Top Indian Songs of the week 2nd June 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 2nd June 2024

1. Kaaran Vonde

Music Composed, Produced and Conducted by Shubhankar

Singer - Priyanka Barve

Lyrics - Arasu Anthare

Language: Kannada

Genre: Rock Fusion

Mode: Happy

After a few delightful songs in Tollywood, Shubhankar has been exploding onto the scene with some excellent original indie music under the CS Music banner. This guy is a very good talent and here he creates one of his best songs yet. I am delighted to see the phenomenal vocalist Priyanka Barve come on board for this Kannada song. In my opinion, she is one of the best in India, with surreal abilities to sing classical, as well as light music with great style and substance. I just featured her a couple of weeks ago for a Marathi retro-sounding song and here she is bringing us more happiness through her singing.

The Mohan Veena is right there all along beside Priyanka's vocals, and I feel the divinity thanks to Manas Gosavi playing the instrument solo. Tanvi, Ruta and Sanika perform the upbeat backing vocals and we get a fantastic rock-styled song with influences of Raag Bhimpalasi. The interplay of electric guitars by Abhishek Singh, Chaitanya Wagh on bass and drums by Abhijeet Bhade is essential in adding a Westernised coat to this semi-classical singer. Priyanka delivers a sizzling vocal performance, with all the ghamakas and she sings the swaras there is the Jugalbandhi with the Mohan Veena, and one can experience a hair-raising episode.

Shubhankar composes the melody and handles all the arrangements and production of this inspiring end product. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ishaan Devasthali. The outro is a piece of tranquillity with the chorus singers and Priyanka with her elaborate aalap in the background. Arasu Anthare is the lyricist

@priyanka.barve @shubhankar.28 @arasuanthare @mohanveena_manas @zepzoso @idevasthali @abhee_drums

2. Awaara

Music: Siddharth Pandit

Lyrics: Alok Ranjan Srivastava

Vocals: Vidhya Gopal

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Pathos

The 3rd song from this EP called "Azaad Sangeet Season 3" is here and I have just no words of praise left for composer/producer Siddharth Pandit. I will try my best to compliment this musician who keeps giving like the Akshaya Patra. The intro of this song feels like something out of the "Interstellar", the heavy effect of the Synths. Soon enough we get into Siddharth's world, with the slow and gentle melody, and Vidya Gopal makes a solid foray. Alok Ranjan Srivastava writes the touching words.

The way she sings the title line " Awaara" makes pauses beautifully within just those 3 notes. Marcelo S plays the acoustic guitar and the gentle Sarangi can be heard in the background by Momin Khan. Vidya delivers the lines with all her classical training coming to the fore. I have learned the name of a new instrument in this song, with Kahaan Shah playing the vase-shaped percussion called Udu. The interlude is where Momin, plays the stirring solo on the Sarangi.

I must appreciate Siddharth because he waves a beautiful and unpredictable melody in the verse. The use of the Tabla and Ghatam goes well in unison and the juxtaposition of the Sarangi, Keys and guitars also is a masterstroke He handles all the arrangements and production as well as mixing/mastering.

@panditjeeee @vidhyagopal_ @hashtag.jazbaat @m.sorlii @s.kahaan @mominkhanofficial

3. You and Me

Composer: Stephen Fernandes, Garth D'Mello, Bradley Tellis

Vocals: Divisha Khandelwal

Lyricist: Lavanika Bahuguna, Nathan Dsouza

Producer: SOBO House Of Music, Stephen Fernandes, Bradley Tellis, Garth D'mello, Nathan Dsouza

Language: English

Genre: Disco

Mood: Dance

This Disco-styled EP was released by SoBo House of Music and Tiger Baby Records. I did enjoy a couple of songs, not the entire list of songs, but this one stood out for me. Divisha Khandelwal sings this like a nostalgic dream that takes me back to the 1980s with her reverberating voice. That cool, casual oomph with which she delivers her lines, singing both in Hindi and English is just uber-savvy. The lyrics are penned by Lavanika Bahuguna and Nathan D'souza.

This groovy melody feels like "Dont Stop" by Fleetwood Mac, and the lines " log Hazaaro hain, but you're so special to me, Dost bana hai yeh, so come on" is just uplifting especially the last English phrase in the chorus. The melody is written by SoBo House of Music instructors Stephen Fernandes, Bradley Tellis, Garth D'mello and Nathan Dsouza and produced with exuberant funk. The strings section in the background especially the Violins adds some zip to the song.

The Keys, harmonies, trumpets and rhythms, and drums blend beautifully. Rhys Sebastian takes into this dreamland even further with a brilliant solo in the interlude. Aria Nanji is the mixing engineer, Ashyar Balsara is the mastering engineer. I can also sense a strong similarity to songs like Boyzone's version of "When the going gets tough"

@ankurtewari @sobohouseofmusic @tigerbabyrecords @br4dleyt3llis @saxontoast @ariananji @div.khandelwal @ashyarbalsara @garthdmello

4. Mehbooba

Singer/Songwriter: Pranjli

Music Producer: Pratzapp

Vocal Producer: Aadi Arora

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mode: Energetic

I loved her song "Coffee" as much as I love the beverage itself. This talented vocalist and songwriter impressed me a couple of months ago with this stunning pop number. Here she showcases her ability even more and tells that she is no one-trick pony. This orchestral-symphony-styled Pop number is composed, written and performed by Pranjli. I do recommend that young aspiring singers take note of her IG feed where she provides good content on singing.

Kudos to Pratzapp for the glorious production and all the instrumental arrangements, because that is as much the soul of the song as Pranjli's singing. Pranjli says she took lessons from Maimoona Tufail in Pakistan to refine all the Urdu diction in the song. In the song 'Coffee' she had this cheeky, teenager kind of delivery, but with this song you can feel the saucy woman in her who wants to show to her partner that she won't budge, a shift from shyness to boldness. Pratzapp plays the Grand Piano with great effect and impact and it kind of, hits a pause and start mode which works quite well. Pranjli's exploration of the wide vocal range especially the falsetto delivery is impressive( Tina Turner-esque). Aadi Arora is the vocal producer

The drums provide great accompaniment along with the strings section and it all comes to light in the excellent bridge section. Anuj is the recording engineer at Sound Forte, Noida. The mixing/mastering is done by Pratzapp

@thepranjli @pratzapp

5. O Yaara

Curated & Produced by Xulfi

Composed by: Abdul Hannan, Jaffer Zaidi

Written by: Abdul Hannan, Jaffer Zaidi

Music Arranged & Produced by: Xulfi, Jaffer Zaidi, Abdullah Siddiqui

Language: Hindi

Genre: Ballad/Rock

Mood: Pathos

Here comes another spellbinding song created and produced by our talented neighbours, Pakistan. This was featured in one of the Spotify India playlists, so I am also reviewing Coke Studio Pakistan's brilliant number. Xulfi has curated and produced this project but the song's musical production and arrangements are by Xulfi, Jaffer Zaidi and Abdullah Siddiqui. The vocals of Abdul Hannan are just so beautiful, with the heart throbbing and the tears ready to roll down my cheeks. Abdul has written these Hindi lyrics along with Jaffer Zaidi and the duo has also composed the melody.

The acoustic guitar and Abdul's humming are soothing, and the gentle rhythms and bass guitars add to the much-needed style and funk to, the song. We get the slide guitar in the interlude along with the synths and keys making it sound like country rock. The aalap in the interlude is performed with such pristine beauty by Jaffer Zaidi from the band Kaavish,  and it gives a classical/folkish touch to the song. It sounds like Raag Desh to me and I am emotionally moved, and every cell feels the purity and divinity of music. The tracks are mixed by Xulfi and mastered by Joe La Porta (Sterling Sound USA).

@abdulhannanmusic @kaavishtheband @coke_studio @giraffepakistan @abdullah.s.siddiqui

6. Sajde

Singer - Faheem Abdullah

Composer & Lyricist - Faheem Abdullah & Huzaif Nazar

Language: Hindi

Genre: Ballad/ Rock-fusion

Mood: Pathos

This guy is turning up the heat, Faheem Abdullah, as I have noticed his consistent work. He also has been featured a couple of times by me, and here he releases an album "Lost;Found". I will be featuring the song 'Sajde' here after being blown away by the melody, vocals and production. Faheem and Huzaif Nazar write the melody and lyrics that just tuck your heart, and when it comes to the engineering, production and sound design, the master Aman Moroney handles it with finesse.

Bhargav Choudhary's guitars are tantalising, but the Pianos are impactful especially when we hit the chorus segment. Faheem is brilliant and he emotionally gives the perfect tonality and expression in his vocals.

When we get to the lines " Zaya sapne, zaya apne", I am left speechless with how the song gets elevated in every aspect. Unexpectedly, against the run of tide, the Harmonium by Shrikant Pise and Dholak by Vaibhav Duratkar give a folkish and Indian classical flavour. Faheem displays great potential in his vocals with the mild vibrato and some striking aalaps. Is there an influence of Raag Darbari? The interlude has a brief intervention on the Violin, alongside the continuing Keys. The song ends with an engrossing outro, helped by Keys the strings section, rhythms and the humming. Kudos to Aman for the excellent production.

@aman_moroney @theimaginarypoet @huzaifnazar @studio5o4 @shrikantpise83 @vaibhavduratkarofficial

7. Kanave

Singer: Anila Rajeev

Lyrics: Jayathi Arun

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Light Music/Pop

Mood: Romantic

This Pop song has a beautiful underlying melody composed by Keethan Sivananthan, and performed with exquisite beauty on lead vocals by Anila Rajeev. I have been a huge fan of her singing and I strongly believe that she should be singing much more for various composers, especially in Tamil and Malayalam. Shravan Shridhar plays that touching violin solo along with Elvis Gabriel's guitar riffs. The melody feels like there is an influence of Raag Bilawal ( Shankarabharanam in Carnatic classical).

Akhilesh Subramanian is the bassist here giving that slight touch of stylish groove to the melody. The arrangements and production are of supreme quality, and it all gels beautifully in the interlude as Anila sings the title line "Kanave" in the background. Sarath's flute solo is tranquil and when the stanza begins, the well-written melody is carried forward. The coming-together of the Mridangam and Kanjira makes the melody taste like a semi-classical fusion. Nish Raj plays the percussion instruments. Towards the end of the stanza it also feels like Raag Desh. The Cello is played by Ábel Libisch in addition to the Violin in a few segments. The recording engineer is Vishnu Anil at Tunity Records

@anila.rajeev @keethanmusic @jayathi_arun @shravansridhar @sarathflutrix @elvisgab @sikdrummer @thehalfbassedyogi @celloguymusic @vishnuanil.offl @_thelittledoodler_

8. Ek Kahani

Singer: Anurag Saikia, Madhubanti Bagchi

Music: Anurag Saikia

Lyricist: JUNO

Music Produced by Oblong Sioni

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Contemplative

There have been some mixed reviews on 'Panchayat Season 3', but as long as the music goes, when the responsibility lies with Anurag Saikia, there is much less to worry about. This is a hypnotic single from the Amazon Prime series, with the fabulous Madhubanti Bagchi on lead vocals. Her singing is dreamy and feels like an unsolved and entangled mystery. The interlude makes you even more curious with that solo Sarangi playing, and swaras being sung by Madhubanti.

The pathos piles on with Dilshad Khan's Sarangi and Ishan Das adds a layer of romanticism with his guitars. Anurag's melody is enhanced thanks to Oblong Sioni's arrangements and production. Juno writes the lyrics and he gives more fillip to the song's theme, but Madhubanti ensures there is a bit of attraction in her singing along with all the exhibition of vulnerability in her tone. Sanijv Sen plays the Tabla, and the vocal harmonies are performed by Gauranga Shekhar, BiXal and Pratikhyaa Sarma. Hanish Taneja is the mixing/mastering engineer and the recording engineer is Pranjal Borah.

@anuraag_psychaea @junoverse @bagchi_mb @ishandas_666 @dilshhadkhan @gauranga_shekhar_ph @ankur_j10 @pratikhya_music @sanjivsen05 @mixedbyhanish @

9. Sunlo

Sung, written & composed by - Durba Banerjee

Music Produced by - Krishh Datta

Additional Vocals - Siddhartha Sarkar

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical Pop

Mood: Romantic

Durba impressed me the last time she released her single and I am glad to see that it is not a one-hit wonder that we are listening to. This excellent semi-classical pop fusion single is composed, written and performed by Durba Banerjee with such grace and eloquence, something I expected right from her previous release. The fact that Merchant Records is the music label gives one more confidence to listen and engage with this melodious song. The song begins with a classical aalap by Siddhartha Sarkar and there are glimpses of Raag Yaman.

Krish Datta makes this song breathe like a western pop number adding excellent keyboard and rhythm programming elements to the mix. Durba gets in some touching vibrato and the line " mera kaun hai, tere siva" makes the heart feel the joy and pain of love all at the same time. The interlude is heavy on synths and keys and the infusion of the aalap makes this a delightful fusion song.

The creative rhythms along with drums and Tabla in the stanza are so engaging and the whole production ensures there is much more to offer and entertain the listener than just a straight-up melody. The outro is enriching with the aalap and guitar introduced as well. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Krishh.

@durbasings @merchant_records @salimsulaimanmusic @krishhdatta @sid_n_roll @apur__kotha @writorshi_b @shivansh.j @vidhipoddarmusic

10. Humnava

Music Composed, Produced and Arranged: Sarthak Kalyani

Singer : Sarthak Kalyani

Lyrics: Vikram Edke

Language: Hindi

Genre: Waltz

Mood: Romantic

Sarthak Kalyani is a very talented musician, who has been composing indie singles for quite a while now. But AR Rahman has recognised his talent and has been part of his team, working on production, and also delivered some excellent songs vocally for the master. It is nice to see him execute this gentle and breezy song. Sarthak has composed the melody, performed the lead vocals, arranged the instrumentals and produced this song. This song is part of a new short film IKHlaas by Dhaval Pitale and Shantanu Rangnekar.

The acoustic guitars, keys, rhythms and strings section make this such a heartwarming number that feels like a waltz dance song. Vikram Edke writes these beautiful lyrics loaded with love. As much as the arrangements make the hearts fly, it is also Sarthak's passionate and adept delivery. Suprava Mukherjee plays the guitars and handles all the additional programming. The melody is written with simple notes, and the end product is a hummable tune. Akash Sharma is the music assistant and sound engineer. The mixing and mastering is done at Escaé Studios. The enticing artwork is by Palak Jain

 @sarthak.kalyani @vikramedke @palakart_ @divyagupta7811 @aisequalto453 @aadhya.films