Top Indian Songs of the week 22nd December 2024

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Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 22nd December 2024

1. Ishq Hai

Singers - Anurag Saikia, Romy, Amarabha Banerjee, Varun Jain, Madhubanti Bagchi

Composed & Produced By Anurag Saikia, Oblong Sioni

Written By Raj Shekhar

Language: Hindi

Genre: Folk-Rock

Mood: Romantic

This fabulous song comes from the album Mismatched Season 3 on Netflix. The reviews could be mixed, but the songs definitely stand out. I have done a full album review on my IG page, and this song by Anurag Saikia is undeniably the best in it. The melody starts off to charm and as we progress it gets even better, with some of the best notes coming in the verse. Anurag has written the melody and co-produced it with Oblong Sioni. 

We have a galaxy of singers adorning this track and this healthy union is delightful with Varun Jain, Amarabha Banerjee, Madhubanti Bagchi and Romy delivering their best. Kiran Vinkar plays the flute all along and Ralph Menezes is brilliant on bass, and the tabla engaging is and gives this folk-pop fusion more meaning. The combined vocals of Gauranga Shekhar, Ankur Jyoti, Keshab Baruah, Shrikant Krishna and Pratikhyaa

Sarma singing "Ishq Hai yeh Ishq hai" will make even the stone-hearted fall in love. 

Madhubanti and Romy elevate the song with their astounding tones and unique thrusts. The verse feels cathartic when Madhubanti sings and this segment feels like Yamunakalyani in Carnatic, reminding me of AR Rahman's 'Varaha Nadikkarai oram". Anurag doesn't settle for less as he builds on a solid base of a melody and makes this song reach for the skies with such splendid notes like "pairon ke neeche se zameen udd rahi hai" and here I was sold and rendered speechless. Thank you Anurag Saikia for being true, and dedicated to the art!

I recommend that you play this song right away and believe in the existence of love, music and goodness. Pankaj Borah has mixed and mastered the tracks at Neo Sound and Pranjal and Rupjit are the recording engineers at Playhead Studio. Raj Shekhar is the lyricist

@anuraag_psychaea @rajshekharis @bagchi_mb @mainhoonromy @amarabha_banerjee @varun_wave @believemusicindia @believeasd @netflix_in @gauranga_shekhar_ph @ankur_j10 @keshavbaruah82 @ishandas_666 @pankajborahb @kiranvinkarflute @pratikhyaa_music @shrikantkrishna9 @sunnyhaz_music

2. Noolilla Karakkam

Music Composed, Arranged and Produced: Christy Joby

Vocals: Sreenath Bhasi

Lyrics: Vinayak Sasikumar

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Jazz-Pop

Mood: Inspiring

Talk about a breathtaking intro, well, that is what you get with the Trumpets, flugelhorns, and Trombones played by Alessandro and Michele Fortunato. There is a feeling of being present in Madrid or Barcelona on the streets thanks to these terrific Brass and Nikhil Ram comes on and brightens your mood with the Flute solo. Christy Joby deserves massive credit for the composition, arrangements and production. 

Actor Sreenath Bhasi shows off his singing skills in the Anthony Dasan vibe. Anurag Rajeev Nayan plays the acoustic guitars, and his presence throughout keeps the song feeling light and groovy. The melody and tone remind me of AR Rahmans 'Kickku Yerudhe' from 'Padayappa'. When the line "Boothathan maaro, paavathan maaro" plays I observe two fantastic things viz. Sreenath's ability to sing in the lower vocal registers and the string quartet playing mildly thanks to Albin Jose. The rhythms get you into an upbeat mood and with the simultaneous layers of the Flute, Ocarina and Synths is a treat. 

Allan handles all the additional Piano and brass arrangements, with Keshav Vinod working on the additional chord arrangements. The haunting sound of the Ocarina by Nikhil Ram can be heard during the stanza when Sreenath sings "Nenjil, Murivu kondoru sheelam". This whole team has to be given a standing ovation for creating such a brilliant record that has so many outstanding layers. The chorus in the stanza and outro is performed by Lal Krishna, Christy Joby and also arranged by them. 

This could easily be one of the top Malayalam songs of 2024 for me. The tracks are mixed and mastered with great efficacy by Abin Paul. The recording engineers are Lal Krishna at Atlegato Records, Kochi, and Billian at Unity Studios, Calicut. 

@_christyjoby @hridhuharoon @surajvenjaramoodu @riyashibu__ @vinayaksasikumar @thinkmusicmalayalam @musthafa__actor @anna.raphy @anujith_18 @hrpictures__ @jobin__das @murathemovie @allanfromtheotherside @nikhilramtp @napier_naveen @punnya.pradeep @lal_music @ujwal_ks @finnykurian @keshavvinodofficial @albinjose.in @sreenathbhasi @anuragrajeevnayan 

3. Aankh

Lead vocals: Sunidhi Chauhan

Composer: Prateeksha Srivastava

Lyricist: Prateeksha Srivastava

Producer: Rusha & Blizza 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical Pop

Mood: Groovy/Dance

I am so thrilled to see the growth of Prateeksha Srivastava. She is a talented singer with a gifted voice and blessed abilities, but where she impresses me even more is her composition skills. Here comes one of the biggest singles of the year, for many reasons. The lead vocalist is the flamboyant Sunidhi Chauhan and one of the lead dancers is the incredible Sanya Malhotra. The song is composed and written by Prateeksha Srivastava.

The melody is tantalising being influenced by Raag Puriya Dhanashree. That is the reason we feel a tinge of pathos and a haunting ring to it. What I love the most about the lead vocals is that, despite her abilities many times Sunidhi doesn't get to sing the best of songs. However, the composers have ensured that Sunidhi is offered a dream song and when Rusha & Blizza work on the arrangements and production we get a banger that just will stay in our heads for days if not weeks. 

Sunidhi makes every note she sings, noteworthy and this performance becomes the definitive saucy and raunchy. I am taken back to the days when AR Rahman's 'Haye Rama' impacted me as a music lover. The rhythms and percussions add some Indian, Middle-Eastern and Western influences. I love the strings section that adds such fervour in the background in the verse when Sunidhi sings " Kitna Giroge Bhalaa". The surprise flows in when the notes for the lines " Uljhe Raho Khel Hia ye" are performed and then followed by Rusha & Blizza singing "Te Main Aa ke Sunava Tenu". Overall the keyboard and rhythm programming keep the sound design rich and gratifying. 

The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abhishek Khandelwal at YRF Studios with assistance from Dileep Nair. The recording is by Tanay Gajjar. 

@sunidhichauhan5 @rushaandblizza @abhimixkardo @sanyamalhotra_ @piyush_bhagat @shaziasamji

4. Jaan Le Gayi

Music Composed & Produced by: Salim Sulaiman

Singers: Sonu Nigam, Vishal Dadlani

Lyrics: Shraddha Pandit

Music Co-Produced by: Anshuman Sharma, Raj Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Electronic Pop

Mood: Uplifting

It would not be right to end 2024 without a song from the indomitable duo of Salim and Sulaiman. Their Bhoomi 2024 has another sparkling number with two outstanding vocalists on polar-opposite styles. Sonu Nigam and Vishal Dadlani are the singers and if the former makes you enjoy your twilight period, seated and relaxed, the latter will make you hit the floor hard with your dance moves. It begins with an intro that makes you wonder if the song is a modern electronic dance number.

Salim-Sulaiman surprises you now with a touching melody that follows, and when we get to the verse, Sonu and Vishal battle it to grab your attention. The ghamakas that come from Sonu are priceless like when he performs the line "Teri Haseen mein kahin". Salim-Sulaiman has composed and produced the song with some additional production by Anshuman Sharma and Raj Pandit. The melody in the verse ensures every purist gets to hear something to elevate their mood with some fabulous notes, and the chorus segment gets augmented by keyboard programming and rhythms to give something for the younger lot to enjoy as well.

Salim plays the keys, Raj is on the Synth bass and Sulaiman is on the Zen Drum. Aspiring singers can only keep listening to verses, again and again, to learn from the singing masters. How can one resist the temptation of falling in love with this man when he sings "Teri aarzoon meri, Jaan Legi"? The arrangements and production got a thumbs-up when Salim-Sulaiman introduced the Sitar interventions by Chirag Katti. We can also hear the bass by Ralph Menezes and Nyzel D'lima's guitars. The segment with the Sitra interlude and the line " Tujse Lagi kaisi lagan hai" feels like Raag Sarang (or maybe Kedar) to me. Kudos to Shraddha Pandit for writing these words. 

Anshuman Sharma on Keys and Darshan Doshi on electronic drums combine and keep giving us the electronic pop flavour right through. The Jugalbandi sort of battle between Sonu and Vishal when they perform the aalap and swaras is just breathtaking to hear. Aditya Kalway and Anmol Jaswal are the music assistants, and Aftab Khan, Raj Pandit and Tejus Srivastava are the recording engineers at Blue Productions. The mixing and mastering engineer is Aftab Khan at Headroom Studio with mixing assistant Vatsal Chevli. 

@sonunigamofficial @vishaldadlani @shraddhapandit @anshuman.sharma1 @rajpandit17 @darshandoshiofficial @nyzeldlima @ralphmenezs @chiragkatti @adityakalway @radhikamayadev_ @bhoomi_salimsulaiman @igiworldwide @themohalife @merchant_records @salimsulaimanmusic

5. Nirmohiya

Music - Prithvi Gandharv

Singers - Prithvi Gandharv and Suvarna Tiwari

Lyrics - Mandy Gill

Music Production: Kunal pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical

Mood: Happy

Here is an ode to Indian classical music as Prithvi Gandharv performs the Konnakol in the intro, giving one of the finest performances and songs of 2024 in a terrific album "Bandish Bandits S2". Pratyaksh Rajbhatt on the Tabla and the accompanying rhythm programming give us varied sounds and beats as we eagerly await the opening verse of the song penned by lyricist Mandy Gill and composer Prithvi. The divine voice of Suvarna Tiwari and the majestic vocals of Prithvi create awe, and the Raag Mishra Yaman flows out in its pure form. 

Sangeet Mishra's Sarangi plays mildly in the background along with the eloquent keys that bring about this fusion of Western and Indian music. Kunal Pandit deserves appreciation for this blend of the world and overall production. The interlude elevates the satisfaction levels of the music lover with the exchange of Swaras by Prithvi and Suvarna, and Parth Shankar plays the same notes on his flute in the background. I would recommend that you shut down everything else and soak in this goodness. My favourite line is this from thee verse that goes "Na Bhi Jao, Na Satao" sung twice with such grace and charm by Prithvi. 

The Vocal conductor is Aniruddh Anantha, Akashdeep Sengupta the musical supervisor and the mix/master engineer is Ashwin Kulkarni at Shraanti Studios. The outro feels spectacular with the Tabla, flute and swaras by Prithvi and Suvarna. 

@prithvigandharv @imsuvarnatiwari @shraantistudios @tseries.official @ritwikbhowmik @urs_mandygill @akashdeep.sengupta @kunalpanditkp @aniruddhanantha @raavana_live @sangeetsarangi 

6. Yeh Raat

Composer - Ana Rehman

Lyrics - Shubham Shirule

Singers - Asees Kaur, Akashdeep Sengupta

Music Supervisor - Akashdeep Sengupta

Music production and Arrangement - Siddharth Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Ballad-Pop

Mood: Happy

Ana Rehman makes this a fine year for her as this becomes the second song from "Bandish Bandits S2" that I have featured under her discography. The beautiful melody is one big accomplishment and the second is getting the amazing Asees Kaur to perform the lead vocals. The final icing on the cake is Siddharth Pandit's arrangements and music production. The opening intro and verse feel like I am about to listen to a Hollywood Musical Theatre production. 

Asees Kaur makes you tremble and wonder about that night, and she is one of the few vocalists in the country who can boast of both unique tone and gifted abilities. Akashdeep Sengupta is not only the musical supervisor but also the male vocalist. I love Shubham Shirule's descriptive writing, making us like we are looking up at this night sky as Asees sings "yeh raat mere bagal mein soh rahi, Ye chand chupa hua yahin kahin, yeh saare nazaare, yeh raaton ke taare gaa rahe". 

Ana brings on her A-game when she writes the melody and the pre-chorus sees a twist in the chord progression bringing some freshness to the line" kaash sapne ye sach ho jaate hai kaash", and Nakul, Ana and Shubham further elevate it with the backing vocal arrangements in the subsequent line. The backing vocalists are Nakul, Ana, Sbhbham and Harjot Kaur. Asees is killing it with her shrill falsetto delivery. You wouldn't expect this, but yes Siddharth stuns you with an interlude on Keys, guitars and drums that makes the song bend genres.

Veljon Noronha plays the guitars, Sahil Masih plays on drums and Rahul Muralidhar is the drummer. This segment that follows is such a shift and kudos to Akashdeep and, Asees who perform the vocals with an upbeat energy. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ashwin Kulkarni. Enjoy this singing masterclass by Asees and feel the impact of dedicated musicians working together with the sole intent of creating good, fresh music. 

@ana_rehman @ritwikbhowmik @shreya__chaudhary @shubhamshirule @akashdeep.sengupta @panditjeeee @tseries.official @brownguyonbassstrip @nakulchughh @aseeskaurmusic @vst_rahul @veljon6noronha @ruaakayy @ashwinkulkarni89

7. Tora

Vocals: Pratika, Shreya Bhattacharya

Written by Charan, Salvage Audio Collective

Language: Hindi

Genre: Alt Hip-Hop Fusion

Mood: Energetic

I thoroughly enjoyed the Amazon Prime Series "Waack Girls" as a music album. After a good review on my IG page, this ended up as one of the finest of the album. Salvage Audio Collective comprising Stuart Da Costa (Bass), Rohan Ramanna, Rohan Rajadakshya (Keys), Viraj Saxena and Jehangir Jehangir (Drums) has written produced and performed all the live instrumentals in the song and album. 

This folkish Rap fusion is bewildering in its creativity and impactful to the music lover generating enthusiasm and energy. Pratika who is a distinguished Hip-hop artist make you pay attention to the initial verse, and the electrifying arrangements on bass, guitar keys and drums set the perfect launching pad for Shreya Bhattacharya to vocalise "Hat Jaa Re, Aaj Thoda Jal Jaa Re". It feels like she just asks everyone else to move away and give her the full attention. Charan writes the impactful words and when Shreya throws in all her lung power and vocal prowess, the music lover in me just falls prey to the sounds we hear. 

The song is complete in its ability to surprise and satisfy the listener thanks to Pratika and Shreya performing on either end of the genre spectrum, as well as the arrangements and production quality of Salvage Audio Collective. Pratika raps like a woman in control, with her commanding Hip-Hop and striking like an axe on wood, while Shreya sings like a woman who too will have her way but like a knife through butter. 

@salvageaudiocollective @pratikaness @i.am.shreyaa.b @charanmusic @matterent @priyamsaha @rytash @rubysah17 @anasua.chowdhury @chrisannpereira @theprodpro @rhnr @thejjsticks @viraajsaxena @studirt

8. Peeta Main

Vocals: Harish Budhwani

Composition, Lyrics: Harish Budhwani

Music Producer - Akshay Agarwal

Language: Hindi

Mood: Pop

Genre: Trippy

This song stands out for its creative arrangements and witty writing. Harish Budhwani writes the lyrics, composes the melody and performs the lead vocals as well. Abhishek Gaur's guitars are constant and creative more like a lead guitar. "Yen duniya hai aage, main souun, yoh yeh jaage" is a well-writen line that suddenly ups the ante. We have a succulent section coming up with a saxophone solo in the interlude played by Ivan R. It is this entire production that captivates me and this is where Akshay Agarwal comes in.

A bluesy segment that feels like the 'Pink Panther' Theme ends and Harish performs with all earnestness like a man who is drunk, adding more verity to the song's theme and message. A layer of vocal harmonies adds spark, and keep paying attention to the constant saxophone in the background and the sound of a drink being poured. Akshay Agarwal produces at Jam Street Studio, and the recording engineer is Ajay Majethia at Gray Spark Studio, Pune. The tracks are mixed and mastered by the master Nitin Muralikrishna

@harish.budhwani @akshayagarwalmusic @firstwav @palindromamusic @graysparkaudio @harita_nair @moreofmusic

9. Yeh Duniya Jala Do

Written and performed by: Janisht Joshi

Producer: Timothy Thampy

Language: Hindi

Genre: Alt-Pop

Mood: Dance

This is the second track in a month or so that I am featuring Janisht Joshi on my weeklies. Kudos for that and 'A' for effort as well as outcome. Janisht performs the lead vocals and also writes the melody and lyrics to give us a very hummable song. The record gets a fine decorative effect with the Keys, synths and rhythms and Timothy Thampy lives upto the reputation that precedes him as a producer. 

The backing vocals by Pruthvi Dhawale add some glitter. Janisht shines purely by writing verses that even on a standalone basis become very affable and pleasing to the ears. The synth arrangements and the electric guitar solo in the interlude make this a well-rounded song. Timothy and Janisht show that good teamwork and co-ordination between and songwriter and producer can give what the crowd yearns. I love the outro, making the song fade away like the way they used it back in the 1990s. Aya De is the mixing and mastering engineer. 

@janishtjoshi @timothythampy @varshikaaaa @robachmusic @briindaa99 @_jupiturdo_

10. Veenurukiyo

Music Composed: Christy Joby

Lyrics: Anvar Ali

Vocals: Vijay Yesudas, Sithara Krishnakumar

Arranged and Produced: Christy Joby and Allan Varghese

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Ballad - Alt-Pop

Mood: Pathos

Vijay Yesudas and the mild Piano are like the rays of sunlight falling at dawn on the ground and making the earth look brighter. Allan Varghese plays the Piano and he also has arranged and produced this beautiful song along with the composer Christy Joby. I am glad I got hold of this album and song before the year ended, I surely would have regretted if this album got neglected like a pin in a haystack. 

It feels like a lullaby meant to put you off to a gentle sleep, but there is more. Rithu Vyshak won't let you go away that easily as he conquers your heart and wakes you up from your slumber with the one-man-string quartet show he is famous for. Vijay soars with the higher pitched notes and Violin and Viola get entangled in a blissful mess. The Pianos, and Naveen Napier's bass add the style quotient, and when Sithara Krishnakumar joins as the female lead vocalist, the pathos gets heavy and cathartic. 

Ujwal KS introduces the drums ever so lightly and Allan takes on the challenge giving more value for money on the Piano. You can sense the fastening tempo and things are about to get wild and adventurous. The confluence of the strings, Piano and drums, gets more soothing once Nikhil Ram's flute solo comes on board in the outro. The choir is performed by Punnya Pradeep and Lal Krishna with Lal handling the arrangements. Finny Kurian is the mixing/mastering engineer and the recording engineers are Lal at Legato Records, Rohan Harish at Sonic Island both in Kochi and Ajay Joy at Amala Media House, Calicut

@_christyjoby @hridhuharoon @surajvenjaramoodu @riyashibu__ @sitharakrishnakumar @thevijayyesudas @thinkmusicmalayalam @musthafa__actor @anvarali113 @anna.raphy @anujith_18 @hrpictures__ @jobin__das @murathemovie @allanfromtheotherside @nikhilramtp @napier_naveen @punnya.pradeep @lal_music @ujwal_ks @finnykurian

11. Sab Theek Hai

Vocals: Keshav Tyohar, Madhubanti Bagchi, 

Lyrics: Raj Shekhar

Composition: Anurag Saikia

Produced by Ishan Das, Oblong Sioni

Language: Hindi

Genre: Alt-Pop

Mood: Inspiring

Anurag ends the year with a solid performance in "Mismatches Season 3". This is the second song this week with Anurag Saikia's writing and he further proves why he is one of the top composers in the nation. Madhubanti Bagchi is having a fantastic 2024 singing big hits in Bollywood and in dreamy indie and OTT projects like this one. Her voice and abilities are a great mix of classical nurturing and modern influences giving the audience something they can easily be attracted to. As she sings " Thoda wakt de", you are forced to listen to her request, thanks to the impeccable emotional quotient in her delivery. 

The male lead vocalist in this song is Keshav Tyohar and Raj Shekhar pens the warm, feel-good lyrics. The guitars, keys and rhythms ensure the mood is in alignment with the words and vocal tonality. Then comes the electric guitar interlude with brisk rhythms and it feels like the heart is in a more comfortable positive space saying to yourself "yes, sab theek hai". Ishan Das plays the thumping electric guitars and he co-produces the song with Oblong Sioni. 

Keshav Tyohar brings calmness in the verse and Madhubanti drives the intent further, and by the time we get to the chorus segment again, the lead vocalists make our hearts skip a few beats. The outro is fierce with a shift in Octaves done beautifully on the electric guitar solo. Pankaj Borah has mixed and mastered the tracks at Neo Sound and Pranjal and Rupjit are the recording engineers at Playhead Studio.

@anuraag_psychaea @rajshekharis @bagchi_mb @believemusicindia @believeasd @netflix_in @ishandas_666 @pankajborahb

12. Sukoon

Music Producer: SHAHI & Deep

Lyrics: SHAHI & Bharg

Composer: SHAHI

Language: Hindi

Genre: Alt-Rock

Mood: Energetic

As we approach the last week of 2024, we still keep getting some good music and that is heartening. The song starts off with a few elements that grab your attention, the vocals being a crucial one. The elevation happens when we get into the heavy metal zone in the arrangements and production. Dev Taneja plays the sizzling electric guitar, Lakshay Kukreja blasts away on drums and Shubhansh Mishra grooves on bass guitars. Here we hear "Sukoon" truly giving us absolute calmness and satisfaction. 

SHAHI composed the song, and Bharg Kale and SHAHI penned the lyrics. Deep Chatterjee arranged and produced the song. The backing vocals add a fine layer in the background with singers Aroonema Koteyal and Harsh Bharadwaj. The song excels in getting multiple moods and sub-genres intertwined. The part where Aroonema sings " Yeh Sukoon" with the electric guitar, Keys and strings section (programmed) touches the heart deeply. The melody especially written for the chorus segment sticks out well. The recording engineers are Vaibhav Ahuja and Deep and Lakshay is the mixing and mastering engineer. 

@therealshahii @bhargkale @_chatterjee.deep_ @devtaneja @luxeaudio @aroonema_koteyal @harsh_bharadwajj @vaibhavahujaates