Top Indian Songs of the week 4th Aug 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 4th August 2024

1. Thenkizhakku

Composed, Arranged and Programmed by Santhosh Narayanan

Lyricist: Yugabharathi

Singer: Dhee

Language: Tamil

Genre: Light Music/ pop

Mood: Happy

Santhosh Narayan comes off the gigantic project of Kalki 2898AD with some unbelievable music and now we have this super collaboration that has always piqued my interest and expectations. The combination of Santhosh and director Mari Selvaraj gave us 'Pariyerum Perumal' and 'Karnan'. This song defines the brilliance and style of Santhosh as he takes a wonderful melody, adds some compelling elements to production and when it comes to the stanza, delivers the twist none of us could have predicted. Dhee is the lead vocalist and this son despite its tough notes, she sings it like a walk in the clouds.

Two standout live instruments are the Violin solo by the master Embar S Kannan, and the percussions by Karthik Vamsi. Let us not forget the introduction of the whistle by singer Vijaynarain. Santhosh handles the keys along with all the insane arrangements and production. The song has so much to offer with the extended anu-pallavi segment. I love the sound of the bell-like the bicycle ring just after "Kudai pidippen thayaga". The line that follows " Nee nee sollum katha, naan naan kekkum vara" is like a breath of fresh air that we just did not see coming. Yughabharathi is a magician with his words in this song. 

The interlude is just magic with Embar Kannan piercing my heart with that melody on the solo Violin. There are some resemblances of Raag Neelambari here as well as some Raag Maand. Karthik Vamsi is the second hero here gently playing the Indian percussions and causing tremendous appeal and pacification. Who would have expected the line "Othaiyila pogum vetta veli megham" to follow this chord progression after what we heard in the song's opening segments? 

This is why Santhosh Narayanan is a genius for constantly creating newness and discarding tried routes. Look at the notes now when she sings "sitterumbu podum", kudos to Dhee and Santhosh for that. Her singing prowess comes to light as we progress and she sings " Athil Kodi raagam naanum meeeta" in that baritone register. The song is recorded by Santhosh, Karthik Manickavasakam, Pranav Muniraj and Rupendar Venkatesh at Future Tense Studios. The studio assistant is Jaba Raj and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Rupendar. Meenakshi Santhosh is the musicians' co-ordinator. The song's outro once again sparkles with the "nee nee sollum katha" playing in the background. 

@dhee___ @musicsanthosh @meenakshi_santhoshnarayanan @mariselvaraj84 @thinkmusicofficial @pranavbalu @karthikmanickavasakam @embarkannan @karthikvamsivr @yughabharathi @rupendar_venkatesh @vijaynarain

2. Kaahe

Performed by Antony Mathew, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik

Written by Antony Mathew, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik, Vallabh Kaorey

Produced by Deeptha Ganesh, Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik, Sandeep Patil

Language: Traditional/Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical fusion

Mood: Happy

This record came as a beautiful surprise with Riddhi Vikamshi, Sumer Naik and Antony Mathew combing and creating this excellent Tumri-led pop fusion single. The melody is written by Antony, Riddhi and Sumer with lyrics penned by Vallabh. The origin of this song is apparently in the corridors of Berklee College of Music. Kudos to the whole team for creating something that justifies their hard work and passion. I can sense a clear influence of Raag Bhimpalasi in the melody.

Risshi is the lead vocalist and she has this wonderful delivery style that mixes Blues and Classical Hindustani style. It reminds me of this amazing indie artist Aditi Ramesh who performs with the same vigor and class. The Blues flavour gets a lot of additional colouring thanks to the Keys by Antony, guitars by Sumer, bass by Joaquin Adrian Oribello and Joshua Tan on the mild drums. The melody goes through a beautiful shift and I would have never guessed the chord progression, almost sounding like a Latin Jazz number.

The arrangements and production deserve a massive round of applause. Check out the introduction of the Tabla played by Aditya Pahuja and then Riddhi sizes on the swaras with the solo violin by Hrutuparna played alongside her. Additional vocals are heard in the background too and the melody on the Piano written during the other interlude is magical. The classical guitar and strings section along with the Jazzy rhythms make for some meaty moments that every music lover will embrace and enjoy. Kudos to Riddhi for the great vocal execution. 

The recording engineers are Deeptha G, Devanshee Bansal, Denis Tsyganov, Tushar Bhagat and Sandeep Patil. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Deeptha and Sandeep. 

@riddhi_vikamshi @antonymathewgc @deeptha.g @jamoribass @adityakpahuja @rey_vallabh @groovegridstudios @jt_rhythmia @sumerflaek_09 @devanshee_bansal @whatistushar @abluesaint @hrutuparna.71 @denis_tsyganov__

3. Iss Barsaat

Singer : Akhil Sachdeva

Lyrics : Akhil Sachdeva

Composer: Akhil Sachdeva

Music: Gaurav Dev & Kartik Dev

Language: Hindi

Genre: EDM/Pop

Mood: Dance

This feels like an enjoyable Bollywood song that came in the early 2000s from the repertoire of Salim-Sulaiman or Vishal-SHekhar. The melody is nicely written but the production wins me over. Well done Akhil Sachdeva on the writing, melody and ebullient singing. The music production by Gaurav Dev and Kartik Dev is fabulous, with the woodwinds and rhythms, captivating me the most. 

The dance Pop genre is enticing and I guarantee that you will groove your body and make a step or two. The cool and casual delivery by Akhil is soothing to the ears and when we get to the stanza the melody continues to be mellifluous. I am very fond of the Keys, and rhythm programming along with the stylish bass support. The tracks are mixed by Shadaab RAyeen, assisted by Pukhraj, and the recording engineer is Rangayan at BroadQ's Studio, New Delhi. 

@shadabrayeen @iamgauravdev @kartikdevofficial @anujpandeyy_ @amitkridey @virginmusicin @gauravarora08 @sankalp1 @vickysandhudesigns @ashimachauhaanofficial @raghav.sharma.14661 @just_rishuuuuu @sachdevaakhilnasha

4. Nuvvule Nuvvule

Singer: RR Dhruvan, Aditi Bhavaraju

Lyricist: Raghuram

Composed & Arranged by RR Dhruvan

Language: Telugu

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Romantic

I have featured the combination of RR Dhruvan and Aditi Bhavaraju more than a few times over the years and the composer Dhruvan teams up with vocalist Aditi in resplendent fashion always. This is a wonderful melody that straightaway shows traces of Raag Shanmukhapriya. Dhruvan is quite engaging with his vocals, but my mind keeps focussing on the exciting live percussions by Anil Robin and his team, kudos for that. Aditi has one of the most saccharine voices in town and on top of that her wide vocal range is a solid weapon that she puts to great use. RR Dhruvan a.k.a. Raghuram is the lyricist for the song. 

The interludes are filled with some heavily charged Middle Eastern instruments like their traditional strings, and the loud alaap-styled humming by Dhruvan together gives a fine balance. The electric guitars are played by Joel Sastry and Subhaani plays the electric mandolin and the middle eastern strings. Lazaras Kushal is the keyboard and rhythm programmer and he also does the mixing of the tracks. I love how the stanza allows Dhruvan to sing in the higher vocal register, while Aditi goes into Baritone mode. Both lead vocalists make merry in this song and the second interlude has this gorgeous bit on the electric mandolin. The final mixing and mastering is by Raam Gandikota. 

@rrdhruvan @aditi.bhavaraju @joelsastry @anilrobin_tabla @mandolinsmsubhani @lazaras_kushal 

5. Symphony of Souls

Performed by nushious, Omkar Pandit

Written by Omkar Pandit

Produced by Omkar Pandit

Language: English

Genre: Alt-Pop

Mood: Groovy

This song probably belongs to the Alt-Pop or Blues-Pop genre of music. Omkar Pandit writes the melody and the lyrics and it is his production as well that brings together not just souls but all the amazing live instruments as well. Anousha Ramasubramoney a.k.a. nushious is on fire as the female lead vocalist here and we all know her from 'Secon Sight'. The bluesy impact on the song comes from the bass guitars of Nigel Fernandes and Akshat Khari on drums. 

Oh Yes Omkar, I can feel the music inside my head, answering the question he posed in the lyrics. Every element ensures we get a soothing auditory experience. I love the male and female vocal harmonies that have been arranged exquisitely. The first sign of madness is when hear the electric guitar solo in the interlude. The two lead vocalists singing in unison is a breathtaking segment that cannot be missed. 

@nyoferno @omkar_pan @nushious @akshat_kharii @jayrana29 @pushkar.srivatsal @_sorthok_

6. Nanagantaane

Music: Judah Sandhy

Singer: Supriyaa Ram

Lyrics: Pramod Maravante

Language: Kannada

Genre: Light Music

Mood: Pathos

Judah is a trustworthy composer and what I love about this man, is that he sticks to the basics unswervingly i.e. getting down to writing a proper, full-fledged and touching melody. Supriya Ram does a fabulous job being the lead vocalist and delivering the mood and sensitivities of the song with perfection. Pramod Maravanthe is the lyricist. The solo violin is one striking feature of the song, and the gentle acoustic guitar and piano help us ease into the song and create a few teary eyes along the way.

I can hear the full string quarter with the Violins, Viola, Cello and double bass. Kudos to Judah for the terrific arrangements and production. The interlude is the quartet playing in full flow and we are drowning in the sadness. The song has just the pallavi and anupallavi segments but that is enough to captivate us. 

@judahsandhy @pramod_maravanthe_lyricist @supriyaaramofficial @rihana_reverts @mrtmusicofficial @divyasuresh_official_ @vedasinfinitepictures 

7. Ae Kaash

Music Composed, Produced by: Salim - Sulaiman

Singer: Salman Ali

Lyrics: Shraddha Pandit

Additional Music Production: Raj Pandit

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical Pop

Mood: Pathos

The rockstars are back, and Salim and Sulaiman give us another beautiful and engaging single. With Salim Ali on lead vocals be prepared for divinity. Shraddha Pandit is the lyricist. The melody is beautifully crafted and with clear influences of Raag Charukeshi, we get the tone of pathos. Salim's ability to make your heart swell with his immersive voice. It is an experience that cannot be worded well. 

Dwaipayan Ghosh plays the Rabab and Bouzouki in the interlude with the Dholak and Tabla by Naeem Sayyed. The percussions are exquisite and the interventions on the Bouzouki so clever that we fall deeper into love with the song. The writing is so intense thanks to Shraddha, "Ae Kaash pehle tujhe thoda tha samjha hota", I'm bowled over. Raj Pandit does the additional music production and is the recording engineer. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan at Headroom Studio. 

@salimsulaimanmusic @shraddhapandit @rajpandit17 @mixedbyaftab @officialsalman.ali @mateenarajput @merchant_records 

8. Khali Khali

Performed by Shubhangi Dave

Written by Shubhangi Dave

Produced by Shubhangi Dave

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Happy 

Shubhangi Dave goes solo in this pop indie single with her dreamy vocals standing out like the cherry on the top of the cake. There is a classical-isque tone in her delivery and that can be understood from the ghamakas. The prominent acoustic guitars, keys and rhythms give a good texture to the song making it even more palatable. The chorus segment is beautiful thanks to the well-written melody and Shubhangi has penned the lyrics, composed the tune and also done the music production for the single. 

The harmonies are a good additional layer in the interlude and when we get to the stanza, Shubhangi delivers a stupendous performance on vocals and every note that she sings is laden with perfection. The lines "rango bhare kagazon pe, jo bhi tu hai likhe". There is so much scope for a young singer to learn the lines and perform well. I do sense some influences of either Raag Yamunakalyani or Hamsadhwani. 

@iamshubhangidave @rockfarm_ 

9. Tera Junoon

Singer - Madhav Mahajan

Lyrics - Hina Mahajan

Music & Composer - Madhav Mahajan

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop/ Light Music

Mood: Relaxing

The song has this beautiful intro on the Sitar by Salman Khan, and to add some Westernised flavours we get electric guitars by Esani Dey, Gaurav Arora and Lokesh Thapa. Madhav Mahajan composes the tune and performs the lead vocals in a mild Sonu Nigam tone. Paras Nath intervenes on the Flute solo and there are moments where I wonder if there is some Raag Charukeshi influence. The energy from drums is provided by Sambit Chatterjee and the supremely talented Mohini De is the bassist on duty. 

Shahrukh Khan's gentle foray of the Sarangi makes way for a beautiful classical segment and here I sense some Raag Jog maybe. It is the lovely voice of Marian on the backing vocals. The fantastic interlude on guitars and the flute shows the song has some excellent arrangements and music production. The Tabla by Gurinder Singh combines very well with Paras' flute solo in the stanza. There are a few more live instrumentalists who have contributed effectively to this record like Sushant Rinkoo and Gaurang Patel on acoustic guitar, Jayant Pathak on percussions, Lokesh Dadhich on the Flute, Preet Chapla on Synths and Gaurav Arora on Keys. 

The lyrics are penned by Hina Mahajan. As Madhav Sings " Milna Paye Kahin Dil Ko Sukoon", as a listener I get all the 'sukoon' thanks to the flowy flute interventions in the background. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan, with recording engineers Aslam Khan and Bhavesh, Shakeel at Headroom Studio, LM Studio and Sound of Music. 

@madhav_mahajan @hinamahajanhanda @voila_digi @onemusiclabel @mixedbyaftab @onemusiclabel @dey_bass @esanidey @lokeshthapa_ @sushantrinkoo @sambitc @parasnathflute @salmanksitar @saurangi_baaz @gaurav.namak 

10. Vanam

Performed by Pakshee

Written by Pakshee

Language: Malayalam/Tamil

Genre: Classical Fusion

Mood: Contemplative

I usually love this genre of Semi-classical fusion, with a Tumri being used as a melody and then intertwined with modern sounds like Lo-fi, synth-pop etc. A new EP is coming up by this Dlehi-based band and for now, this is a record I enjoyed. The vocals that mesmerise me are Tanishque Jarial on Hindustani classical and Sree Rag on the Carnatic classical lines. I love the high-pitched lines " Kettu thalai aati nirkum". The Keys are handled by Pranay Parti, a fantastic producer I have featured often and we have the drums by Dan Thomas. 

I do sense some influences of Raag Bhimpalasi here. The heavy synths produce a great effect like the impending lava from a volcanic mountain that has been dormant for ages. The cool basslines are by Akshat Pradhan and it is like he forms the bridge for the song to move from Carnatic to Hindustani. When Tanishque sings his lines, I sense Raag Keeravani maybe. The overall sound design and music production deserve praise for getting many music genres together seamlessly. The tracks are mixed by Hanish Taneja

@danthomasondrums @tanishque_ @akshat_pradhan @sree.raaaag @paksheeofficial 

11. Faasley

Performed by Shashwat Singh & Akanksha Bhandari

Composer - Advait Sawant

Lyrics - Deepak Yadav

Music Producer & Acoustic Guitars - Udayan Dharmadhikari

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop

Mood: Romantic

The song sounds invigorating thanks to some brisk writing and equally able vocals by the leads played by Shashwat Singh and Akanksha Bhandari. I had featured Adwait Sawant a few years ago and I am glad to see his name as the composer for this. The guitars and keys are flourishing and the energy comes from the synths and rhythms. We have another bright and talented musician Hriday Gattani on additional vocals, giving the song some nice texture in the verse. 

Akanhsha is delivering a steamy performance here, but all the focus must shift to the song's music production. This is where Udayan Dharmadhikari comes in with his contributions to the acoustic guitars and arrangements. The harmonies are also excellently arranged and executed giving so many moments for the music lover to enjoy. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Pranav Gupta. The recording engineer is Bhaskar Sharma at Emsquare Studios. 

@advaittsawant @shashwatsinghofficial @akankshabmusic @deepakyv @ud_music_ @blackacidproduction @salimsulaimanmusic @pranavgupta_27 @barefootjourney @shivansh.j 

12. Parchayi

Performed by Jay Thakkar

Written by Jay Thakkar

Language: Hindi

Genre: Pop Ballad

Mood: Pathos

The vocals of Jay Thakkar remind me of Osho Jain, and the guitars and strings section are two essential elements acting as support staff for this single. The melody reminded me of Anu Malik's "Chori Chori Jab". He goes solo, does this musician from Gujarat in his debut single. The arrangements create an intriguing effect like the constant double bass and the lively guitars. The melody is a little repetitive, but the overall production catches my attention the most. 

@jaythakkarmusic 

13. Azaad Sapne

Associated Performer, Singer, Writer: Samahita Narang

Producer: Aditya Shukla

Composer, Author: Samahita Narang

Language: Hindi

Genre: Semi-classical Pop fusion 

Mood: Happy

The mood is like the spring water that flows non-stop without disturbing even the mildest shake to its surroundings. Samahita Narang writes the melody, and lyrics and performs the lead vocals. Every aspect of this is handled with care and delivered with amazing poise. The melody begins to warm the heart thanks to the semi-classical nature of the tune. I do hear some influences of Raag Desh. Samhaita is terrific in her delivery of the elaborate and lively ghamakas. 

The song is finely produced by Aditya Shukla and he is on fire of late, being featured twice in the previous weekly edition as well. The accompanying sounds of the Santoor and Tabla, along with the strings sections in the background make for some enticing sound design. The record gets the flourish of the guitars by Dhananjay Chhettri, and keys as well to set up a nice and engaging experience. 

@samahita.narang @doie_music @rahulshah.wav @bunnssss_ @adityashukla.02