge of the strings section too in the background. 

It is this kind of talent that makes you wonder if anyone else can take their place and fill a void when they don't perform. The song does remind me of the 1976 classic "You sexy thing" by Hot Chocolate. 

 @aanchalbordoloi @thebluezguy @mehak.matharu @raginee_saikia 

15. Aisha

Performed by Aadya Jaswal

Written by Aadya Jaswal, Suraj Sarawagi

Produced by Barun Sinha

Genre: Indie Pop

Language: English

Aadya Jaswal wrote this song on just one afternoon, spending time in the monsoon. Bless her for that talent in writing, but more than that the factors that drew me in were Aadya's vocals, the melody that resonates with a rainy afternoon and the song's production. 

Suraj Sarawagi and Aadya compose the melody while Barun Sinha arranges and produces this to great effect. The writing is exemplary, creating colourful expressions to describe colours. The intent and innate talent is visible all around as Aadya sings " Sky's a shade of lilac, the sun is setting all shades of red, yellow, orange, blue.. Its the start of something new".

The vocal texture and delivery too are something that Aadya explores quite well and when it comes out it feels like a dreamy young woman waiting to paint the whole town red, yellow and blue. The mild twist in the notes comes as a total surprise to me when she sings "Walk into the rain". Compliments are a must to the bass guitars, acoustic guitars and drums that act like the mild shades on painting, less visible to the untrained eye, but all too important. 

@aadyajaswalsings @surajsarawagi @baroons 

16. fariyaad - ezu

Singer: Ezu

Lyrics: Karan Thabal & Ezu

Music: Ezu

Language: Punjabi

Genre: Ballad/Pop

The guitars might sound familiar like many songs we have heard, but the Violin is fresh and it drew me in. Ezu has composed and produced the song and it is his vocals that also seem heartfelt and emotionally on point. I love how the lyrics begin in Hindi and then transform into English. Ezu still maintains the notes of the song and the way he sings " Tell me if we are falling through" twice and that too with the Indian classical ghamakas sounds very appealing to me. 

Karan Thabal who is also a singer-songwriter combines with Ezu in writing the lyrics for this one. and combination of the guitar riffs, violins and finger snap sounds go well together. Skanda plays the Violin solo and he is scintillating, to say the least. 

@karxnthabal @skxnda @ezuworld @viprecords @shaun_obv 

17. Tere Bin Jeena

Singer - Tanu Srivastava 

Composed /Lyrics - Tanu Srivastava

Music Production - Utkarsh Srivastava

Language: Hindi

Genre: Filmi Melody/Pop

The song was unique in that it gave me a mix of two worlds, one being the resemblance to some golden oldies of the 1990s and fragments of freshness to make the song feel creative and new. Utkarsh Srivastava excels at production while it is Tanu Srivastava has written, composed and performed as well. 

Tanu's voice is loaded with sweetness and she perfectly gets the stresses and vibratos to suit this lovesong. The acoustic guitar is the main support system as it aids with creating that tone. The melody is without a doubt well-composed by Tanu, and you will have proof of that in the antara. Harsh Gadkari plays the keys but Utkarsh shines by arranging the elements including the delightful vocal harmonies and humming in the layers below. 

The song is quite a melody that takes me to a time when Sonu Nigam would have sung and glorified the tune. Tanu has excelled in the singing department for sure. The song is mixed and mastered by Utkarsh and Mannat.