Top Indian Songs of the week 4th December 2022

1. Desh
Music, Lyrics: Bridge Music
Vocals:
Genre: Semi-classical Fusion
Language: Hindi
The core team of Bridge Music is formed by Sam Alex Pasula,
Sober Emmanuel, and Nehemiah Kulothungan, who are also musicians, songwriters and producers. The team has some splendid musicians as well starting with Sober on lead guitars, Vineeth Methuselah on bass guitars, Solomon Raj on drums, Stephen Netto on Keyboards, Joel Udai on electric guitars, Sathwick John on guitars, Jesh Abraham as the Flautist, Sephas Wesley as the sound engineer.

The idea of Bridge Music is to identify great young musical talent and produce songs every year. This Song 'Desh' was one of 8 released in 2021 but I came across this on streaming platforms just recently. I hope to listen to the rest and cover them as well and I am sure they will be featured even if they are half as good as this. The songwriters are a big crew for this track featuring Sheldon Bangera, Hemant Sharma, Natalia Kashyap, Balaji Kumar, Stephen Netto, Aneesh Daniel, Sheenu Mariam, Solomon Raj & Rachel Meghna. There are modifications by Anand Paul, Samarth Shukla, Prakruthi Angelina, Rachel Francis & Nehemiah Kulothungan.

The main vocalists are Aneesh Daniel and Prakruthi Angelina but they get some splendid support from the backing vocalists Natalia Kashyap, gang vocals by Silvanus Brightie, Jim Eliot, Rachel Diana & Vindhya Naidu. Sam on Piano and the other lead and bass guitar players keep everything neat and of supreme quality. The production is superlative and it shows when a semi-classical melody is presented with modern flavours. Sheldon plays the acoustic guitars but the electric guitars are not far behind in creating the impact. Solomon Raj is a constant source of energy on drums with Sanjeev Sanju on Indian percussions.

The keyboardists are Stephen Netto and Stanley Sajeev. There is a bridge section where the two vocalists Aneesh and Prakruthi simply sizzle with a folkish touch and here I get a feeling there is a resemblance to Raag Desh. The outro is a masterpiece as well heavy on alt-rock styles, as the chorus performs aided by guitars and drums almost feeling like a song by Coldplay. I have tried my best to capture elements of the song but I probably haven't even reached the halfway mark of the song's intricate layers. Just listen and feel blessed, and embrace the quality of the music. The recording engineers are Sabi Thankachan, Stephen, John Sathwick and Ashish Joseph. Same Alex does the mixing and Alex Solano does the mastering.



 
2. Dil Dubda Jaave
Sung, Composed, Lyrics: Pallavi Ishpuniyani
Music production: Avijeet Satapathy
Genre: Semi-classical Fusion
Language: Traditional

Pallavi Ishpuniyani has never been featured on this website before but what a brilliant debut. She goes solo with writing, composition and vocals in this semi-classical melody but all the credit for music production will go to Avijeey Satapathy who does a fine job. The keyboard programming combines well with the rhythms. A nice piece of the Sarod gets introduced followed by the Flute solo in the interlude. The electronic pop and synth-heavy programming are a creative way to deliver a classical melody that Pallavi has composed. Praveen Muralidhar has mixed and mastered the track. Suketu Bhuva and Dhanada Phatarphod are the Label executives.




3. Hygiene
Performed by Atharva Phadke
Written by Atharva Praful Phadke
Language: English
Genre: Alt-Rock
I am thrilled to just review this song, which is one of the very best I have heard from all over India last week. It very well could have taken the No.1 spot, that's how amazing this track is. Atharva Phadke has written, composed and performed this vocally. The song starts with some sensations of guitars by Atharva and Shubham Vaidya on drums. Atharva has a great voice and he utilises to great effect. The guitars, drums, bass and Keys combine with immaculate precision and style and the song is beautifully worded as well as Atharva sings " Trust me on this topic, Profound is misery, God knows I deserve to be free". There is a mild interlude on guitars and it slowly fades into the background. This song is the epitome of the talent India can boast of musically and even dethrone global stars. Atharva excites me as a music journalist and I urge you all to keep a close eye on this lad.



4. Bheegi Ankhiyaan
Lyrics: Nishant Kushwaha
Featuring Vocal: Krishna Bongane
Vocals: Ashish Naskar
Genre: Semi-classical fusion
Language: Hindi
The band Yugaant puts on an insane show of talent on this track and it is always one of my favourite genres i.e. India Classical fusion. Siddharth Shenoy is the producer and he plays the Keys and sings the harmony vocals. He also handles all the programming on keyboards. Krishna Bongane is the featured lead vocalist and his brilliant aalap sounds a lot like Raag Patdeep to me. Ashish Naskar is the band's lead vocalist who also sings in this beautiful track. I could close my eyes and fly away into space listening to the opening minute of vocal brilliance. Pratyay Mishra then starts strumming the guitar and Harsh Damania is the bassist. Bhushan Chavan plays the acoustic and bass guitars and within a few seconds, we move from Indian classical to rock style. Sukhpreet Singh plays the Beatbox and Vishal Bhanushali is the drummer. From here on it is a joyful ride of mixed styles and Yugaant delivers on both fronts. Siddharth, Bhushan, HArsh and Pratyay all play backing vocalists for this. After the 4th minute, it is all about the lead and electric guitars and drums and we are in for a rock-fest. Sidharth and Ashish are the recording engineers, and the latter also does the mixing and mastering.


 
5 . Itne Bure
Performed by Tyesha Kohli
Written by Tyesha Kohli
Producer: Fisher Thompson
Language: Hindi/English
Genre: Indie Pop, Ballad
She is a rising star, and you too will start becoming fond of this performer with every new release. Tyesha Kohli was just featured last month with a sweet track called 'Sweet Sweet Boston', but this one is superior to that one in every way possible, according to me. This is also interestingly bilingual and Indian artists need to do something like this because it could be appealing to listeners to hear both Hindi and English and could have a farther reach, and the artist too can show diverse skill and variation when they can write in more than just the 1 language. Tyesha, has written, composed and sung this but she owes Fisher Thompson for the fabulous production. Gopi Vadsak does the photography work for the song cover. The sound of the Piano is beautiful like poetry, and the transformation from English to Hindi lyrics happened so smoothly and credit to Tyesha for that. I really hope singers like herself are given a chance in the Bollywood movie space, just so that their talent is given some recognition. The guitars engage with the beautiful basslines, but nothing captures the melancholy of the track like the strings section in the background. Tyesha does exactly what the song demands in terms of her improvisation, vibrato and so on without ever overcooking the good recipe. Listen to her elongate the line beautifully "Am I wrong to pick a fight" around the 2.25-minute mark. Even the bass guitar notes modify themselves so nicely in the background and all this means that the programming and arrangements have been executed quite well. She brings out the pain in her voice and message so effectively singing " she lenge ab yeh bhi abhi, ooh ooh ooh". Once that happens the drums, Keys and guitars build up in energy to sound cathartic.



6. So long, already again
Music, Lyrics by Anoushka Maskey
Producer: Pranay Bakshi
Language: English
Genre: Indie Pop, Blues
Anoushka Maskey is probably the first name that comes to my mind when someone asks me to name the brightest and most talented vocalist in the Indian indie space. Here is Anoushka Maskey once again proving what I believe in strongly and exhibiting her full potential in this track. Anoushka has written, composed and sung like a beautiful cadence. Pranay Bakshi, her usual accomplice in art does fantastic production along with mixing and mastering the track. The slow burn of the guitars is followed by Sahil Mathew's stunning bass guitars. After that, you cannot help but stay focused on her vocals and what she is capable of doing with that blessed voice. The travails of long-distance relationships couldn't have been better expressed than through Anoushka's vocals and words. She is a magician with impeccable and inexplicable tricks that she keeps unleashing with her vocals. The slow beat of the drums, the keys and the vocal harmonies all are engaging layers brought together by Pranay. I feel it when she sings "I'm closing my eyes, IM parting my lips", and that can be achieved only by a capable vocalist who excels in expressionism.




7. Tu Shaamil
Singer - Jazim Sharma & Himani Kapoor
Featuring Artist - Jazim Sharma & Tajasvi Sharma
Lyrics - Saaveri Verma
Composer - Rimi Dhar
Music Producer - Sanjay Jaipurwale
Language: Hindi
Genre: Filmi Melody, Light music
Rimi Dhar is a respected composer and I look up to her as one of the beacons that would someday make the lives and prospects of women music composers much brighter. Jazim Sharma the vocalist, Rimi, Saaveri Verma have all been featured more than once on my weekly charts and when these masterminds combine the end result is bound to be this good. The melody is a very relatable tune but it is Sanjay Jaipurwale's production that adds a different texture and colour to the song. Jazim opens the account as the lead vocalist and we can hear accompaniments on the Keyboard. The best line is the title line where Jazim brings all of his vocal creativity, and then the electric and bass guitar interventions make you take notice. Himani Kapoor is the female lead vocalist and the two complement each other quite well. The track is mixed and mastered by Bhaskar Sarma. Partha Protim Das is the recording engineer and the moving lyrics are by Saaveri Verma.




8. Waloha
Written & Performed by Ali Saffudin
Recording, Production & Mixing: Ritwik De, Amar Pandey
Language: Kashmiri
Genre: Alt-Pop, Alt-Rock
It starts with the effect of AR Rahman's 'Dil Se' title track, helped by strong guitars, and rhythms. Drummers Suyash Gabriel, Aman Singh Rathore and Aveleon Giles Vaz are involved and help in raising the ante of the track. In the album released by Ali Saffudin "Wolivo", this was my favourite track. The song is produced by Ritwik De and Amar Pandey who have also been recording and mixing engineers. Ali has written, composed, played the guitars and sung this gentle giant. The singing is inspirational and you can hear him putting all his effort and sounding excited and emotional like he means every word. The electric guitars are stunning, to say the least treading on the 'heavy metal' style. I can just urge you to play it in full blast and let go of your shackled emotions. The song is cathartic and will make you experience satisfaction at another level. There are layers of vocals, and the guitars keep altering their tempo. Prash Mistry is the mastering engineer. The visuals are by Yashovardhan Singh and the illustrations by Ajinkya Dekhane.




9. Aasmaan
Written, composed and produced: Arunansh Bhatt
Singers: Divyansh Sharma, Sai Silpa
Language: Hindi
Genre: Indie pop, Soft ballad
After hearing some Heavy Metal, it is always perfect to calm down the nerves and cool the emotions. There cannot be a better track in this week's line-up than Arunansh Bhatt's "Aasmaan". Arunansh has composed, written and produced the slow, sentimental pop ballad and we have Divyansh Sharma and Sai Shilpa as the lead vocalists. The humming in the interlude aided by the Piano in the background is heartening, and then it is followed by the Sarangi. The opening of the stanza with the Tabla makes it delightful adding to the tranquillity. There is a tinge of Asha Bhonsle hidden in Sai Shilpa's voice, at least that is what I felt. I also did sense some Raag Bilawal in the song in segments. Arjit Agarwal does the mixing and Rima Biswas does the artwork.



10. Dil Khuda Tu
Sung, Written and Composed by: Aditya Kalway
Music Produced by: Aditya Kalway and Muheet Bharti
Language: Hindi
Genre: Synth-pop
These young musicians are our hope, and I am putting my eggs in these baskets that will safeguard our musical future. Aditya Kalway is a brilliant, vocalist, composer and lyricist as well. He has written, composed and performed this number and this is probably the 4th single that I am featuring. Add to this we have another supreme talent in Muheet Bharti who is also a singer/ songwriter and he has joined hands with Aditya in producing this. The label is that of genius brothers Salim and Sulaiman Merchant and they never seem to stop promoting our nation's best talents. The Keyboards are like the Bazookas for this one as the song has a huge influence of synths and it works juxtaposed against Aditya's vocals. We can also hear some lofi-styled output and I love it as long as it doesn't dominate the melody. Ravi Romana has mixed and mastered the track. Aditya sings this with incredible control and do listen to his groovy ghamakas as he sings " Ab kar diya khudko, tere hawaale".

 
 
11. Find you there
Performed by Mohit Mukhi
Written by Mohit Mukhi
Produced by Mohit Mukhi, Soutrik Chakraborty
Language: English
Genre: Indie pop, Blues
I am glad I found him here. Mohit Mukhi is a debutant for me on my website featuring India's best music every week. But this feels like breathtaking baptism as I am convinced that Mohit has some amazing things to offer music lovers in 2023. He has written, produced and performed the song that feels like a slow Elton John song, and memories of "Candle in the wind" come to the fore. Mohit sings and plays the guitars, and we have Mayank Singh Rawat on drums and Smit Hajare on bass guitars. Soutrik Chakraborty has co-produced the song and he also is the mixing/mastering engineer. It is nice to hear a secondary layer of vocals and also Aditya Ahir's Keys. I love how Smit continues to impress on the basslines despite being so much lower on the spotlight and decibel levels. The lead guitar solo is free-flowing and a major highlight, combining with the female and male harmonies. Heather Andrews is the backing vocalist and the outro is a refreshing change, out of the blue as the focus is just on acoustic guitars and Keys now. Ashish Anand is the recording engineer and all the artwork is by Drishali Motwani.




12. Andhala Chandamamavey
Singer: Sid Sriram
Lyrics: Rehman
Music: Gopi Sundar
Language: Telugu
Genre: Filmi Melody
After a super project called "Nitham Oru Vaanam" a bilingual in Tamil and Telugu, with 3 fabulous songs, Gopi shifted focus to a Telugu album and this is proof that Gopi Sundar is in no mood to stop right now. The Mohan Veena at the top starts things off and Gopi goes for glory by picking stalwarts like Sid Sriram as the lead vocalists. The sounds of the guitars, Mandolin probably (or maybe the Guitalele) are just way too cool and the arrangements deserve applause. The rhythm programming is another plus for the song, but Gopi's tremendous use of the Guitalele works wonders for me feeling like a leaf out of the US Country music book. At a time when musicians have stopped creating marvellous interludes, Gopi somehow still follows the old-school style and that is fantastic for music lovers like me.


13. What world
Performed by Thermal And A Quarter
Written by Bruce Lee Mani, Leslie Charles, Premkumar Rajeev Rajagopal, Tony Jason Das
Language: English
Genre: Jazz-rock
Thermal And A Quarter were once rated as the best with some terrific songs back in 2020 in my weekly and monthly charts for their brilliant album "A world gone mad". Bruce Lee Mani on guitars and vocals enthrals us as Rajeev plays the drums and Leslie Charles plays the bass guitars and Tony Das is on the guitars. The most intriguing part of the song is however the Tenor Saxophone by Gautam David. He is on fire, spewing even more as the song moves forward. Closely matching him on energy and enthusiasm in the track is Rajeev's drums and percussion. Ananya Raja of the band 'Kelvikkuri' can be heard singing in the background right through. This is one song that would have brought down the roof while being played live.



14. Pehli Dafa
Performed by Sunny Subramanian
Written by Alok Jha, Sunny Subramanian
Language: Hindi
Genre: Semi-Classical fusion

The moment the violin solo by Manas Kumar hits you, I could sense a bit of Raag Jog, and the melody started flowing with the acoustic guitars as well. Sunny Subramanian and Alok Jha have penned the lyrics, with the former composing and performing. Just the vocals, guitars and mild percussions drive the song forward, and it magnifies into something bigger and more impactful when Manas plays the Violin. The structure and the underlying melody are simple but it is the live instruments and arrangements and production that conquer the heart


 
15. Lullaby for the Anxious Bones
Written & Composed by - Raman Negi
Vocals: Raman Negi
Song Produced by : Gaurav Chintamani & Raman Negi
Language: Hindi
Genre: Alt-Rock
I think it is official, Raman Negi would be the single artist to have appeared in most of my weekly charts for 2022. It is not a simple feat, to be among the top 15 on more than 6-7 occasions, meaning that all these songs have beaten 400 other music releases across India in the respective weeks. Raman's songs are like beating 97% of others in terms of quality and to achieve this so many times is something I'll stand up in ovation for. The guitars, the vocals, the composition, the live instrumental arrangements and I could keep piling up on the great factors that make his songs amazing. Raman and the usual suspect Gaurav Chintamani playing the acoustic guitars, with Raman on electric guitars and Gaurav being the bassist as well. The collective symphony of all the guitars and drums is like paradise on earth and that is what I experience when I hear this music. The acoustic guitar riff keeps playing but the bass guitar adds a layer of creative beauty. Raman's vocals are unique and his style of diction and delivery always pique my interest. Shantanu Sudharshan is the drummer and he keeps at it right through. Just past the 1.20-minute mark, we hear some fantastic electric guitar notes and then it is followed by the lines "paanv tale sar ke ye zameen, dilon mein fat raha aasamaan". We have another fantastic solo by Raman on electric guitars past the 2nd minute and I can just ask music lovers to cherish and enjoy his work. I feel like a lullaby and I am put into a tranquil state when I hear Raman sing "hai bas dhuaan dhuaan". Gaurav has mixed and recorded while Chris Athens has mastered the track. The video was shot and directed by Maan Boruah.



16. Tere Nishaan
Composed by: Nidhi Wagle & Mihirr D
Written by: Nidhi Wagle
Sung by: Nidhi Wagle
Produced by: Mihirr D
Language: Hindi
Genre: Blues/ Pop
Nidhi Wagle had requested that I listen to her new single a few months ago. I was keen, and when I listened to it, I was nothing short of blown away. The vocals are just an essential part of a song, the vehicle or medium that transmits the song to the listeners. Not just that, it is the primary source of expression in the song, sometimes even more important than the melody and the words. I have to apologise that I have delayed the review of this fabulous performance due to some oversight. Nonetheless, here is one of the best songs I have heard in recent weeks with probably one of the best vocal performances as well. The song has a tonality and tempo that reminds me of Stevie Wonder's "I just called to say I love you". Nidhi and Mihirr DD have composed the melody, and Nidhi has written and sung it. I could fall in love with the vocals over and over again, as she shows impeccable control and it is her slight sense of shakiness and vulnerability in the singing that impresses me the most. The track is mixed and mastered by Nishant Mantoo, with Mihirr producing it. Akshit Arora and Nidhi can be heard in the backing vocals. I would be amiss if I forgot to mention the lead guitars, bass and Keys along with vocal harmonies, as each one of these elements decorates the track. Rightly so, the guitar intervention, the change of the pitch in the end as well as Nidhi's exploration of the falsetto add immensely to the final output of the song.
 



17. Raushni
Written and Performed by Samar Mehdi
Backing Vocals by Sarah Mehdi
Produced, Mixed and Mastered by Aman Arakh at Music First Studio
Language: Hindi
Genre: Indie pop
Samar Mehdi is one of the most talented and dependable singer-songwriters in India today as this Bhopal-based composer tends to create music that touches the soul in a way that Sufi songs and devotional melodies tend to. Just listen to 'Sukkon' by him which I featured a couple of years ago. His songs are simple, with minimal production and instrumental arrangements but they are all rich in effect. It is mesmerising to hear him hum in that falsetto mode. The strong strumming of guitars and it feels like your heart is being pierced, and when he sings "kaise ye rishta", the guitars go silent, but the Piano lingers on gently. The heart starts racing with desire because not only the lines but Samar's singing becomes so emotionally linked and with every word he utters, you are drawn closer, especially when I hear the line " jab se aaye ho tum, ho gayi raushni". Samar's sister, Sara Mehdi can be heard in the background doing vocals as well. The album art image is by Vijay Sarathy and the creatives are by Aditi Mittal. Aman Arakh shows his mettle with his solid production, and use of synths and keyboard programming. Subtle variations in singing, in notes, can make such a massive difference and that is why Samar is one of my favourite musicians, for example just check out the end of the line after the 5th minute, "muskuraaye jo tum, khil uthi zindagi", and what he does to the word'zindagi'. I have a feeling the song influences Raag Bihag.



18. I'm different
Music & lyrics by Nirupam Smart
Song arranged, produced, recorded and mixed by Martin Holm at South Fjord Audio.
Video by Martin Holm & Nirupam Smart
Language: English
Genre: Indie Pop
This is a pop single but I could constantly hear the presence of the scale resembling the Indian classical Raag Charukeshi, and its attached pathos. Nirupam Smart has smartly done the composition and written the lyrics. Nirupam is also the vocalist and he doesn't try to alter his diction or accent, keeping things straightforward. I love the line " Plans have always eluded me, so plans are not in my plan", and pay attention to the strings section support in the background. The use of the constant guitars, rhythms and drums along with vocal harmonies make for some exhilarating listening. The song is excellently produced, programmed and arranged by Martin Sebastian Holm, he has also the recording and mixing engineer.


19. Nazrana
Vocals | Guitars: Ujjwal Singh Rajput
Music: Apricot
Language: Hindi
Genre: Latin Jazz, Latin Rock

I really can't put my finger on the style here, and it could be Latin Jazz or Latin Rock, either way, this is one wild ride that you need to celebrate and dance to. The band Apricot is releasing its album called 'Alag Amigos' and I guess then the Latino musical style is understandable. Ujjwal Singh Rajput is the frontman, playing the lead guitars and also doing the vocals. The presence of the varied percussions played brilliantly by Rahul Dilare and Villy Michael's bass step up the cool quotient for the track. Ujjwal goes berserk with his vocals and makes twists and turns with his vocal cords like a Latino Salsa dance. Hansraj Shankushal plays the drums, and the final outro with the solo on guitars feels like Santana intervening.



20. Naina Diya Galtiyaan
Singer: Kulwinder Billa, Mannat Noor
Music: Gag Studioz
Lyrics: Fateh Shergill
Label: Saga Music
Digitally Managed By: Unisys
This song came as a surprise as I was not going to watch or learn about this unknown OTT content called ' Television'. This particular song was a standout track and it has Kulwinder Billa and Mannat Noor as the lead vocalists. Kulwinder reminded me of Sukhwinder Singh. Mannat's vocal expressions are to die foras she becomes the protagonist herself. The stringed instruments are aplenty and they are delightful, coming together, and we also have the Keys. The music production is by Gag Studioz (a composer, guitarist and producer) with lyrics by Fateh Shergill.



21. Besabar
Performed by Akshay & IP, Nupoor Khedkar
Written by Akshay & IP, IP Singh
Language: Hindi
Genre: Synth pop
The series called 'Tripling' released its latest season and many of my friends appreciated the content quite a lot. I am yet to see it but I did enjoy the album scored by Akshay Raheja and IP Singh. The two-piece act are composers and writers as a combination and I loved two songs in the album, but this was the pick of the lot. The tone of the song feels groovy and the synths and keyboard programming keep things modern and stylish. The game-changer is however Nupoor Khedkar who has this unmissable husk and oomph in her voice. There are multiple layers of vocals with a string rhythm production and we can also hear the mild electric solo in the background. I am now keen to follow Nupoor's work as well Akshay & IP and these guys could very well do what OAFF and Savera achieved with the movie "Gehraiyaan".