Top Indian Songs of the week 3rd September2023

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 3rd September 2023. 

The Spotify Playlist is here

1. Mann Taara

Singers - Gulraj Singh & Shashaa Tirupati

Composed, Arranged and Programmed- Gulraj Singh

Lyricist - Kshitij Patwardhan

Language: Marathi

Genre: Light Music/ Symphony

This EP called "Unaad" is going to be one of the best Indian movie albums of 2023. I have already featured one single last week, and this is another splendid single. I want to thank Gulraj Singh first of all, for such brilliance and when original music sounds this good, we feel like we have just been reborn. The Live strings section begins straight off the bat with Abhijit Mazumdar, Prakash Varma, Chandar Makwana on Violins, Sanju Varma, Raju Padiyar on Violas and Sujan Chetry on the Cello. 

Shon Pinto's gentle guitars guide us through and then we hear the vocals of Gulraj and it feels like the break of dawn with that ray of sunlight. The Antara with the line being repeated "dariya dariya tu" is heartwarming to hear, with the mild Piano also following. There are also woodwinds we can hear in the background and within 2 minutes Gulraj has done so much in this song than many composers would do in an entire album. Listen to the flowing strings section in the background as we enter the interlude section. The song is composed, arranged and programmed by Gulraj Singh. 

The interlude doesn't end there, as we get more on the Keys, the flute and strings go on to conquer our hearts. The verse begins with Shasha's stunning foray and she delivers comfortably in Marathi. The lines written by Kshitij Patwardhan seem quite complex but to me, they seem like Shashaa has pronounced the words well. The humming is beautiful and leads the way into the second interlude, with Gulraj writing and orchestrating a great string section here. 

Vincent Joseph must be lauded too for all the musical assistance he lends to Gulraj. Interestingly Shashaa sings both the stanzas, and I wonder why. The tracks are mixed by Amey Londhe and mastered by Ashish Saksena at Purple Haze Studios. Amey and Akshay Purandare are the recording engineers at AUDIO GARAGE STUDIOS. The outro is elaborate with strings, vocal harmonies, rhythms and percussions and feels like a fitting end. 

@gulraj_singh @zeemusicmarathi @amey.music @shonpinto1 @axe_mix @vincent.joseph.96 @kshitijpatwardhan @aditya_a_sarpotdar 

2. Palkan

Written, composed and produced by Advaita

Language: Hindi

Genre: Classical Rock fusion

It has been a while since I featured this amazing fusion Rock band and here they are with a chart-topper. It starts with the tongue-twisting swaras rendered by Ujwal Nagar, and this is where I think there was some influence of Raag Darbari and Raag Atana. The song is written and composed by the band Advaita and with Ujwal's vocals flowing we also hear the bass by Gaurav Chintamani, acoustic guitar by Chayan Adhikari, Keys by Anindo Bose and the mild flute by Rohit Prasanna. 

We hear this intro section of amazing Hindustani vocals with tantalising ghamakas and then Abhishek Mathur sweeps in with his lead guitar solo, aided by Aman Singh Rathore on drums. This interlude is less hardcore and makes for some pleasant soft rock moments, almost like a Ballad. Chayan makes a foray into English lyrics and these moments are breathtaking thanks to the lyrics and vocals. It all feels like a fragile dream like he sings. The flute solo by Rohit makes way for another intervention by Ujwal. The closing stages are all about Ujwal's aalaps and Swara's rendition exchanged with brilliant live instrumental arrangements. Anindo does the mixing and mastering of the tracks and is also the recording engineer. 

@advaitamusic @anindobose @gaurav_chintamani @chayanadhikari @ujwalnagar @rohitprasannaflute @plugnplaystudios @salimsulaimanmusic @merchant_records @shivansh.j @abhishek_is_on_insta @kamoora_singh 

3. Chand

Composer: IP Singh, Rajarshi Sanyal 

Lyricist: IP Singh 

Vocals: IP Singh, Rajarshi Sanyal 

Music Production & Guitars: Rajarshi Sanyal 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-Classical Pop

Faridkot comprising IP Singh and Rajarshi Sanyal, is a treasure, a silver lining around a dark cloud of mediocre music floating around. The last time they made a song, it was called "Numani" featuring the brilliant Shilpa Rao. It is one of the best Punjabi songs released in 2023, and we now have one more to heal our souls. I feel alive and grateful when I hear the guitar riff at the start. 

IP Singh starts with his stunning voice and the melody here is so touching and impactful, that you will feel like letting down your guard and allowing yourself to cry with a heavy heart. Thank you, Faridkot for this! Rajarshi deserves a huge round of applause for the guitars and the music production which is nothing short of brilliant. He also joins in the teasing backing vocals. The interlude is laden with keys and synths. 

The verse takes off most unexpectedly, in terms of the trajectory of the notes and the melody, but Faridkot never compromises on the quality of the music. So we get another dose of goodness and I may have sensed some Raag Darbari in the Verse, if I am not wrong. I love the landing at the end of the verse that takes us back to the Sthayi. We get some wonderful arrangements of the guitars, backing vocals strings section and Keys. The outro on guitars is sensational. Darshan Vijay Gopal is the mix engineer and B-Sanjh handles the mastering. 

@faridkotmusic @rajasrhisanyal @safirock @sidartahuja @tseries.official 

4. Tu Mili Nahi

Composition- Fazal Khan

Lyrics- Fazal Khan and Hasan Mushtaq Chaudhary

Vocals- Fazal Khan

Genre: Rock

Language: Hindi

A total surprise is what it was to me. This song by Fazal Khan blew me away for its tune, its delivery style, production and vocals. It is such a rarity to hear something so fresh and that is why this song makes it among the very best in the country. Fazal has these fantastic vocals and he utilizes them to the best, creating these humming bits in the falsetto mode, reminding us of Elvis Presley, Kishore Kumar etc. Apparently, he also is a Doctor who practices Medicine, so it is good to know because this music is Sick! ( Hope you get the positive connotation)

This is pristine rock and I recommend you guys to listen and cherish it. The lyrics are penned by Fazal and Mushtaq Chaudhary with the composition done by the former. The stunning lead guitars by Fazal and Charu Vikram Singh enthral us along with the rhythm guitar by Fazal and Rishit Chauhan's bass guitar. It feels like a symphony by a guitar quartet, and how often do we get treated like this? The solidity of the rhythm and bass guitars explode onto the scene in the interlude. 

The interplay of the electric guitar solo along with the drums is energizing and then when they fade away we have a wonderful arrangement of vocal harmonies. Fazal's vocals raise the mercury level in the outro. Rishit is the mix engineer and he handles the arrangements. Hozaifa Sayed is the mastering engineer at Waves Kraft Mastering. 

@fazalarkhan @hsn_choudhary @cvs9211 @rishitchauhanmusic01 @beatspacestudios 

5. Kobe Kothaye

Lyrics & Composition: Koushik Chakraborty

Music Design & Arrangement: Prithibi

Vocal & Vocal Crossover Melody Design: Koushik Chakraborty

Language: Bangla

Genre: Rock

We have some of India's best rock bands formed in the eastern parts of the country especially Kolkata. This band called Prithibi was formed back in 2005 and even before that its roots were formed at Ashutosh College in the year 2001. I listened to this song and was thoroughly impressed with the composition, hard-hitting vocals and immaculate arrangements and sound design. This is part of a new Album called "JONOHEEN Rajpath (Chapter Four)", and soon I will be listening to all the other 5 tracks in the album.

Frontman Koushik Chakraborty is the lead vocalist, and he also composed the melody and wrote the lyrics for the song. We get the nerve-wracking electric guitars by Arunangshu Bagchi and Debangshu Bhattacharjee straight up and Aniruddha Mondal's drums. I must say that I love the chord progression with some groovy notes on the bass guitar by Deep Ghosh. The title line feels ecstatic and sounds very much like Bryan Adams's tone and production. Deepayan Deep Maitra plays the Keys and Keytar and handles all the keyboard designs, glimpses of which we hear in the background. The harmonies we hear belong to Dumpy, Deep, Debangshu, Deepayan and Aniruddha and the mild acoustic guitar support is lent by Debangshu Bhattacharjee and Arunangshu Bagchi. 

It is only closer to the end when the guitars and vocals fade away, that we hear the wonderful Keys. Keshav Dhar has mixed and mastered the tracks at Illusion Audio, Mumbai. The recording engineers are Sayan Ghosh, Tirthankar Ray, Koushik and Deepayan. 

@prithibimusic @keshavdhar 

6. Humnava 

Written, performed and composed by Kabeer Ali

Music Composition and Production by Anubhav Silas

Mixing Mastering, and Co-production by Ankit Silas (Triquetra Studio)

Language: Hindi

Genre: Alt-Rock

The opening guitar riffs steal the show within seconds. As a listener, I am already sold and then with the introduction of Kabeer Ali's vocals, we are swept off our feet. The song is part of a new EP called " Rifa " with Kabeer, Anubhav Silas and Ankit Silas working together. From whatever I have heard, this is my favourite song on the EP. 

We have Anubhav composing the melody and co-producing the song with Ankit Silas. Just the acoustic guitars and vocals create all the fervor, and slowly the drums and backing vocals join in. The electric guitar and drums give the rock flavor and then we hear the song like it belongs to another orbital altogether. The line "Chali Chali Chali gayi" is a mix of pain and passion with the tune and arrangements showcasing the passion, and the lyrics and vocals exhibiting the pain. 

The verse is calmer and allows the listener to soak in the song and lyrics. A special mention needs to go out to the drums, as it is not some run-of-the-mill presence. The rhythms emerging from the drums are truly creative at times. The falsetto-based humming towards the end and the electric guitars are well executed. Ankit is the mix and master engineer at Triquetra Studios. 

@kxbeerali @triquetrastudio @anubhavsilas 

7. Smithereens

Performed by Upamanyu Mukherjee

Written by Upamanyu Mukherjee

Produced by Upamanyu Mukherjee, Onkar Tarkase

Language: English

Genre: Alt-Pop

2023 is a wonderful year for teenage sensations to make their mark on Indian Indie music. Upamanyu Mukherjee is a 16-year-old Pune-based Alternative artist and he just released a new debut album called "Negotiating Oxytocin". Oxytocin is called 'love hormone' colloquially and it affects emotions like trust, empathy, fidelity, bonding etc., all things a teenager will go through. Kudos to Upamanyu for even having the intelligence to name his album like this. He now joins Jehaan and Tanya Shanker in a small club of precocious musicians. 

I liked Upamanyu's vocals which show stability and the tone is quite impactful. His writing and composition are worthy of this feature and Onkar Tarkarse should be complimented for Producing the songs along with Upamanyu. We get the solitary Piano at the start and then Upamanyu trembles showing some elements of vulnerability of the protagonist, and that shows that he is a vocalist who emotes well. The subsequent lines are accompanied by harmonies, making the lines more intense. 

The acoustic guitars start playing with the coolness of the bass guitars and the gravity of the strings section in the background painting a picture just when Upamanyu says "We blew it all to smithereens". I also love the lyrics "No one publicizes the part after it ends, So I guess it's time for some music". The arrangements are well thought out and this is where Onkar's experience also aids the process I guess. The solo violin in the background is striking, just like the Piano and it gives me great hope for the future of Indian music, especially in the indie space.

As we enter the outro section Upamanyu strikes gold with the chorus singing"Ditching our friends so we could hide away and take for hours". This is one amazing love song (maybe heartbreak) with brilliant writing and production that deserves much more attention. Please go listen to the whole album. I don't want to forget to compliment the person involved in designing the brilliant album cover art. 

 @upamanyumukherjeeofficial @onkartarkase 

 8. Mere Makaan

Written, Composed and Sung by Aabha Hanjura

Produced by KJ Singh 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Ballad

I would recommend that you stop reading too much into my reviews, because the sooner you get to the song and listen with full attention, the better the experience will be. This is haunting, and it gets into your head the moment the Piano starts playing. We have Aman Mahajan playing and arranging the Piano. Aabha Hanjura is a fine artist and this is such a different song from most of her Kashmiri folk songs. This brings out her vocal depth, stability and character even more. 

Aabha has also written the gravitating lyrics and composed the melody. The mild sound of the Ghatam adds just the right amount of beats needed, while the Cello by Jacob Charkey drains you and saps your energy just like the song's message and heartfelt vocals. The title line is wonderful and the pathos couldn't have been done better, so credit goes to KJ Pahji for the stunning, thoughtful production. He also has done the sound engineering, mixing and mastering of the tracks. 

Aabha deserves massive credit for delivering her best work yet, me. I did sense some Raag Sindhubhairavi if I'm not wrong. The recording engineers are Leslie Charles, KJ Singh and Mrinal M. 

Recorded at Stained Class Productions LLP, Bengaluru, by Leslie Charles, Mrinal M and KJ Singh. As the song approaches the closing stages, there is an inherent sense of anger being vented out through the lyrics, vocals and the louder Piano when she goes "Main yahi ka bashinda, dhund raha apna makaan". Feel her pain when she sings the title phrase repeatedly and a tear rolls down my cheek as I can only pretend to understand what she is going through. 

@aabhahanjura @kjpahji @everythingwedoismusic @jakecharkey @imagine.buddha

9. Beautiful Being

Performed by Anoushka Maskey

Written by Anoushka Maskey, Raag Sethi

Produced by Raag Sethi

Language: English

Genre: 

The title says it all, She is a Beautiful Being. Anoushka Maskey has the most stunning voice within the geographical boundaries of India. This unbelievable singer-songwriter hails from Sikkim and is easily one of India's pride. The song is performed with uber class and style by her with one of my favorite producers Raag Sethi writing and composing it along with Anoushka. 

He takes over all the production responsibilities and Raag shows why he is one of the best out there. The Upright Bass by Raag kicks in just beneath the vocals of Anoushka. Raag smartly gets an additional layer of vocals in the background, that hums along, but elements like the slide guitar give it a good Country/Folk texture. 

I love how it all perishes for a bit with only the acoustic guitar and Anoushka singing, but then we get a sizzling solo on the lead guitars. The drums are played by Jyotirmay Menon, Raag is the bassist, and Protyay is the mix/master engineer. The music video is directed by Kirti Narain. 

@anoushkamaskey @raagsethi @bgbngmusic @compassboxstudio @bigbadwolfdotin @vedikasood 

10. Dil Lagaya

Singer: Javed Bashir

Music Producer, Composer: Amir Azhar 

Lyricist: Amir Azhar and Javed Bashir 

Language: Hindi

Genre: Thumri 

This has happened a couple of times before and here too I am going ahead and reviewing and featuring this single despite it being a Pakistani project. Some of Spotify India's playlists do feature some projects like these and I have heard and liked them so much that I feel bad about dropping them at the last minute just because of their geographical place of production. 

The vocals belong to Classical vocalist Javed Bashir and he has also co-written the lyrics along with composer and producer Amir Azhar. The song is in Thumri style with a beautiful infusion of pop. Javed's singing is brilliant with his vibrato bringing vibrancy to life itself. Amir complements the singing with his production, arrangements and all the programming. The electric guitars, keys and rhythms wave a fantastic layer around Javed's passionate delivery. The interlude is laden with such goodness thanks to the flute solo by Baqir Abbas. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Akash Pervaiz. The stanza's beauty is something to cherish, and it is a healthy fight between Javed's singing and Amir's production. The winner is the Music itself. 

@amirazharofficial @sonianshul92 @javedbashirmusic @uniyalsona @meetghai @sofiachaudhry.official 

11. Boondhein Marham Si

Music - Meet Bros

Singer - Sonu Nigam

Lyrics - Kumaar

Music Produced By - Abhijit Nalani

Language: Hindi

Genre: Indie Pop

I have never featured a song by 'Meet Bros' on my list, but here we are. Good Music must be appreciated and this is a wonderful song. Sonu Nigam elevates it multifold. Pawan Rasaily plays the live guitars, both acoustic and bass guitars brilliantly. Abhijit Nalani deserves praise for his quality production and arrangements. 

One can hear the strings section in the background, as Sonu delivers a high-pitched Antara. The vocals aside, the song's production is a high point of this song, with Abhijit being generous in his arrangements. He gets assistance from Uddipan Sharma on music production as well. Meet Bros have composed a very hummable tune for sure and thanks to excellent elements like that faint Duduk in the background. Gautam Chakrabortty has mixed and mastered the tracks. 

@meetbrosofficial @harmeet_meetbros @sonunigamofficial @uddipansharma @kumaarofficial @rrajeev.sharma @meet_bros_manmeet @abhijitnalani 

12. Mujse Mil

Music Composer: Raghav Chaitanya

Singer: Raghav Chaitanya

Lyricist: Rashmi Virag

Music Production: Fardeen Siddiqui

Language: Hindi

Genre: Indie Pop

I remember listening to Raghav Chaitanya's voice for the very first time, in that beautiful song "Ek Tukda Dhoop" from the movie 'Thappad'. He has a tone that is unique in the world of copycats, and ever since I have been tracking him. He is also a fantastic songwriter in the indie space, as he proves here. Rashmi Virag writes these beautiful words and Raghav's vocals deliver the message in perfect fashion, of romance. 

Ishan Das plays the electrifying guitars and he also designs the arrangements for them. Fardeen Siddiqui plays the additional guitars. The vocal harmonies come and go beautifully and they are designed by Ishan Das, Dean Sequeira & Aseem Trivedi. Dean and Aseem perform the backing vocals and it is one song that scores highly on production, done by Fardeen. Hanish Taneja is the mix and master engineer. 

@raghavchaitanya @tseries.official @anushka_sabharwal @therashmivirag @_fardeens @ishandas_666 @dean_sequeira @aaseemtrivedi @mixedbyhanish @sonalc23 @

13. Dokhi Na

Composed by OAFF & Anumita

Produced by OAFF

Sung by Anumita 

Written by Kasuar Munir

This song has some unique elements that one might just like when you hear it. It is not Baul, but maybe hints at it, it is not Classical music, but has traces of some Ragas and showcases the mild Sarod that speaks volumes about the 'City of Joy' Kolkata. 

The song is composed by Anumita and OAFF, with the former being a rising indie singer-songwriter. OAFF is a talented producer and he is known for his work in the movie 'Gehraiyaan' as the composer along with Savera. The older folkish voice is a sample used by OAFF, using Anumita's voice. That is the voice that resonates with the city and its rich cultural heritage. 

The production is solid and creative with the rhythms being multi-fold and the Harp dominates from time to time. The droplets of water too make for good sound design elements in the song. When heard along with the video, the song feels even more impactful. Kudos to Rahul Singh Datta and his team at Starving Artist Films for the superlative editing, direction and cinematography and the actors Dheer Hira and the stunning Shriya Pilgaonkar. 

@anumita.nadesan @kausarmunir @oaffmusic @prathmeshdudhane @starvingartistfilms @shriya.pilgaonkar @dheerhira @prathmeshdudhane @aasthagkhanna @blureality 

14. Mera Sawera

Performed by Shae Gill

Written by Aetazaz Siddiqi, Shae Gill

Produced by Umair

Language: Hindi

Genre: Indie Pop

I am featuring Shae Gill for the first time and this is a song that puts her on the radar for me. The guitar riff at the start reminds me of "Every Breath You Take" by Sting and Police. Shae opens up as we progress into the song, and her vocals stay in the head for a long. Aetazaz Siddiqi and Shae write and compose together along with Umait on production. 

The way the Keys and rhythms join the party i a nice treat we get to lend our ears to. Full marks to production for letting the strings section dominate the interlude, albeit with a low decibel level, and then fade out just in time for the verse to begin. The rhythm programming and design remind me of Girishh Gopalakrishnan's song "Idhuvum Kadanthu Pogum" from the album 'Netrikann'. All elements combine wonderfully as we come to the outro section. 

@umairmusicxx @shaegill @zaazmarx @universalmusicindia

15. Softly

Singer/Lyrics/Composer - Karan Aujla

Music - Ikky

Language: Punjabi

Genre: Indie Pop

Softly, he says, but this is clearly a fun track that is set to let you loosen up and maybe dance a little. I am enjoying myself as well as I listen to the song, the brilliant and bold bass guitars and every other element on the production anvil. 

The backing vocals, Keys, Synths and rhythms all do their bits in this simple but fun song. Karan Aujla is the singer, and he also has written the song with Ikky on production. 

@karanaujla_official @ikky.music @warnermusicindia