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 13th September20261.Dil Ki AawaazPerformed by AntarikshVocals: Rahul RamWritten and produced by: Varun RajputLanguage: HindiGenre: RockMood: EnergeticWhen you have a band that reaches for the stars every time they perform, we get an astronomical output like this. Antariksh is in terrific form and on top of that they get the vocal presence of Rahul Ram to uplift this song even further. The intro lead guitar arpeggios fee like cosmic rays that reach the earth from outer space. Varun opens the lad vocals in the verse here and I was already intrigues, but the Sarod by Rohan Prasanna was ethereal to say the least, and the phrase that he plays also feels magnetic in its impact. The use of Sarod in a hard rock number always feels like a great fusion choice and when Arko Ganguly’s drums and guitars by Shrikant Biswakarma and Varun.Here comes Rahul Ram and the way he delivers “lehron ke tofaanon mein” , he does create a stormy whirlwind by himself. Danik Ghosh is the bassist adding all the grooviness, and we get a very heartwarming segment as they go “yeh to Zindagi ka raaz hai” with Varun and Ishita Singh joining forces as backing vocalists.Things slow down to such a peaceful tempo, and the Sarod solo makes us feel the intensity of this tranquility. The Antara that follows treads through the same route with Varun delivering the words and we get a lavish and uber-cool guitar intervention in reggae style as he sings “ Tu, Kahin na rukha , badhta hi chala” with some Keys and synth support too, by Ashwin Krishnan. These creative choices, with drops in tempo, altered styles, and some funky arrangements all are the reason this song comes right on top of the list this week. We can also hear some Gospel styled harmonies in the background and Rahul Ram, with the high-pitched delivery and lead guitar counterpoints, just steals the show. M Krishna Rao is the mixing engineer here.@antariksh_official @varunrajput_75 @rahulnram @rohanprasanna @strings_of_karma @drarko05 @ashkrish6 @mkrishnarao2.Halki HalkiVocals& Lyrics: SaahelComposed and Produced by SaahelLanguage: HindiGenre: Qawwali-popMood: RomanceThe sound of the Harmonium calms you down in a few seconds itself, and to take down our heart rate down further, Saahel’s voice does the rest as he sings “ In fizaaon mein hum Kahin ghum ho gaye”, and the mild strumming of the rhythm guitar by Syed Shujauddin takes us along this dreamy melody. Saahel has been incredibly consistent with his music and I rate him easily as one of the top 5 indie musicians in the Hindi space. The melody starts ringing in our ears and Saahel has the ability to write a tune with such meaningful and moving notes and it happens here in the pre chorus section. “Halki Halki Bekarari” hits you like a feather, light but inducing joy like seeing light at the end of a tunnel. The rhythm production is very mild and that allows the melody and vocals to remain.The guy is also a gifted singer who never tries to morph or imitate some famous singer’s tone and that is why his singing wins hearts. “chupke tare main na dekhu, muje pe teri peheredaari” is a perfect example of how Saahel can sing the high-pitched notes with such conviction and when he delivers a few subtle harkatein, it mesmerizes you. This is also proof of the songwriter in him, which shines every single time. I do sense some Raag Bilawal as well as some influences of Raag Hamsadhwani as well in various portions and phrases of the melody.Now we move onto the producer and arranger in him, pay attention to the dynamics of the drums, as we have a change in beats and intensity when the second verse begins as he sings “ wakt ke fasle”, and the gentle keys accompany.  Saahel gives you the confidence that this artist is not here to settle for something easy, but he will strive for creativity and excellence. Listen to how he introduces this long phrase of sargams and that comes as a surprise but also showcases his technical expertise as a musician. Is that the sound of the Banjo in the background? The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ashish Raitani.@saahellmusic @ashish.raitani @pushkar.mp4 @shujauddin.syed @krish.wadhw43.Anta Mugisele

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 6th September20261.Onde ChandraMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Charanraj MRLyrics: Nagarjun SharmaVocals: Antony DaasanLanguage: KannadaGenre: Folk FusionMood: Dance/RomanceA modern-day genius comes on and gives us this brilliant melody that has such folkish fabric woven beautifully all over, thanks to the vocals of Antony Daasan, the Harmonium that intervenes and elevates, and the sensational Indian percussion and rhythms. Charan Raj is the composer, and he offers an absolute treasure here with lyrics by Nagarjun Sharma. “Citylightsal Baalthavo, eshtu chanda kaanthavo” he sings with the intermittent notes on the Piano and Harmonium together. The percussion comes on board as we get the Dhol and Kanjira combining, and the most beautiful line is composed by Charan with “Avala kandre ivanu fidaa, Ivana kandre avalu fidaa,” describing the way the man and woman are falling in love looking at each other, but truly it is the listener who is falling in love with the music; just pay attention to the beautiful Piano in the background.The Antara/charanam starts off, and Charan Raj keeps polishing the melody further and further, and this is why he is one of India’s absolute best, because the most creative juices can only flow in the form of the notes and chord progressions, and with Charan Raj, this will never wear off. The pause after “ Odh Kondiror Sigbodhu” and the Harmonium intervention that follows is all just giving goosebumps to the music lover. The body starts just moving and getting ready to make these short dance steps, all thanks to the arrangements and the vocals.When we get to the end of the second charanam, the beats start to dominate, and a song that this reminds me of is AR Rahman’s “Pennala Pennala Oothapoo”@charanraj27185 @duniyavijayofficial @aanandaaudio @anthony.daasan @nagarjun_sharma2. Kalyana VirundhuMusic composed, arranged, and produced by Maestro Ilaiyaraja.Lyrics: IlaiyarajaVocals: Antony Daasan and YugendranLanguage:Genre: Folk- popMood: DanceThis is a gift, a dream, a blessing to be writing about Maestro Ilaiyaraja’s composition. I am not qualified; I am not knowledgeable enough to review it, but thankfully I was born and raised in TN, listening to His music for 50 years, and that at least gives me the power to appreciate and analyze music. I listened to this and made a full IG video on this song a couple of weeks ago, and here is my written expression of love for this of God’s creation. The masterstrokes are many, but a few things that stand out are picking Yugendran Vasudevan as the lead vocalist, because many of Ilaiyaraja’s greatest dance/folk numbers were performed with great elegance by his father, the great Malaysia Vasudevan.The song begins with that mandatory Thavil, Nadaswaram, and Antony singing with such energy; the third line or anu Pallavi, as always, is the best in this whole segment: “anga nirayum echilila thottilu”, followed by the male chorus and this is the first place where I am reminded of Maestro’s “Mama Un Ponna Kudu”, where the male chorus sings “thali kattavum melam kottavum Neram vanthuduchu”. There is no way you haven’t gotten up from your seat and begun dancing to this tune and beats already. Maestro is giving away these easter eggs, like the interlude on Keys, bass that begins at 1 minute 6 seconds and goes on for the next 6 seconds. This is a completely inspired phrase that appears in the interlude of “Mama Un Ponna Kudu,” and Raja modifies the notes just enough for the true fan to still know what he intended.Yugendran begins singing in the charanam, and his attitude and delivery easily remind us of Malaysia Vasudevan with songs like “Ooru Vittu Ooru vandhu”. The most favourite and melodically richest gem comes in the phrase Love u la sikkum pasangale” as he allows the lead and chorus to sing it multiple times, but with the changing intensity of the Tabla beats, this is pure bliss. Since Maestro is also the lyricist, I think he wrote these lines as a message to every musician making music today: “Vanga da vanga masterclass eduppen”. Listen to the Thavil, Tabla, bass, acoustic guitar, and male chorus combine like God's finest creation.I feel so sorry for every composer of today who will continue to be a fragment of this man’s dream, imagination, creation and achievements; no matter what they try, his music stands tall, original, rich, pure and fresh even today. Maestro’s use of Western trumpets and drums in the second interlude against the folkish Thavil and Naadaswaram also reminds us of a similar technique he employed in “Ooru Vittu Ooru Vandhu”. Priya Jerson is on fire as she delivers the suave vocals as the female lead playback singer in the second charanam with all that contralto tone. Ilaiyaraja shows he’s a songwriter par excellence when his lyrics show the feminist side with words like “ Ponnunga nela unakku puriyadhu, sonnalum un thalaiyil eraadhu”.@yugendranvasudevan @priya.jerson @anthony.daasan @ksubbaraj @ilaiyaraaja_offl

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 30th August 20261. Ellam Neeye Music composed by Sai PrashobWritten and Performed by Sai PrashobMusic Produced by Sebastain SathishLanguage: TamilGenre: Rock FusionMood: Energetic This is one of the new songs on I-pop Tamil Stars, a reality music show and it blew me away for various reasons like Sai Prashob’s superlative vocals, his composition which sounded delicate and possessing traits of Brindavana Sarang Ragam. Sai also pens the lyrics, and this only creates such high expectations when a young musician can sing, write and compose and here he also plays the guitar with dreamy arrangements and music production by Sebastian Sathish. The Sitar is the star of the show at the very beginning, and you sense the Ragam influences straight away. The drums accompany along with keys, lead guitars and his soothing voice makes you close you eyes just when he sings “ Paara Vizhiyo, Puriya Nilaiya, Unara Unarvo Elamm Neeye”. The drums and guitars start upping the ante and with this instilled energy, we have a neutralizing effect when Sai sings with such classical vocalizations, ghamakas etc., and you can feel the tantalizing power as your hear “ Maraya Nilavo, Slolla Kaviyo”. Sebastian Sathish is terrific as the music producer as he allows the melody to progress without intrusion, but when there are pauses, he lets the Sitar intervention linger on.The brilliance of the vocals and the composition come in full flow with the variations surrounding “kayangal pala aarudhe”. I am so intrigued by this guys ability to write such heartfelt lyrics in a time when sounds have become lyrics and gibberish has become the soul. Listen to this amazing line “En manadhile varum Thaaragai, varigalai varaadho”. A song I am reminded of is by the great Vidyasagar called “Radhai Mandhil” also set in the same Ragam and obviously the richness of the melody takes my heart to soul to Viswanathan-Ramamurthy’s “Pen Ondru Kanden”. The counterpoints on guitars and Sitar are invigorating as we come towards the outro. That 4-note melody on the Sitar in the end – what a killer! @saiprashob @sebastiansathishmusic 2.Varnajaalam Vocals: K S Harisankar & Poornima KannanLyrics: Vinayak SasikumarMusic composed, arranged and produced by Vishnu VijayLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light MusicMood: Romance The song is one piece of magic that comes from Vishnu Vijay’s repertoire, and when I watched the film, the song felt even more mystical. Vishnu consistently delivers and how he can come up with these throbbing melodies is bemusing. Keba Jeremiah is the guitarist, and he also plays the bass on this one. KS Harisankar and Poornima Kannan singing unison right from the Pallavi and you feel like your feet are slowly lifting of the ground with their “ chaayameekiyo swarnameghame, sakshiyagayo paaridangale” line and the accompanying guitar. The melody melts your heart with every new note as Vishnu chisels something extraordinary here. Once we get to the chorus segment “perida dweepupol, ninnoren ulthadam, ethu sanchariyaalitha, kaalpadinjaadramaakave …Hey Varnajalaam” with Harsisankar’s high-pitched vocals, lift-off happens and the interlaced flute in the background is simply like a tonic to all our worries and problems. The bass notes on the flute in the interlude feel like the mother’s words of love whispering into our ears. The best part of the song is that it never stops giving and these days when composers get easily satiated with one hook line, here is Vishnu Vijay who after all the splendid Pallavi and Anu Pallavi, gives us even more in the charanam as Harisankar sings “Kodathan Kambalam, choodumee shaakikal..shanthamaayi thannidam thedidum cholakal”. The chorus singers Nila Raj, Chinmayi and Vasudev give us such immense pleasure in the outro. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sujith Sreedhar, with Amal Raj, and Amal Mithu as recording engineers.@kebajer @sujithsreedhar @yzakmusic @girish.ad @harisankar_ks @vishnuvijay01 @poornimakannan @vinayaksasikumar  3.Mellow

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 16th August 20261. Bin Tere Written and Composed by Akash TripathiMusic Produced by Ramil GanjooVocals: Janish Joshi and Alvina DsouzaLanguage: HindiGenre: Mariachi/Mexican folkMood: Romance I mean it when I say or write that songs can be made and can be destroyed in seconds. Let’s focus on the positive now, and this song had me with the intro, as male and female vocal harmonies along with Trumpets goes for a killer punch straight away. Akash Tripathi has been having a solid run, and this is the 3rd song I have featured this year I suppose. He has written the lyrics and I love the alternating English and Hindi lines, giving the song a very casual cool structure, almost colloquial. Janisht Joshi is oozing such confidence with his lead vocal lines singing “Smile and all the things you do, I’m staring like a dog at you”. The song’s biggest asset has to be its superlative music production and arrangements whether it is the ravishing horns, or the delectable harmonies. “Kyun dekhe us oar se, dil Daudi mera zor se”, followed by a choral humming, but also has both Janish and Alvina Dsouza singing in harmony. The chorus segment feels like treat for lovers and especially when you are in the mood for a few dance moves too. You better drop everything else and focus on what’s coming, because Alvina is on fire with her suave vocals. If Janisht gave you cool and snazzy, Alvina is ripping your heart apart with such a murderous voice. No man in his senses could turn down this offer with the way Alvina sings “I’m craving just for me and you, tere liye hi saans loon, Aaja mere paas tu”, as she does quite a bit with her falsettos. The acoustic guitar, the brilliant harmonies and horns during the chorus after the second verse is pure magic. The outro is a masterclass in vocal harmony arrangements. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Ramil, with Mrinal Das as the recording engineer at Play Head Studios. @akashtripathi.i @janishtjoshi @alvina._.dsouza @ramilganjoo @lazyom @firstwav @playheadstudio @mrinal.das.334 2. Cold Showers Composed and performed by Sanjith HegdeLyrics: Prashant PandeyMusic Produced by Sanjith Hegde, Gautham Hebbar and Sunny MRLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Immersive Ruaa Kayy invites you with her beautiful vocals singing “bith gaye saawan tujh bin ye mann” in that intro line, and the song rather than just behaving like a pop track with rhythm guitars starts to engage like a mild qawwali fusion as the Dhol-like percussion by Deepes, gets introduced and the song starts to feel like “Ae Hairathe” by AR Rahman. It is impossible to not feel enamored and addicted to something as pure, and pristine as Sanjith’s voice especially when he singing this high-pitched phrase “aa apne nazaarey de, hai dil ki yeh khwaahishein” with that irresistible harkat in the last word and the melody just gets better and better. The lyrics by Prashant Pandey starts touching your heart too with some beautiful expressive lines like “ meri aankhen meri zubaan, tu inhe aazaaz de, hai jo khali aasman, tu hi sooraj de ise”. The music production is where the song gets some extravagant coolness, and one can trust the trio of Gautham Hebbar, Sunny MR and Sanjith to come up with some stylish layers. The basslines kick in but that solo on the guitar in the interlude takes the cake. I have told too many times, that even if you have the worlds best producers upping the vibe of your song, nothing else matters like the melody and Sanjith keeps inspiring with this beautiful Antara, that twists and turns and offers numerous surprises and treasures with its chord progression.“Boondhe paththon pe tehri hai, aake choo le inko kar de riha” is a magical line and I keep wondering if there is some Raag Shuddh Kalyan in this melody. Roland Fernandes is creating some crafty havoc with his bass guitar and I am getting swooned. The outro aalap and vocalization is another reminder of this man’s capabilities, take a bow Sanjith. The recording engineers are Shubhashree, Nikhil Mathew and Abhishek Poojari. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sunny MR.@sanjithhegde @warnermusicindia @sunnymr @prashantpandey @ananyaghosh_ @gauthamhebbar @noorhouse.in 3. Bata Zara Lyrics: Mihir ThatteVocals and composition: Subhi

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 9th August 20261. Sajje KhabbeVocals: Sudhir Yadhuvanshi, Bjorn Surrao, Simiran Kaur DhadliLyrics: Siddhant KaushalMusic composed by Jakes BejoyMusic Producers Jakes Bejoy, Alan Joy Mathew, Agastya Raag, Joel JohnsLanguage: Punjabi/HindiGenre: Disco-Pop/Folk fusionMood: EnergeticI was astonished to see absolutely no promotion, marketing, no reels and videos of this song and the whole album of “I, Nobody” anywhere on the internet and social media. When there are many mediocre songs and albums doing the rounds, how is it that this fine album got lost in the puddle? I recently did a full album review of this on IG last week, do check it out. This track was my absolute favorite, and, in many ways, I find it relatable to the anthem Jakes Bejoy created for Lokah. In my honest opinion this anthem wins over my heart even more than the former. The lyrics are penned by Siddhant Kaushal.The bass guitar feels like the spiderman’s web to me and I am immediately caught in its web thanks to Keba Jeremiah. I believe it is Bjorn Surrao opening the song with his English spoken poetry and this segment reminds me Apache Indians songs. It feels like so many layers of strings, maybe the Mandolin, Maybe the Banjo and maybe a slide guitar all were combining with the bass guitar showing up on top and giving style. All the additional guitars were played by Alan Joy Mathew. The melody was composed by Jakes, with music production handled by the quartet of Joel Johns, Agastya Raag, Alan and Jakes.Sudhir Yadhuvanshi’s voice towers over everything else and I loved Jakes’ pick for lead vocals. Many Bollywood composers make that mistake of constantly using Sukhwinder Singh and that becomes repetitive, uninventive, lazy and stale. Romy would have been another great choice too, but Sudhir truly kills it, and the accompanying harmonies are outstanding too thanks to backing vocalists Maahi Sharma and Prasidhi Patil. When we get to the celebratory chorus segment, don’t forget to notice those rousing horns, thanks to Trumpet Viji. Bjorn comes up with these lines “Nothing is real”. Trumpet Viji goes on to give us a very seductive interlude on trumpets in the bass/tenor zone. This is one  rapturous track and the outro with all the horns, bass, harmonies, and Sudhir’s aalap makes it feel like a worthy finish. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Balu Thankachan, the engineers on board are Amey Londhe, Midhun Manoj, Unmesh Unnikrishnan and Aniruddh Khanna.@jakes.bejoy @bjornsurrao @sudhiryadhuvanshi @simirankaur_dhadli @agastyaraag @theredmoone @joel__johns @midhunanand_official @inobodythemovie @sharmamaahi__ @kebajer @2. Ho Jayenge GhumWritten and composed by Raghav & ArjunVocals: Taba ChakeMusic Produced by Raghav & ArjunLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: DreamyThe start with the children’s chorus took me back to ‘Lion King’ and I am sure Raghav & Arjun won’t mind that comparison with the legendary Hans Zimmer. These guys consistently keep coming up with the goods and I have tears when I see that there are such musicians who truly are committed to making original, good, music and stay away from the corrupt environment of mediocrity and greed we are surrounded by. This collaboration is another massive plus point and Raghav & Arjun have been picking great vocalists to deliver their songs of late. Here comes one of my favourites Taba Chake on lead vocals.The guitar riffs are engrossing as they hit deep, but nothing comes close to joy like hearing Taba perform in his lower vocal register as he sings “seedha seedha rasta hai waise toh, tedha medha chalkar yum dekh lo”. The greatest asset for a composer-duo is their ability to write a melody, and Raghav & Arjun make me feel confident of this aspect, a case in point is the next line and how the melody subtly changes, with the chord progression created to cause a light tingle in “ Aur khwaabon ko din mein bhi dekh lo, khayaloon ko aawaara ghoomne do”By the time we hit the pre-chorus segment we are enamoured and a mild layer of harmonies also has a role to play in that effect. The keys and rhythms take a backseat and lose the intensity when he sings “phir main aur tum kho jayenge ghum”, allowing nothing to come in the way of this message of love. The interlude is an offering of bliss again, with the children’s chorus, Piano and relentless guitars. He leave me with a heavy heart whenever Taba sings “phir main aur tum kho jayenge ghum”. But thanks to the beautifully crafted bridge section, I am able to breathe and feel better. “Le jaaye meetha sukoon hum, le jaaye ghamo saare yeh duniya”Raghav & Arjun have created a song that feels close to heart and nourishing to my senses like how Lucky Ali would have in his peak. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane.@raghavandarjun @taba.chake @firstwav @lazyom @karanutd @raghavmkumar @arjunpremsangeet

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 2nd August 20261. Roshni Composed & produced by Rishabh ShahVocals: Melissa SrivastavaLyrics: Soham MajumdarLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Immersive  Melissa Srivastava kills this one like a star, and I was genuinely elated to discover this song. Vinayak Salbi on the rhythm guitar lays the brickworks but it is the sizzling bassline by Himangshu Borah and that mild humming that keep us hooked and intrigued. But wait for it, because you have heard nothing like her all this month. I guarantee. My god the tone and the contralto voice singing “Nayi hogi subah woh” and within seconds she explodes into a higher vocal register showcasing her wide range. The way she evokes passion and sings “Toota tha jo kal, aaj phir jod lena, aansoon bhi tu hi rok lena”, for all its vocal excellence, melodic magic and lyrical lushness is my favorite part of the song. This according to me is one of the most outstanding vocal performances by an artist this year. Melissa sure sounds like a Diva who has the whole world to conquer.  The melody is written by Rishabh Shah, and he combines all that richness with some effective and elevating music production too. The Piano gently plays a few notes and the humming by Melissa is the clincher that feels like an uplifting segment to glorify this track even more. All along I have been enamored by the sensation Himangsu with his ballistic bass, and what follows is a bridge section that further allows Melissa to establish her supremacy on vocals. All I can tell that artists is her own lines “Umeedon ka ho jahaan chhule naya aasmaan, sitaron mein tu Kahin rakh de apna nishaan”. This is a melody that is the same as the humming notes. You wish this never ends. The recording engineer is Pranjal Borah at Neo Sound, and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Ajinkya Dhapare. @melissa_srivastava_ @lyricssoham @rishabhshamusic @salvivinayak @bassswithhim @ajinkyadhapare  2. Miskeen Lyrics: Ameer KhusrauSung and Composed by Yawar AbdalMusic Produced by AkashLanguage: KashmiriGenre: Soft RockMood: Immersive If there was a list of artists I consistently feature, rate highly and admire, Yawar Abdal would be one among the very few in that list. He is a magician with blessed vocals and that alone isn’t his trump card, it is his musicality in the compositions and that sensibility int delivering the song too. Vicky Hajeri delightfully opens with his intro lead guitar and the mild drums by Akash make way for the opening verse. He sings with that subtle melancholy, words that I don’t follow, but I can feel the music, I can feel the tranquility as his voice seeps through my system. It is Manash Saikia, playing the stylish bass guitar but he also does some interventions on the solo violin that captivate us. Akash is the man on sound design and music production and he perfectly lets these live instrumental elements play freely, improvise without ever stealing Yawar’s vocal and Ameer Khusrau’s lyrical thunder. Vicky and Manash are having a ball playing these beautiful, and poignant solo phrases on the electric guitar and violin. There is clearly an Raag Khamaj influences in the melody and that elevates the richness of the song further. Yawar’s ability to alternate between subtle shifts in his mood and then explore the higher end of his vocal range is all evident here and it only makes this song that perfect companion for your solitude and peace. That interlude with Vicky’s solo on the lead guitar is a phase that feed in such bliss. The bridge section that follows is another exhibition of Yawar’s command and control as a performer. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Tejus Srivastava with Jay Rana as the recording engineer.@yawarabdal @akashdrums @manash_inf @vicky.hajeri44 @tejussrivastava @xulkarnain @itsjayrana @ferriswheelstudios 

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 26th July 20261. DarmiyaanMusic composed by Raghav KaushikLyrics: Amrita SalujaVocals: Rekha Bhardwaj & Raghav KaushikMusic Produced by Nakul ChughLanguage: HindiGenre: PopMood: Romance/PathosThe voice of Rekha Ji comes on and she makes you feel the pain and pathos with that tone, as we hear only the mild keys in the background. This whole album of “Musafir Café” has been a fine one with some excellent music from Raghav Kaushik, Neel Adhikari and Garvit-Priyansh and I recently posted a review on IG praising the artists. This is easily one of my favourites from the album. If you thought Rekha ji could serenade you, wait for “Hum, tere hote toh zakhm sabhi sile hote toh” sung by the magnetic Raghav Kaushik and you will end up giving everything you own to this man.How does he manage to tempt you with his voice, and also instil the beauty of classical-styled harkatein and showcase all his vast potential? “haaa..Tum mere hote toh”, with that extended vocalisation on “mere” is creating goosebumps. Nakul Chugh is the brains behind all the terrific music production as he introduces those mild harmonies and that faint electric guitar too in the background without taking attention away from the vocals and the melody. The music doesn’t just tempt you as it did in the verse, as we now head into the chorus segment and the lines “kyun, mere tere darmiyaan” with a mild pause before, and the heavy lead guitars, drums and backing vocalists combining is like the downpour of a shower, much longed for.Shudhi Ramani, Udit Kattar and Abhiruchi Singh are the backing vocalists that elevate the lines. One can never appreciate Mayank Raina enough for this glorious solo on the flute, as he takes matters into his own hands and makes your heartbeat so hard in joy, appreciation and admiration, during a time when instrumental interludes are slowly vanishing from our songs. My favourite line in the Antara is where I was stunned by the chord progression was “Ki hum, khwaabon mein hi doondhe marham” , with Rekha ji’s poise shining through. Bhushan Chitnis is that star on the guitars constantly. We get an unexpected but valiant bridge section performed in the higher vocal register only to keep the intrigue quite high all the way till the end.This is easily one of the songs of the year with a fully equipped package of terrific composition, heartwarming lyrics, by Amrita, devastatingly good vocals and invigorating music production. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Abhishek Ghatak. This song will leave a lasting impact like “Endless Love” by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie, and George Benson’s “Nothings Gonna Change My love for you”.2. Ishq Seekh LoWritten and composed by Abhin JoshiVocals: Abhin JoshiBacking vocals: Saishruti KotianLanguage:Genre: Soft RockMood: ImmersiveBasslines hit hard, lead guitar stuns you and that is the gauge of a savvy intro. Jeet handles the former and Varun Agnihotri is here to electrify is on lead guitars. This track is a ferocious piece from start to finish and rightly as it called ‘Ishq Seekh Lo’, I think this song is telling us to love music a bit more. This is the brainchild of Abhin Joshi who I have featured before, and he writes the melody, the lyrics and performs the lead vocals too. I love the tempo, as the song hits you on the right groove with Sanket Pahurkar being slick and suave in this start-stop style.Never take your focus away from the brilliance of Abhin on vocals, interjecting some very classy harkatein in between. The chorus line is an absolute riot as the temperature rises with a layer of harmonies now joining the fray and Gautam David blowing us all away with his Sax solo, listening to “bheege thoda hum, thoda bheeg lo tum, khud se itna hare, khud se thoda jeet lo tum”. Bravo Abhin, for these lines, that soar melodically and lyrically too. The uplifting harmonies is all thanks to vocal contributions by Abhin, Jeet, Varun, Pratyush and Nidhi Vaja.I love how when the title lines comes on we hear not just Abhin but also Saishruti in union, “Ishq Thoda Seekh Lo Tum” as though love is a two-way street and both parties need to learn to love. Feel the power and sensuality of these guitar arpeggios as Varun demonstrates such excellence. This is the musicality that we need, maybe not what we deserve. The interlude is about to end and then the way the sax accompanies on the ending notes is throbbing with goodness. Abhin continues to impress with the melodic phrases that follow. And finally everyone sings together “yeh Ishq thoda seekh lo tum, with Gautam’s sax improvisation and Sanket’s creative juice flowing on drums is breathtaking. That outro on the lead guitar is a little extra , maybe the cherry on top for the music lover. Saishruti is in charge of all the choir arrangements , Hersh Desai is the mixing and mastering engineer.@sanket_paruhar @varun_agnihotri @bass_ki_aawaz_kesi_hot_hai @gautam.david

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 12th July 20261. Viraha VamanamLyrics: ShiyazWritten, composed, and performed by Radio LegsLanguage: MalayalamGenre: RockMood: EnergeticI am listening to this rock act from Kerala for the very first time, and I have nothing but words of praise . This is Radio Legs, and the 6-member band is ripping it apart in this energetic rock exhibition, but the main attraction is the melody that is composed. The vocalists are Abhi Thankachan, Sachin Lal and Hafiz Najum, with lyrics penned by Shiyaz. Emil Antony Saz is the keyboardist, Amal Raj is the drummer, and Abel John is the lead guitarist. They waste no time, as the tone is set right at the beginning with the brilliant union of lead guitar, drums, and keys. That voice is getting into your bloodstream: “neelan pathakal, neenga gathakal  vaahana vyuham pole njan thangi pathiyil” is something so pacifying, and just when we hit the chorus segment, we get a layer of backing vocals, and the song just elevates into something extraordinary. The way the vocalists perform the second phrase of the chorus segment “paazh kireedam njaan” with an extended vocal improvisation on “njan” is breathtakingly good. The drummer, lead guitarist, and keyboardist are not here to accompany, but you can hear them exploring so much with creative alterations. Emil Antony is killing it on keys, and you can hear this when the verse begins “indhanamilla jeevanai changala pole.” The way we get a vocal humming to replace the song’s melody in the chorus. During the bridge that follows, we get to feel all the drums and lead guitar fade away, with some acoustic guitar support, leaving “vaal thaarangal” alone. This is why this song is superlative: not only are the melody, vocals, and live instrumentals shining, but it also has terrific production. A moment of magic that still blows my mind is the chord progression when we come to the line “thaapathil theera maruvaai”, with the background sounding incredibly fresh. Also pay attention to the vibrato on “maruvaai” with a very classical Carnatic touch. Feel that pulsating solo on the electric guitar when we hear “viraha vimanam njan” towards the outro. @radio_legs @thankachan_abhi @sachin_lal @hafiz_najum @__abeljohn @amal_raj_b_s @emil_antony_saz @deepaksrproduction 2. IttefaqWritten and composed by Deepika Seth, Sagar VermaMusic Produced by Rohan Upadeo Vocals: Deepika SethLanguage: HindiGenre: Baroque PopMood: ImmersiveThe song has one superstar: Deepika Seth on vocals. From the very first note, as she sings “ Kya Ye Ittefaq Hai,” she sizzles and stuns, and this delivery and vocal expression are of the highest order. Every phrase comes across as something that is being performed by someone with immense abilities and skills in the Western vocals discipline. The vibrato and vocalization are just top-draw stuff, and you can hear it for yourself in the phrase “ jo tum aa gaye ho”. The melody and lyrics are co-written by Sagar Verma and Deepika, and we have Sambhav Pratap Singh on guitar, accompanying throughout.This is all we hear up until now , just the rhythm guitar playing in the background, but Rohan Upadeo, as the music producer , perfectly times the introduction of strings (by Protyay Chakraborty) and the Jazzy drums , with the expansive high-hat and cymbals. Sambhav plays some nice, intriguing arpeggios, then subsequently we get a melancholic solo violin by Protyay, as the double bass never stops hitting you deep and hard in the background. The melody stands out because Deepika and Sagar give us something beautiful, elaborate, and poignant. Listen to this phrase, for example, as she sings “ Raaz Khol rahi ho puraane”. The violins play alongside, and the intensity of the pathos works very effectively here. I am in awe of what Deepika is doing here, as the Antara is all about her classical Indian style vocalization , or harkatein as we say. “Mil gaye aur milne ke bahaane” is a case in point. If there is another standout hero in this song, it has to be Protyay with his constant intervention on strings. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane. @deepikasethmusic @rohanupadeo @sagarvermamusic @sarahhhbadarrr3. Midnight Train

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 5th July 20261. PrateekshakalWritten and performed by Gowry LekshmiComposed by Gowry LekshmiMusic Produced by Ganesh VenkataramaniLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Folk-RockMood: EnergeticThe OG, a relentless force to reckon with, that is Gowry Lekshmi in the Indie space, and you better get that straight to your head. I have featured her countless times throughout this journey in music journalism, and I regret the years before when I missed out. Listen to the way she haunts you with her contralto singing “ Thantha Thaayar Nattar Veetar ellame” with the lead guitars accompanying. The lead guitar starts to take hold with more gravitas as we go past the verse towards the chorus. Suddenly she is off to deliver with such rapturous intensity, singing the chorus line, and the electric guitar and drums are fiery now. Gowry is unparalleled when it comes to writing these excellent melodies and delivering every note with. The lead guitar arpeggios are sensational, adding more fuel to this conflagration of a song. Who else but this master, Durwin Dsouza, could generate all this passion and poetry on the guitar? Ganesh Venkataramani, who is the usual suspect when it comes to creating all the majestic soundscapes for Gowry, is teh man behind all the frenzied arrangements, music production, and drum production as well. During this second verse, we can hear so many things happening on keys, guitars, and the marching drums. This chorus line is to die for, with all its intensity and impact. If you can just try to pay attention to all the guitar counterpoints and devastating drums without focusing on Gowry’s vocals in the outro. Kalesh Govindan handles all the amazing album art. @gowrylekshmih @ganhitsthings @durwin_dsouza2. QaraarVocals: Kavita Seth and Kanishk SethComposed by Kavita SethMusic Produced by Kanishk SethLyrics: Dipti MishraLanguage: HindiGenre: Tumri-PopMood: ImmersiveThis is one of the best yet from the mother-son duo of Kavita and Kanishk, and the melody in Raag Yaman is as soothing as things can get. The melody is composed by Kavita Seth, with lyrics by Dipti Mishra. Kanishk comes on board with lead vocals as well as giving this traditional classical song a very lush electronic pop. “Qaraar deke mujhe aur bekarar kar diya” feels ethereal with some keys and synth work in the background. Not many voices can match up to the reverence of Kavita ji , and after Kanishk’s introduction in the verse, the guitar, keys and rhythms in the interlude, but the divinity quotient lands in as soon as Adwait Kashikar plays the solo flute. This segment is extremely catchy thanks to the keys and rhythms, but the flute solo elevates the experience altogether. “Woh ek shaksh jisse meri” and here you can hear Devashri Manohar accompany as the backing vocalist. Kanishk doesn't stop here; he gets the Sarangi to come and intervene beautifully, and when the Antara ends, we head back into the chorus line; the combined effect of the flute, sarangi, rhythms and keys is nothing short of magical. When Kanishk comes and performs teh second Antara, he explores the higher end of his vocal range. The Antara's melody is short, but that doesn't make this beautiful song any less impressive. If you thought it’s all over, we get an absolute treat with the sargams by Devashri and the flute by Adwait accompanying right through. This song just needs to be experienced in solitude, and I can only stand up and give an ovation for the solo flute exhibition by Adwait. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathmesh Dudhane. @seth_kanishk @prathmeshdudhane @devashrimanohar @kashikar_adwait @misra_dipti3. Zarb E JeenaVocals: Vibha SarafL

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 28th June 20261. Nee EnbatheyVocals: Pravin Saivi & Maalavika SundarLyrics: Ahamed Shyam and Pravin SaiviComposed, Arranged and Produced by Pravin SaiviLanguage: TamilGenre: Soul/PopMood: RomanceI have written about some music compositions by Pravin Saivi and, just like my expectations, within seconds of this song’s intro, I know this is high-quality stuff. Pravin and Maalavika Sundar start singing in harmony but at different pitches, making it sound like I am standing on the ground and soaring in the air at the same time. Vocal arrangements and production like this immediately tell you volumes about the musician’s abilities. Pravin sings, composes, arranges, and produces this stunning song, and when you have teh right teammate in Maalavika, half the job is already done. How does Maalavika hit these notes with such grace and efficiency, singing in Alto-Contralto style? We have Pravin’s rhythm guitar following along, but the ears keep looking for some amazing nuances where the two amazing vocalists shift Octaves as Pravin goes for the lower register and Maalavika goes high , in between the verse. “Munjenmame thodarum naatkale“ is one phrase, and roles reverse at “Mudhale Mudive”. We get a beautiful and light interlude on the acoustic guitar by Pravin, making the feelings of romance intensify like how a Maestro Ilaiyaraja guitar interlude would say in millions of his songs. “Kaalai megamo Saaalai oramo thevadhai veedhiyil pogumo,” written by Ahamed Shyam and Pravin, paints a wholesome picture, and the vocals and notes bring that scene to life. The vocals have a new twist in arrangement now, as Maalavika moves from harmonising to singing with a lag “karaiyai vilagiye” and then soon joins Pravin back to sing “alaigal theyadhanbe” together. These are terrific experiments that work brilliantly.The melody has a seismic shift, “adiye amudhe unai naan yendhave,” with Malaavika digressing and going into a Carnatic aalap mode, which is giving me goosebumps. Derick McArthur is the bassist, and we can hear Ramya Ram singing as a backing vocalist towards the end. Pravin interjects with a brief and sultry lead guitar solo, also playing some counterpoints towards the outro.  My mind quickly travels to the earth- shattering number “My Endless Love” by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Roshan Sebastian. @supernovarecords @roshansebastian @ahamedshyam @ramyaramofficial @parvinsaivi @sundarmaalavika @derickmcarthur 2. …Vinara VinaraMusic composed, arranged and produced by Devi Sri Prasad.Lyrics: SreemaniVocals: Sinduri VishalLanguage: TeluguMood: InspiringGenre: Folk-PopThis is probably Devi Sri Prasad’s (DSP)best song in years. The intro on keys feels like the faint sound of a violin or, even better, a Kottankuchi, but that nice melody apart, we get small packets of magic when the Piano hits you, and these intermittent chords are elevating. KP is the keyboardist, and he deserves an ovation, but let's not forget the man in charge, DSP, who has created a cracker of a song. Singeetham Sreenivasa Rao has for decades collaborated with Maestro Ilaiyaraja, so I am happy that DSP has internalised his hero’s musical sensibilities into this one. The gentle but folkish beats, thanks to Kalyan, take us back into the rural hinterlands of the Deccan region. Sinduri Vishal is unstoppable with her raw tone, and it looks like the song is tailor-made for her. Where she excels is in the way she can alter gears and sound sweet and innocent as well, and that is precisely what she does in the song’s Anupallavi. My favourite line is “Maa Manchi Kureti Devathaa, Shailajam Mari Kadaa”, and I would just stand up and bow to DSP for this melodic phrase. It literally gave me goosebumps. It took me to some masterpiece like “Sriranga Ranganathin” by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Sinduri’s voice and execution of these high-pitched notes are just breathtaking. Maybe that is why the melody has traces of Hamsadwani Ragam.The melody continues to mesmerise in the charanam “ Mattilona Pasidipaina Vaadi Kannepaddadi Aa Velana”, but DSP springs a dramatic surprise in the subsequent phrase as the melody turns into something suspenseful, energetic and mysterious, unlike anything we have heard so far in the song. This kind of experimental shift need not work, but here it somehow does, and kudos to DSP for trying it and landing it nice and soft. “Nelane Ammalaga Nammi Neekemi Laabham”, with backing vocalists in harmony, is the line I am talking about. @singersinduri @thisisdsp @nag_ashwin @singeethamsrinivasa @nivethapethuraj @vyjayanthimusic @divomusicofficial @shreelyricist 3. Thoduvaanathil