If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 21st June 20261. Tere Paas MainVocals: Vipin Aneja, Deepali SahayLyrics: Irshad KhamilMusic composed and arranged by A. R. RahmanLanguage: HindiGenre: Light MusicMood: SereneJust when you think of writing AR Rahman off, he comes up with something good and heartfelt, like this album ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’, almost like these are the words of AR Rahman to his doubters like me. It feels like Arnold in Terminator, saying, “I'll be back, trust me”. After a couple of below-average albums, this one did impress, and this particular song, ‘Tere Paas Main’, is so tender, and it starts to kindle feelings of love from deep within our hearts. The song has two versions, and they are both beautifully sung, the female version  by Deepali Sahay and the male version by Vipin Aneja. The strings section by the Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague, is followed by a mild and mellifluous clarinet, and the melody of this song by now is already etched in your heart. “Jaise Tu Hai Paas Mere”, with his fresh and splendid voice, Vipin only takes a few nights to make a mark. There is an element of innocence in his tone, and that works for protagonists like the one in this love story. The melody is beautiful, but it is not entirely unheard of, as we are reminded of this gem by Shankar-Jaikishan, “Hum Tere Pyaar Mein Sara Aalam Kho Baithe”, sung like an unforgettable dream by Lata Mangeshkar. The strings continue to play in the background, with minimal production. The interlude is when I realise there may be some influences of Raag Desh. From time to time, the melody also reminded me of “Agar Tum Saath Ho” from ‘Tamasha’Sai Shravanam gives a masterclass on the Tabla as we head into the Antara, and when Vipin evocatively sings “ Jhoot hai yeh dooriyan”, these notes remind me of another soulful melody “, Sara Pyaar Tumhara” sung by Asha Bhonsle and Kishore Kumar, composed by Shyamal Mitra. The lines from the Antara of that old masterpiece “Dekh ke teri Surat, Mitt Jaati Hai EK Hi Pal Main” are what I keep going back to listening to this Antara by AR Rahman and Vipin. His singing is calm and makes no attempt to add frills, and that is what shines through in this song, just like the great Kishore Da. The instrumental arrangements are more diverse and stunning in the female version, with Naveen’s flute solo, the unmistakable piano and constant guitar strumming by Shrey Gupta. Deepali Sahay reaches right into your heart, and she almost brings tears with her solo aalap in the interlude. Here harkatein on the chorus line is stunning. We get a fine interlude by the amazing Rohan Prasanna on the Sarod, once again rendering those influences of Raag Desh. This version also stands out for its second Antara, which has a modified melody “chahe bada lo, chahe ghata lo, kaajal nahin main, gaalon ka til hoon, mittha nahin main, kitna mita lo” feels so pure and pristine thanks to Irshad’s words and Deepali’s playful, teasing delivery. Shubham Bhat and Marisakthi are the additional programmers, with Hiral Viradia as the music supervisor. The engineers on board are Karthik Sekaran and Suresh Permal. @arrahman @saishravanam @vipinanejaofficial @deepalisahay @rohanprasanna @irsdhaskamilofficial @shubham_bhat07 @marisakthi @praguephilharmonic @thatfingerstyleguitarist @hiral_viradia @sureshpermal @sekarankarthik 2. I can get HungryComposed, Arranged and Produced by Santhosh NarayananRap written and performed by RANJTelugu lyrics: Rehmanvocals: Punya SelvaBacking vocals: Aparna Harikumar, Padmaja SreenivasanGenre: Alt Hip HopMood: EnergeticI watched the movie ‘Maa INti Bangaram’, and even if you know that the composer is Santhosh Naryanan and his iconic BGM tracks will come and pulverise you, he always leaves you surprised and shocked because a few tracks hit you hard,  thanks to sheer sound, scoring prowess and impact that this composer creates. It has happened in countless movies by him, and here, when Samantha climbs onto a bus full of thugs, I knew a belligerent fight sequence was on; little did I know that I would have goosebumps listening to the background music. This rising star RANJ, is the voice behind that intro and prolonged Rap segment, and I can only say, remember her name. Santhosh uses the piano as the only sound, along with this mesmerising style of vocals that RANJ employs. “Ooh, a wounded woman is a weapon, end you every generation, even after she just had you screaming’ truce’. Go back, boys, with your tail between your legs, is my advice to any thugs if they hear this. We get into some hardcore electronic and techno sounds to accompany and elevate the energy of the fight, but even now, I am still stunned from the intro vocals as Samantha adjusts her Saree and holds on to a railing, ready to kick some serious butt. The heavy Telugu lines create the aggravation with a nice folkish ring to the melody, performed by Punya Selva with Aparna Harikumar and Padmaja Sreenivasan as backing vocalists. This segment was written by Rehman and feels like Samantha’s entire tribe of women egging her on from behind. Is it a mouth trumpet or a Kazoo that plays an interludal melody? After that, RANJ brings the house down with her attitude, her delivery, and there is nothing more musically orgasmic than listening to her write and perform her own rap lines.

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 14th June 20261. YegandhiVocals: Sathyaprakash & Aparna HarikumarMusic composed, arranged and produced by Sam CSLyrics: Karthik NethaLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanceA beautiful song doesn't wait for long; it hits you with the first note. The strumming of the guitars by Godfray Immanuel is so mellifluous, and it feels like a moment in paradise. It reminds me very vividly of the intro guitars of Coldplay’s “Sparks”. A flute solo comes on and breathes fire into the proceedings, and is there some Hamsadhwani Ragam I am hearing in the melody? Maybe. The tempo, the melody and arrangements are all so refreshing considering how noisy, loud and preposterous songs have become these days. I love how Sam CS has composed the melody and done these enticingly romantic arrangements.Listen to the mild Piano and harmonies “Yedhedho Nee thedi vaadathe Yegaandhi” as the counterpoints on the Piano and Clarinet, by Nathan,give off a very Jazz style here. Sathyaparakash is in terrific form here, singing these lines with tenderness. Karthik Netha writes the lyrics, and this song can completely take over your mind when you sit alone and listen to it. Vignesh plays the solo violin in the interlude, as he teases and tantalises with that quirky style. “Settril pookkum siru poovam vaasam alli veesum”, writes Karthik Netha to evoke all the strong emotions of love. Nathan comes and plays the flute solo, and it has been ages since a film song has had two variant interludes, so thank you, Sam CS, for that. One of our finest playback singers, Aparna Harikumar, comes on very late, but what a cameo it is. She sings “ Yaarag Nee aana pothum”, and she wins my heart. 2. LihaazComposed by Abhijeet SrivastavaLyrics: Shayra ApoorvaVocals: Samyak PrasanaMusic Production: Karasama BeatsLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: RomanceHere is a composer who has always been creating something hummable and catchy, and that is why Abhijeet Srivastava generates a certain amount of expectation and hype surrounding his indie releases. Here, he introduces a young, talented vocalist, Samyak Prasana, with composition duties handled by Abhijeet. The usual suspect, Shayra Apoorva, comes on as the lyricist, and the music production is by Karasama Beats. The soundscape is recognisable that it belongs to an Abhijeet discography, and when the lines begin, you start paying attention to Samyak’s vocals. The catchiest segment is the pre-chorus, where we get a pause, and then, with some delightful rhythms, we get launched, as Samyak sings “Milta ab jo sukon hai teri baahon mein, aisa pehle kahin na mila. Everything here is top-notch with Samyak’s dream vocals, Shauras intense romantic lines, the melody that swoons you and some simmering production by Karasama beats. “isi lihaaz se hum aapse yeh kehna chaahte hoye na juda kabhi, ho aisa raabta” is the icing on the cake. The Sarangi in the interlude feels like a bit of Raag Darbari to me, with some strains of the Sitar as well. I must give an ovation to Samyak, because his tone, his gleaming voice with perfectly strewn vibrato, is something that makes my heart grow fonder. The line in the Antara “hum to nahin tere kaabil huye phir bhi tumne chodi na yen baahen meri” is a case in point. I like how the song’s intensity zooms up with the introduction of drums, and it feels like an infusion of some rock flavours that work perfectly. @gibsonbha @shayra22 @samyakprasana @karasama_beats @vedaant.music @believemusicindia @unboundrecordz @abhijeetmusic 3. BloomComposed, arranged, and programmed by Barath DhanasekarLyrics: FatinVocals: Abhijih Anilkumar and Meghna Vijay

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 7th June 20261. Sattendru Marudhu VaanilaiMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Girishh Gopalakrishnan.Lyrics by SnehanVocals by Shreya Ghoshal and MS KrsnaLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticI loved this album, “Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai,” and gave it a good rating of 3.5/5, with two outstanding songs. This title song was one of those favourites as Girishh shows his capabilities as always. The lead vocalist is Shreya Ghoshal, and it is, in my opinion, one of the best by Shreya in recent years, demanding her to sound beautiful without gimmicks. It is a deeply engaging romantic song , with Shreya expressing some vulnerability as well. The rousing nadaswaram solo by D Balasubramani in the intro is outstanding, especially to hear the shift in Octaves. The moment the last melodic phrase on the Nadaswaram comes, it reminds me of something similar , the violin interlude in “Aagaya Vennilaave”, by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. This is why I was certain that the song’s melody has influences of Raag Darbari. Medha Ramaswamy accompanies on backing vocals, singing the same melody, and after that, the pallavi is mesmerising with the song's rhythm guitar,  by MS Krsna, Shreya’s sultry singing as well. The anupallavi with “Seendal Ilai, Theendal Illai” with MS Krsna’s additional vocal layers and the stylish rhythms take the cake. Shreya and M Krsna singing in harmony works like magic, especially since this is a romantic single. Snehan is the lyricist, and he does quite an impressive job throughout. Sayee Rakshith makes you want to weep with that seductive and melancholic violin solo in the interlude. Kudos to Girishh for writing this interlude so beautifully. Shreya is killing it with the line” Nee illamale ennul unai parkirene” in that contralto register. The subtle but succulent vibrato on “ bodhai kolven” and “enna velven” are examples of how brilliant Shreya has been in this song. Another stunning piece of magic is the landing phrase that leads up to the pallavi, “ nee illai endraale naan enge povathu,” with faster guitar strumming. The Nadaswaram can be heard in the background playing some fine counterpoints in the outro. The recording engineers are Amey Londhe and AR Subbaiah, with the amazing Sai Shravanam on mixing and mastering. @girishhgopal @shreyaghoshal @medhamelodies16 @kavignarsnekan @tseriessouthofficial @meenakshigovindharajan_ @mskrsnamusic @sayee.rakshith @2. O Meri JaanComposed and Produced by Sanyanth NarothLyrics and Vocals Anurag MishraLanguage: HindiMood: RomanticGenre: PopThe sound of the Guitarlele, by Rohit Lalwani,  feels like the sound of water flowing in a stream amidst all the silence of a thick forest. The lead guitar starts to take control with Sharad Rao in charge, and the catchy rhythms slowly ramp up the ante and tempo. The sound design feels like I am about to listen to “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dilko”, and the humming by Sanyanth only does things to mesmerise our senses. The song is composed and produced by Sanyanth Naroth, with lyrics by Anurag Mishra. Who better to deliver the vocals than Anurag Mishra, who possesses a certain magnetism in his voice?  Sanyanth plays the rhythm guitar, and Sharad is the bassist. The song is reflective of a simpler time that had some great music, as it feels like something from the 70s. “Na Parwah Koi Bhi…….Ude Dil, Kahin Bhi” is my favourite line, and the intermittent guitars and rhythms keep us engaged and moving our heads in utter delight. The core beauty of any song lies in its melody, and Sanyanth proves that with the subsequent line, which throws a few surprises in terms of the notes and chord progression in “Woh yaadon mein hum , hamare siva na koi”. The lead guitars are a terrific component of this song, and they spark up such electrifying beauty in just 6 notes, filling in the pauses between “woh karwaan” and “ab hain kahan”. Ashish Kujur is on keyboard programming, and the song’s one more unstoppable force is the continuous backing vocal layer that comes and stays in the verse, chorus, and bridge. “Par har jagah lage pehchani mujhe, yaad teri jahan bhi keeche mujhe, tujo mila laga woh” is probably the song’s bridge, but instead of being placed just before the outro, it comes ahead of the second verse, and I love the melodic phrases written here by Sanyanth. “Hamari Kahani , kisi Ko na sunaani” is so enchanting to hear, as Anurag sings it with such dreamy exuberance, and he uses such gentle falsettos to impress as well. Sharad Rao is determined to pulverise your heart and kidnap your senses to a faraway place with his lead guitar solo in the outro. The recording engineer is Tejas Ratnaparkhi, mixing is by Nitin Muralikrishna, and mastering is by Ronak Runwal. 3. Subah

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 31st May 20261. Tamil KadavulMusic composed, arranged, and programmed by Sanjay Manickam.Vocals Sanjay ManickamLyrics: Jegan KavirajLanguage:Genre: Semi-classical FusionMood: DevotionalThe opening conversation between two men in the song’s intro brought a wide smile to my face because 1. it is true what he says about who rules Tamil Nadu, and 2. it is one of my favourite moments from my all-time favourite indian film “Kadaisi Vivasayi”. I must thank Sanjay Manickam for giving me a fantastic new song that glorifies my favourite deity , Tamil kadavul, Lord Muruga. The song starts with a chorus led line “Vaa en kandhane, veladhi velane vaa en kandhane vaa”, after a peacock call perfectly capturing the common sounds of Tamil Nadu with heavily populated peacock and peahen species, especially around hills that have the Lord Murgan temples. I love how Sanjay has interjected that opening line with a sample of the voice of TM Soundarajan singing “Muruga”.The backing vocalists are singing with all that passion and devotion, and we have Shibi Srinivasan, Govind Prasad, Sanjay, Shobika MS, Rubashree S and Mihitha Rajavenkatesh. The heavy rhythms pump up the adrenaline thanks to Sanjay’s programming. Mambalam Sivakunar is on the solo Nadaswaram, and we have Hrday Sunil on guitars and bass. The lyrics by Jegan Kaviraj are laden with innocence and admiration as we get this beautiful line, “ Maratha thozhane, un thuna podhume”. I must agree that Sanjay’s voice sounds fresh, and he offers whatever this kind of energetic devotional song needs. The way he alternates between poise, subtlety, and evocative celebration by changing his delivery and tone is worthy of praise. Pay attention to how things change in a few seconds between “ ennalum vazha ennoda va va muruga “ and “vel muruga va va, perazhaga va va”. The fact that Sanjay Manickam opts to compose this melody along the lines of Karaharapriya Ragam instead of the usual Shanmukhapriya Ragam is itself a valiant and creatively satisfying choice. A solo on teh Nadaswaram comes in the interlude, and I am almost in tears, with that emotion of surrendering to the Lord’s greatness accentuated by this bridge section “ Thaai Thandaikkum nyayathai sonnaye, nee athanaale malai melai amarthaaye”, with some fantastic harmonies and a counterpoint running on the Nadaswaram. The absence of rhythms here enhances the effect of the melody, and harmonies and kuros to all the backing vocalists and Sanjay for nailing this segment. This has to be one of my all-time favourite songs on Lord Muruga, I can only close my eyes and say “ Vetrivel Murugannu Arogara”. The female folkish harmonies with TMS singing “ Muruga Nee Vara vendum” is pure magic. The tracks are mixed by Midhun Manoj at Soundtown Studios and Blu Academy, the recording engineers are Sankeerth Shaji at Soundtown, Hrday and Sanjay at Unison Recording Co. The tracks are mastered by Vivek Thomas at VTP Studios@sanjayyy.music @mihitha_warbler_ @sbk_ms @shreeeesings @mambalam_sivakumar @midhunmanojj @adityaravikumar @bluacademy.in @vivekthomasproductions @hrday_sunil @shibi_srinivasan @govindprasad93 @m_jegan_kaviraj 2. Sajna veWritten, composed, and sung by Prateeksha SrivastavaMusic Produced by Priyanshu SoniLanguage: HindiGenre: Pop Mood: RomanticShe is the real deal, one of the handful of Hindie Indie artists that I'll bet my bottom dollar on. Prateeksha Srivastava is a stunning vocalist, and she is a rare breed that can write a song, compose a melody, too, and make it all look like a walk in the park. A breezy romantic pop single is here with Prateeksha donning all the hats of singing and songwriting, and the music production duties fall on Priyanshu Soni. Akarsh Shetty joins the band as the additional music producer, and collectively, we are offered a song that feels refreshing and joyful to hum. We get Bhibhash Buragohain on guitars as he strums the acoustic guitar and tickles you with oodles of romance. Prateeksha opens up with a nice hum, and the moment she starts singing, we are filled with love, and our hearts swell. Now that is what a saccharine voice with great potential and training can do to you. Priyanshu Soni adds glitter with a mild Harmonium and some fancy trumpets. The chorus segment is where the rhythm ups the ante. She is so committed here to write a melody that sounds fresh and not just follow the usual trajectory of a Bollywood number. Perceive the variations in “ Ankhon se… aankhon se apne keh dosapno mein aake mujhe na sataye”. Prateeksha makes the heart sway and beat faster with graceful improvisations and subtle vibrato. The male chorus, in that tempo and rhythm production, just feels foot-tapping good. Ishan Krishan, Priyanshu, and Akarsh are the male chorus singers. Just stop reading right now and make sure you close your eyes and hear her pulverise you with the phrase” Hey, Ada Teri,” adding so many layers of vocalising techniques, and you will feel goosebumps at the end of it all. I love the keyboard programming in the background, which is the only accompaniment during this phase.Bring on some funky basslines, some woodwinds, catchy rhythms, and you get a hypnotic track that is bound to make you go nuts for a whole day. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Hanish Taneja. @officialprateeksha @priyanshu_music @akarshshettymusic @billy_birdie @pankhurirjn @tichkistudios @arjun_deswal

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 17th May 20261. ReligiousWritten and performed by RANJMusic Produced by Raj and ClifrLanguage: EnglishGenre: R&B/Hip-HopMood: GroovyThis is my favourite track in the mammoth 27 track Mixtape released recently by RANJ, and you can go check out my full-length review of this massive list of Hip-Hop, R&B, Tamil folk music on my IG page. Please do go and listen, and this is easily the best of 2026 I have heard yet. RANJ takes over all the writing duties, and she delivers a masterclass in songwriting. The opening pianos and basslines are succulent in this track, and we have her ususal collaborator Clifr, a master of his own game, on music production as well as Raj. The rhythms kick in some Calypso, Reggae style and the Cello, by Adiel Massar, help in infusing some pathos and gravity. The sound of Maracas as the percussion instrument, with some vocal intervention by Raj, brings us to the end of the intro and the magical voice of RANJShe is an A-lister when it comes to hip-hop. and the associated energies of that style, but here RANJ is simply decimating all doubts and showcasing some fantastic singing. The attitude, the falsettos, and the improvisation all are top-notch and let us remember her writing and words are the unique selling points. The harmonies add on when she sings “ I gotta say, you make me feel like maybe I'm religious” , as a music lover, you start feeling religious too, if this woman was a vocal Goddess. That hint of woodwinds, by Louk, in the background with the bass guitars, by Raj, simply lifts my spirits. Here comes the champion rapper in RANJ, and when I hear her say “growing up i thought there might be an answer, Life is like a rhythm and truth is a dance,” I feel like I'm sitting in a lecture series on the philosophies of life and truth. This is what writing should be like, for music lovers to sit with their ears open and words that can transform and teach and inspire us. How does she envision these and write words that jump off the black-and-white screens and go into our grey cells? Wow , looks liek her writing has inpsired me too. She says, “And I don't believe there's a way up. Heaven only exists on paper, and if they preach to you ‘bout the maker, tell ‘e, to pay up”. Is this Religious or the Sacrilegious? Who cares when it is the truth and it sounds like this in this voice? I love how Louk teases and plays that flute solo and a big round of applause needs to be directed at the song’s primary producer Raj. There are so many elements with the flowy pianos, seductive basslines, sumptuous woodwinds and the foot-tapping rhythms. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Vivek Thomas.@ranjaniramdoss @louk_around_you @rajkanwarsodhi @clifr_ @weneedasecretlife @speedysahana @ranjxclifr 2. BewakoofComposed and Arranged by Sreekesh MenonLyrics: Anshita MenonVocals: Kalika MathurMusic Produced by Nikhil SebastianLanguage: HindiGenre: Ghazal/PopMood: RomanticJust like the name suggests, don't be a Bewakoof and miss out on this beautiful track that feels like the evening wind. The chirping of the birds wakes you up from the slumber, and that whiff of the electric violin throws you into the ring, ready to face the music, literally. Sreekesh Menon has composed the melody and done all the arrangements, with lyrics by Anshita Menon and the sparkling vocals of Kalika Mathur. The string arrangements are generous, and this feels like a Ghazal with all its melodic and poetic quality. “Hum Tumse Ishq kar bhaite hain”, and that is all I need to hear to travel back in time and hold my lover’s hand for the very first time. Is there some Bilawal Thaat influence in the melody?. Maybe.The Tabla flows on, and Kalika serenades me, with my heart becoming heavy and a few tears down my cheek. How have I not heard this singer before? “ Isi liye Humein Shikwa nahin, aur tere pyaar ka ehsaas”. The Keys, strings and rhythms combine so effectively, and yet they never intrude with the sanctity of the melody and the magic of the vocals. Nikhil Sebastian is the man who handles all music production and sound design, as well as mixing and mastering. Being called a fool has never sounded so peaceful and beautiful “Bewakoof ho tum. jo tumhe mohabbat ka matlab na pata”. I recall the charanam portion of  this glorious love song by Maestro Ilaiyaraja, “ Un parvaiyil” set in Raag Bihag (Bilawal Thaat).We get layers of the acoustic guitar, violin, and woodwinds in the interlude, and what transpires in the Antara feels heavenly, and credit goes to Sreekesh's composition. “Agar humse pyaar karte toh” depicts simple words of love, but the melody and Kalika’s harkatein are nothing short of heavenly. The artwork is by Solaman Joseph. @sreekesh.menon @its_kalikamathur @tbhansh @soularts_ @nikplaysbass 3. Entho Annu De

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 10th May 20261. Amma Amma DhaanSinger:  Sreekanth HariharanLyrics: Mohan Rajan Music Composed , Arranged , Programmed, and Produced by Balaji Sriram Language: TamilGenre: Light MusicMood: InspiringA couple of weeks ago, I featured a fantastic song composed by Balaji Sriram, and it soared to the top of that week’s rankings. Here he is again with another single from the same movie album, and it is exciting to feature two songs from the same album, especially when it is a newcomer in the industry. Sreekanth Hariharan is the lead vocalist, and he is accompanied by Srinivas’ acoustic guitar. Just like the amazing lyrics by Mohan Rajan, we also get a beautifully written line here that goes “ Vaanam Bhoomi jodi pottu munna vandhu ninnalume Amma Amma Dhaan”, which is a tribute to Mothers around the world.  If a country’s songs of praise and anthems are set in Raag Desh “Vande Mataram”, it makes a lot of sense to sing a song extolling mothers, which also has a dash of Desh in it. The anu pallavi is where I felt so much bliss because the melody here is soothing, “Nirappa oru Neram, nizhala oru neram”, and we have that faint Violin by Aloshin Joseph and the folkish harmonies by backing vocalists Bhavya Ganapathi and Balaji. Kudos to Balaji for his stunning arrangements here on top of all the composition and programming duties he handles so elegantly. It is the sound of the Daf here that accompanies so mildly, thanks to Ganapathi Venkata Subramanian, who plays all the live percussion. Mohan Rajan deserves a special mention for his splendid writing. Bhavya does a fine job singing in that contralto register “chinna chinna anba solla.”The song continues to mystify as we get a flute solo by Karpagaselvam, and, in my opinion, this has to be one of Sreekanth’s best vocal performances, as he absolutely kills it with all his ghamakas and emotionally apt singing. “Nam kanavugal kai kooda tavam iruppa” felt like a penance. Listen to some keyboard-based riffs and female harmonies that keep following in the background. The combined effect of the Kanjira, Cajon, Daf, and the harmonies works like the magical touch of a mother as we head to the outro. Dhakshan Gajendiran is the recording engineer, and Rupendar Venkatesh is the mixing and mastering engineer at Mix Magic Studios. @imbalajisriram @ajay.dhishan @thinkmusicofficial @swasikavj @sakthi___ @mohanraja_lyrici @sreekanthhariharan @bhavya_ganapathi @ganapathi.v.subramanian 2. VellichudareVocals: Kapil KapilanLyrics: MadrasheComposed, Produced by Dhinu Ninan ThomasLanguage: TamilGenre: Pop/Light musicMood: RomanticDhibu Ninan Thomas and Kapil Kapilan are a great team, with the former weaving some savvy melodies and the latter delivering them with such style and charm. Add to this the formidable words of Madrashe, and we get a complete package of a song that not every team can say with certainty and pride, as these people do. The guitar riffs like a rhythm guitar, and we have Kapil just making your heart feel heavy with the line “Kanne en Kannamma, Kanneer yen sollamma.” The opening pallavi now repeats, and we get a rush of sounds, like the flowy, romantic acoustic guitar and some funky basslines. Naveen Napier is the bassist, and Sandeep handles all the guitars. Maestro Ilaiyaraja always packed his strongest punch in the anupallavi (or as they say, the 3rd line of the song), and just like that, the amazing Dhibu lets your heart swell with “ Kurunagaiye podhum, kurai irundha theernthe pogum.” Madrashe makes it all worth it with that one line (oru vari) “oru variye pothum kavithaigalum thorthe pogum”. The arrangements take you on a higher orbital here with the Thavil, Kanjira, and all the percussion, thanks to  Ganapathi, Sruthiraj, and Venkat Kiran in the subsequent line, and Kapil sings with such immense passion and energy here, elevating our spirits as well in the line “Nam vaanam rendagalam kalam rendu thundagalaam, onnaga naamirunthal, thunbam yethamma”. D Balasubramani engages with his Nadaswaram solo, and this, combined with the Thavil, is pure bliss. The charanam slowly infuses more love, and the line that truly breaks me into a joy-filled psychosis is “enge enge nee pogiraay, ange ange naan kannamma” along with nice choral arrangements and heavy percussions. In the outro, when Kapil sings “Oruvariye podhum,” the guitars and bassline arrangements simply give me goosebumps. The recording engineers are Amal Mithu, Amal Raj, and Manirathnam. The tracks are mixed by Kiran Lal and mastered by Shadab Rayeen. @dhibuninanthomas @kapilkapilanmusic @madrashe @dir_ramkumar @saregamatamil @amal_mithu @gibsandeep @napier_naveen3. Walking SunlightWritten and Performed by Dhruv Visvanath, Radhika Mohite, and JK

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 3rd May 20261. KareyoleWritten and Performed by Sanjith HegdeLyrics Dhananjay RanjanMusic produced by Sanjith Hegde, Sunny MR, Gautham Hebbar, ZIALanguage: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticThe unstoppable Sanjith Hegde motors on, and his discography in the indie space sparkles a bit more with every subsequent release. I was stunned by the intro, with the heavy sounds of the double bass, a plucked violin, some keys and woodwinds all combining to create a mesmerising union of sounds. Sanjith is feeble, and his voice can just about be heard, and then when we get to the chorus, Sanjith drags you in like a magnet on nails. The song is composed by Sanjith with lyrics by Dhananjay Ranja, but these guys are killing it as a team on the music production. Sanjith, Sunny MR, Gautham Hebbar and ZIA create a force field on keys and rhythms that you just cannot get out of. The vocal improvisation and vibrato on “Naguvalle” is just the last bullet to make me drop dead. “Hridayantara…Ninagagiye Usirasara” is my favourite phrase, and this is why Sanjith is rated as good a composer as he is a singer. Rahul Muralidharan makes a foray on drums, and it is Sunil Sylvester on guitars. The woodwinds are at it without any breaks, and they play on during the Antara like a counterpoint. Sanjith goes on to explode into some high-pitch segments towards the end of the Antara, and ther maybe some influence of Raag Keeravani in the melody, if I am hearing them right. The sound design, especially with the guitars, keys, woodwinds and drums, reminds me of “Everybody” by Backstreet Boys.  A very catchy bridge section, with some jaunty rhythms, just spices things up even more. The show is alla bout Sanjith’s vocal outro and the continued seduction on woodwinds. @sanjithhegde @gauthamhebbar @sunnymr @ziamuzik @vst_rahul @sunil_sylvester2. Vari VariComposed and produced by Dhee and Santhosh NarayananLyrics: VivekVocals: DheeLanguage: TamilGenre: Pop/Folk FusionMood: NostalgicWhat do you expect when you see these name, Dhee and Santhosh Narayanan? Well, you just have to open your ears and let your hearts soar with every note rendered. Feel the Reggae styleguitars,  bassline and catchy rhythms in the intro as Aditya Ravindran, Naveen Napier and Karthik Vamsi respectively lay down the ground work for some resplendent music to come on and take over. Dhee starts to sing and it is like she is batting in the nets ( to speak in criekting terms) yet she is leaving not even an iota of soace for error. She sings it like she really is missing someone and her delivery piques interest in you as a listenere wondering who she is singing about in this line “ Un kooda nadanthen, mathathellam maranthen,  kai korthu paranthen sakkaraiye”. The way the vocal arrangements are done with Dhee’s own voice coming in as another layer in a different octave just sounds ravishing. Words like “Unna enga tholachen, unna thottida nenachen” by Vivek make us feel like Dhee is eager and longing to meet her long lost lover. The phrase where the harmonies just give me goosebumps is in “thoovana thoosa naamagi ponom”. We have all the fantastic harmonies by TICE with some phenomenal singers viz. Yazhini, Sushmita, Sivaranjini, Nayansee, Shridhar, Chirag, Manikandan, Shivsundar, Neeraj and Cyril and the choir arranger is Karthik Manickavasakam. The chrous line hits you hard with the Thavil, and other percussionsand all you can do is wear your dancing shoes and hit the floor, just like Dhee does in the music video. The keys are played by Aditya and Santhosh , and when we hear the line “Sethukko nee, enna unnoda” and I love what they do in this gap before the subsequent line follows. All the 80s sounding 808s are by 808krshna. The harmonies are actually putting you under spell and when we get to the second verse you are spell bound “en naanellam unakanathaache unnoda aasa athutaahn en mooche”.Why Dhee and Santhosh are a cut above the rest, is because of their ability to write this song melodically. It is never just one hook line in teh chorus and 1 lined- verse. Composers should take inspiration fm such artists and push themselves to write more phrases and longer verses. If you have grown up in TN or maybe parts of Jaffna in Sri Lanka, you will agree that the Thavil sound just makes the heart beat faster in joy and reminiscence. As we come to the end of the second verse and chorus we start realising if this was a plaot twist right here and it does look and feel like Dhee is not talking about another person but her own younger self. She misses that child in her and to aggrandise the impact we get the bridge section that shifts imood and tone. Nothing speaks to you about nostalgia, introspection etc like mild pathos. The melody here achieves that too with Viveks words “thenam nee siricha en manasukkula oru minnal vizhum”. Dhee and Santhosh do the right thing by never going back to the chirpy, joyous mood we heard at teh start of the song and all the gentle melancholy continues in the outro, making the listener too travel back in time to imagine their childhood. The dance is choreographed byRavi Varma, with dancers Keerthana, Mythily, Abirami and Dwija. The director of this music video is the man, Someetharan, who made this much talked about movie ‘Neelira’. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 19th April 20261. Amaran Movie: PrathichayaMusic Composed, Arranged, and Produced by : Justin VargheseSinger : Job KurianLyrics : Manu ManjithMusic Producers : Justin Varghese, Vysakh Bejoy, Joe AntonLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Orchestral BalladMood: PathosJustin Varghese is undoubtedly one of the best talents not just in South music but in the Indian music industry as well. This song is a smasher just like last year’s ‘Paka’ from “Ponman”. Justin composed, arranged, arranged and produced this with Manu Manjith on lyrics and the inimitable Job Kurian on lead vocals. The rhythms are emphatic and feel dark in the intro, with the female humming and strings in the background. Out of this darkness comes long Job Kurian’s resplendent voice as he sings “ Pakal Suryan parayaathe, irul raavil marayunno”. He sings with such poise, making you feel engrossed, and the way he delivers the phrase “theera nove ..nove” gives you an idea of the pain the protagonist is feeling.  This is a masterclass in playback singing. The horns blast away in the background, adding to the impact of the pain the lyricist is referring to. Vysakh Bejoy has arranged and produced the strings and horns.My favourite line is “Chaayanaaya tholonnllath ottaykaay, Peyyathe thaane vingum nerathaay”, and this is where I felt strains of Raag Keeravani. The interlude is haunting thanks to an operatic chorus arranged by Moses Toby, and after this brief phase, we feel a calm in our nerves with Job’s tantalising and sedate vocals. Manu Manjith writes these exceptional lyrics, “ Veyilkattil Vazhikattum Viralthumbo Piriyunnu”, as the strings continue to deepen the pathos. The arrangements and production for this song are top-notch, and as we keep listening to this gloomy yet grand number, I am also thinking if there is some influence of Raag Gowrimanohari (Patdeep in Hindustani). When I least expected it, there was a change in mood with the strings, and the melody altered from being melancholic to inspiring. The words rightly read “ Amaranayi Maaru Nee”, meaning “ Transform yourself into a prince”. The amazing horns, harmonies and strings in the background elevate the song here, and we feel like we are on top of the world. Despite such a shift, Justin makes this all feel seamless and organic. Kudos to Joe Anton and Vysakh, who have also done the music production along with Justin, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Joe. @just_in_varghese @prathichaya_movie @manumanjith_s @jobkuriank @moses__toby @yzakmusic @joeantonhere 2. BarkhaWritten, composed and performed by Gayathri RamanArranged and Produced by Sai KeshavBacking Vocals: Pavithra ViswabarathyLanguage: HindiGenre: Semi-classical Rock fusionMood: ImmersiveThis is what a song is supposed to do: cast a spell on the listener with the very first few seconds, and this does so with the intro lead guitars. This guitar solo is wondrous, and I am transported to a bar in the west where some soft rock music is probably being performed live. The song keeps you guessing, as a flute solo by Raghava Sai follows, and we keep pondering, what form and genre will this song take? The piano flows gently along with string arrangements in the background, and could this be a genre-bending song that hits all the right notes? Gayathri Raman has written the lyrics, the melody and performed teh lead vocals on this one. The flute solo starts giving us some clues now, as the melody has strains of Raag Cahrukeshi, and maybe this will follow a nice semi-classical melodic pattern.Gayathri stuns you into silence with her vocals, which show such class and technical prowess.  The harkatein, all the vibrato, whether subtle or not, are beautifully executed by Gayathri. The flute and guitar interventions continue, and that is why teh song continues to surprise and impress without ever feeling repetitive. Sai Keshav is responsible for getting all these arrangements done, and he is the music producer here. “Rookha Sookha dil Hamra, aaja rang la Barkha” almost breaks you down with all the melancholy and poised singing. The solo lead guitar is ecstatic in the interlude, and just when you think that the song is constantly throwing great surprises, we hear this fantastic Qawwali-style female chorus, along with the Dholak. Pavithra Viswabarathy accompanies as the backing vocalist. This chorus melody definitely takes me back to that great Charukesi-based song “ Vasantha Mllai” sung by TM Soundarajan and composed by G Ramanathan. When the Antara begins , I also realise Gayahri is really testing her full vocal range as well, with “Phool Kile” being performed at this contralto type of voice. Listen to her reach for the other end of teh vocal spectrum with “Soona Soona”, and The flute solo is palying a fantastic counterpoint here in the background. The recording engineer is Mrunal, and Sai is the mixing and mastering engineer. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 12th April 20261. KoodapirannorMusic Composed and Produced: Parvatish PradeepSinger: Sooraj SanthoshSolo Child Vocal: Nila RajLyrics: BK HarinarayananLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light Music/ BalaldMood: PathosWhen I heard the album of Vaazha 2, this was the song I was so eagerly waiting for. Having known and featured Parvatish Pradeep since 2023, it was expected that this guy would move you with his melody and arrangements. The intro Sitar by Paulson KJ, straight away reminded me of another outstanding song, “Aaradhike” by Vishnu Vijay. In that case, it was the Mohan Veena. Incidentally, both these songs have been sung by the magical Sooraj Santhosh, and the moment he begins performing the verse, the body, mind, and soul become numb, and all sense of time and space is lost. “vekame varu vaathilil, jeevane thodum ormagal" This part feels so powerful when we hear it, as the blood starts rushing and tears start rolling down. Goosebumps are guaranteed as Parvatish adds layers of guitars and harmonies in the background to amplify the effect. Sandeep Mohan plays guitar and is also the bassist, and Parvatish joins as the backing vocalist. This is the part that reminded me of Elton John’s ‘Sacrifice’. Parvatish is special because he writes these melodic phrases that touch your heart; such is the quality of these chord progressions. The charanam has this line: “snehamam mariyil nananju pokave, chiriyai kaliyai mozhiyai thazhuki nee mellave”, and I am speechless when I hear its intricate beauty. Parvatish’s greatest asset is that he keeps the music lover on tenterhooks, and one can never predict what amazing surprise he will throw at us. “ Aayiram Kinavukalaay” is  proof of that. Sravan Krishnakumar ups the ante of the pathos with his string quartet. Nila Raj comes on and delivers this tender line with her cute voice. What follows is a beautiful line delivered by the children's chorus and Prvatish, along with brisk guitars. This feels like the flood walls are coming down. Medha Ganesh, Shrita Ganesh, Nila Raj, Chinmayi Kiran and Vasudev are the children's chorus, and believe me, you will think of all the greatest moments of your siblings (Koodapirannor) as Subin Jerson plays the soothing flute solo and we get some heavy keys on board. Abin Paul does the mixing and mastering, and the recording engineers are Rohan Harish, Arjun B Nair, Amal Raj and Abhinav M K. The brilliantly touching lyrics are written by BK Harinarayanan. @parvatish @harinarayanan.b.k @soorajsanthosh @menonankit @vipindashb @savin_sa_ @sai_prabhaa @gibsandeep @srava.krishnakumar @subinjerson @mixwithabin @paulsonsitar @soni_island_studio @nair_b_arjun @rohanharish.flac 2. Gira GiraMusic Composer - Vasuki VaibhavLyrics, Vocals - Vasuki VaibhavMusic Produced and Vocal Arranged by - Soorya Language: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticVasuki Vaibhav is probably the very first composer I featured on my website for some fantastic music in a Sandalwood movie album. The song was called “Innunu Bekagide” from ‘Mundina Nildana’. Here is this guy now with a solid indie song, and I couldn't feel happier. Ritwik Bhattacharya makes a head start with the intro guitars, and soon enough, this delightful voice comes in and pulls us off our feet. Vasuki has penned the lyrics, composed the melody, and delivered the lead vocals. My Kannada isn't great, but I can make out what he's singing, appreciative of this damsel in front of his eyes, comparing the sight to a grand illusion.  This line is melodically captivating too, “Kannedhure nee haage minchi maaya vadhante” and the way he adds the slight vibrato on the first word brings immense fondness. The subsequent lines get quite catchy with the upbeat rhythms being introduced along with nicely arranged harmonies as well. Sunidhi Ganesh and Vasuki are on backing vocals, and the song is produced with vocal arrangement credits going to Soorya; take a bow, brother. The song’s melody winds into so many trajectories and the mood keeps changing from longing and mesmerism to energetic dance modes. Take, for instance, the way the energy shifts into higher gears in the chorus line “ Nee Thaane Karana Thala Gira Gira”. This is where the additional keys and synths make it a magical listening experience. Jeevan Joy, Nilotpal T, and Hriday Goswami handle all the additional programming, while Akshay Krishna is on the additional synths. The melodica in the interlude by Praveen D Rao builds on all the romanticism and tenderness of love. The melody in the charanam keeps giving more for the music lover, and the chord progression towards the end of the stanza is another segment where the song truly elevates itself, with credit to the composer and producer. The song instantly offers greatification and makes you want to hum all along when you hear these lines “usurina baashige vivarane yethake manasina lokake”. The tracks are mixed by Gokul Abhishek at Budbudke Studio, with mixing/mastering engineer Vivek Thomas at the helm. The recording engineers are Manjunath Naidu and Suvin Gowda. 

If you are a musician wanting your new release to be heard and reviewed,  submit your music here.Here are the best songs releasxed in India across languages and genres for the week ending 5th April 20261. Kaattu ThottapoolMusic Composed and Arranged by: Sushin ShyamSingers: iSai, Kapil KapilanLyrics: Anwar AliSong Co-Arranged by: AllanfromtheothersideAdditional Music Production: Nivin RaphaelLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Alt-PopMood: ImmersiveIf he comes out of his den, he's gonna make a kill and not just feed his own hunger, but everybody who has been eagerly starving. Yep, that is Sushin Shyam for you, and his murderous spree is the music he makes. This single is from the upcoming movie Patriot, and I don’t wanna bet on anything else except for the music, and this single sets those expectations high. The mesmerising piano in the intro eases your heart rate, and Sushin knows when to amp up the excitement. The song is composed and arranged by Sushin, with Allanfromtheotherside being the other arranger, and his usual aide, Nivin Raphael, does all the additional music production. Kapil Kapilan will drag you in with his vocals, and he will make you stay there till the end purely with the power of his voice. The harmonies kick in pretty soon, and they elevate and magnify the melody even more. She has your heart when she makes a foray with “Hridhayame”, this gifted singer iSai. The interlude that follows her lines is hauntingly beautiful, with the Cellos and the choir performing the humming. Rithu Vysakh performs the one-man string quartet like a one-man army, and the Choir is performed by the prolific The Indian Choral Ensemble. This extended interlude with rising pitch and intensity is just a brief phase with more of the pallavi and anupallavi being performed again. I love the sound of these catchy rhythms, and the choir performers soar even higher this time. We have Kalyani Nair, Aparna Harikumar as the Sopranos, Sushmita Narasimhan, Sivaranjini Chandramouli as Altos, Shibi Srinivasan, Shridhar Ramesh performing as Tenors, and Shyam Krishna, Neeraj M. Selva as Bass singers. TICE is directed by Kalyani Nair and Karthik Manickavasakam, with Kalyani prepping the Choir scores. “Paravai njan chirakukal aai maaridam, thoora thoorangal thaanda” is one of my favourite lines in the song. The charanam feels like a bridge section, almost pushing the envelope higher and being an effectively moving section of the song. Naveen Napier is the bassist, and Manonmani plays the sarangi. This song is more about the vocals,  instrumental and choral arrangements than anything else. Biju James and Amal Mithu are the recording engineers. The song is mixed by Abin Paul and mastered by Donal Wheelan. @sushintdt @patriot.movie @sai_prabhaa @kapilkapilanmusic @anvarali @allanfromtheotherside @nivin_raphael @rithuvysakh @kalyaninair86 @napier_naveen @manonmanisarangi @karthikmanickavasakam @theindianchoralensemble @sushmita_narasimhan @sivaranjinichandramouli @shibisrinivasan @shridhar_ramesh @shyam_krish @neeraj_msg2. AahanaWritten and performed by Rajat HegdeMusic Produced by Narayan SharmaLanguage: KannadaGenre: PopMood: RomanticThe moment I heard this song, I was flying high with “Saptasagara Dache ELlo” Side A title track running on my mind. The electronic pop genre was one reason, the fine keys, synths and exuberant drums too were in that zone. I love the way the intro humming by Rajat leads us higher with our feet definitely above teh ground. Narayan Sharma makes a terrific case with those fabulous rhythms and I feel like I am listening to a piece of ‘One More Night’ by Phil Collins. These references and comparisons are a sign of respect and appreciation for the quality of music and sounds I am hearing here. There is a casual, cool vibe in his singing style, and it works; adding a layer of harmonies makes the song sound dreamier. Teh chorus segment is where all hell breaks loose, and the blood flow to the brain is intense; only good music can do that. “Neene Aakasha Neena Aahana”, with the way he improvises on “Aakasha” and “Aahana”, shows Rajat’s abilities and creative vision. The interlude is some funky Keyboard-led melody, and the impact is psychedelic. The charanam is where we come back to the ground, and Rajat gives off some very classical-styled vibes here, and the notes probably represent fragments of Raag Abheri. The melody here is soothing, and Narayan plays it wisely to be distant and minimal in production. But whenever he rains, he pours with those stunning keys and synth interventions. It feels like witnessing a firecracker show, especially towards the outro, as Rajat kingers in the high-pitched space. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aniket Mohanty. @raja.hegde @roshni.prakash @narayan_sharma227 @awwwwwwwwwniket @anushalimakeup @audiokraftstu