If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 27th August 2023. The Spotify Playlist is here1. Sapta Sagradache Ello Music composed & arranged by: Charanraj MRSinger: Kapil KapilanLyrics: Dhananjay RanjanProgrammed by: Charanraj & Narayan SharmaLanguage: KannadaGenre: Synth PopHere comes the juggernaut Charan Raj, and with his consistently good music, we can soon have an anthem among music fans that goes " In Charan we trust". This is the second single of the new Kannada movie Album "Sapta Sagaradaache Ello", and we have one of the finest playback singers in Kapil Kapilan singing this lead. This was a marriage waiting to happen between a phenomenal composer and a breathtaking vocalist, and we have the desired output. The moment the first notes are sung we do hear the influence of Raag Suddha Dhanyasi, and just when you think it is a classical ssounding song, we get the synths and guitars taking us into the world of Synth Pop. Sunil Sylvester plays the guitars and Narayan Sharma plays the synth bass. I love the vocal harmonies and the humming in the background just after the title phrase is uttered. Punya Srinivas destroys our internal peace with this magnificent solo on the Veena. The best part about the notes here and the execution is that the solo is played with a Western style rather than a classical Carnatic style. The stanza too is a joyful ride and Charan excels at fusing both the Pop and semi-classical melody bits into the stanza. The opening segment of the Charanam is high on Pop influences and quickly transforms when he sings "Neeli baana anchalle namannu kaanutha, elle meeri hodantha preeti aagutha". The lines are beautiful musically and lyrically with Dhananhay Rajan writing the words. Lavita Lobo & Devu Mathew join in on the backing vocals. The closing stage is almost transcendental, with the Keys, Synths, rhythms and all the lead and backing vocals coinciding. The recording engineers are Kashyap and Sujith Sreedhar and Deepesh Krishnamoorthy is the supervisor. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Sujith at 2bqStudios Chennai. Venkatesh Bhat is the music supervisor.  @charanraj27185 @2bqstudios @narayan_sharma227 @venkateshmusic_ @aquestercalledkash @sujithsreedhar @punya.srinivas @sunil.sylvester @devumathew @lavita_lobo_ 2. Yeda Mandola Singers - Nakash Aziz & Gulraj SinghMusic - Gulraj SinghLyricist - Kshitij PatwardhanMusic Arranged and Programmed by Gulraj SinghLanguage: MarathiGenre: Light Music/PopA couple of years ago, I remember featuring Gulraj Singh on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi where he composed an original called "Mann Aangan" sung by Nikhita Gandhi. This was a belter of a track amidst run-of-the-mill songs on Lord Ganesh. Gulraj has been busy making devotional songs now and then, but this Marathi album 'Unaad' is priceless. If we go back to the early 2000's when AR Rahman was at the top of his game, making amazing music that not only transcended state boundaries within India but also captivated all our hearts, we would probably be hearing music like this. This is one of the best compliments I can shower on Gulraj. He begins this song with some amazing vocal grunts and noises, all beautifully arranged and executed. Nakash Aziz is a wonderful playback singer and he finally has gotten a song that allows him to showcase his abilities. Satyajit Jamsandekar and Sanket Gurav handle all the live rhythm and percussions and that is a highlight of the song. The antara section is beautifully composed with Nakash hitting the high notes. We have many instruments in the interlude and maybe there was a mild Clarinet in the mix as well. We have Shon Pinto on guitars, and the elaborate strings section has Abhijit Mazumdar, Prakash Varma, Chandar Makwana on Violins, Sanju Varma, Raju Padiyar on Violas and Sujan Chetry on the Cello.  The stanza is a very hummable segment and it gets perfectly accompanied by Keys and all this comes under the purview of Gulraj who is in charge of arrangements and programming. This is one wholesome song that could become the perfect dance song in Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra. The outro reminds me of Ilaiyaraja and Gulraj evokes the Maestro with the Violins, Violas and Cello that carry great complexity in the composition, but end up with such finesse. The thumping percussions keep up with the strings section. Kshitij Patwardhan pens the lyrics.The recording engineers are Amey Londhe and Akshay Purandare, with Amey mixing the tracks and Ashish Saksena taking mastering duties. Vincent Joseph is the assistant to Gulraj Singh. 

If you are a musician submit your new music here.Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 20th August 2023. The Spotify Playlist is here1. Nam Tham Composed & Arranged by Kalyani NairLyrics: Pradeep KumarSolo Vocals: Kalyani NairOne-man String Quartet: Rithu VysakhLanguage: TamilGenre: A-capella I cannot feel more elated to write about and feature a woman composer at the very top of my week's list. Kalyani Nair is one of the most talented in India and she is rising steadily with every passing day. The Indian Choral Ensemble (TICE) is the brainchild of Kalyani and Karthik Manickavasakam and this single from her upcoming EP is a testament to the talent that Kalyani can boast of. She composed and arranged the song with lyrics by Pradeep Kumar. The seeds of Nam Tham probably were sown long back in 2009 according to Kalyani. In Carnatic music, we call compositions as Ragam Thanam Pallavi, with all 3 segments adopting different styles. Thanam is like a Raga Aalap but with syllables A, Nam and Tham. This composition is based on this with some Tamil lyrics later in the song written by Pradeep. Kalyani's very first tryst with classical Hindustani music was in Raag Kalavati and hence this composition follows that scale mostly. This is the kind of song that can turn your sour, bitter day into something more meaningful and magnificent. TICE is in full flow and no it is more than 40 members strong. We have the high Sopranos with the performers on First Sopranos are Padmaja Sreenivasan, Samanvitha G. Sasidaran and Sushmita Narasimhan, 2nd Sopranos Nidhi Saraogi, Nalini Vittobane and Mezzo Sopranos having Sriradha Bharath and Avantika K. The way these vocalists combine is pure magic and it all comes from Kalyani's years of experience and love for A-capella music. She has arranged vocal harmonies for some of India's finest composers like Santhosh Narayan, Pradeep Kumar and Sean Roldan. The way we hear so many layers and with so many lags, and just past the 1-minute mark, the whole bunch sings " Nam Tha" and we are transported to paradise. The intensity keeps rising and we have the introduction of the strings, with Rithu Vysakh being the 1-man string quartet. The Altos are comprised of Fathima Henna, Aishwarya Ravichandran and Vidhya Vijay on First Altos, Triya Sushma, Nithyasri A on Second Altos. The Tenors are Pranjal Thakore, Sarthak Kalyani, Manikandan Chembai and finally the Basses are Karthik Manickavasakam, Ragu, Dhiyanathiru T, Arul C Durairaj, Regis Tony SD and S Kingslin Pon Bhabha. Kalyani performs the lead vocals when we reach the halfway mark in Tamizh and I hope we have musicians across the country take inspiration from such magnificent work. This along with the next song at number 2 is proof of why music in the South dominates the rest of the country. B Prasanna is the Stereo Mix/Master engineer, and the recording engineers are Lijesh, Davidson and KS Maniratnam@theindianchoralensemble @kalyaninair86 @rithuvysakh @pradeep_kumar1123 @karthikmanickavasakam @b_prasanna 2. Nesam Maruma Singer : Anjana RajagopalanLyrics: Mohan RajanMusic: Girishh GopalakrishnanRe-adapted, Programmed and Produced by: Anjana RajagopalanLanguage: TamilGenre: Opera Nessun Dorma is a famous Aria performed by many Opera Singers. It was written by Giacomo Puccini, but popularized by Pavarotti after his performance for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. This team of Girishh, Anjana and Mohan have re-created India's first Opera SIngle. It is a Himalayan task and has only been possible thanks to the ingenious efforts of the team of musicians. Every word which is originally in Italian, has been recreated to sound similar but the words are Tamil. For example, the title "Nesam Maruma" sounds almost the same as "Nessun Dorma". If we get to the arrangement, it is thanks to Anjana Rajagopalan who has entirely re-adapted, programmed and produced this brilliant show. When it comes to this vocal performance, I have no words. People who have come from Chennai, are quite aware of Anjana's abilities as a vocalist, especially in the Opera style, but this is something else. We are probably listening to the best vocal performance of 2023 by any Indian artist. Just Listen, enjoy and don't mind if you get a tear or two rolling down your cheeks. 

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 13th August 2023. The Spotify Playlist is here1. X marks the spot Performed by Prabhtoj Singh, Sanjeeta BhattacharyaWritten by Prabhtoj Singh, Sanjeeta BhattacharyaProduced by Prabhtoj SinghLanguage: EnglishGenre: Indie PopMark this song, and mark this artist. She is easily one of India's brightest and in this song, she delivers probably 2023's finest vocal performance by an Indian singer. Sanjeeta Bhattacharya is a regular on my website and her ability to use her vocal strengths and compose and write songs is a true gift. This is composed and written by Sanjeeta and producer Prabhtoj Singh.Prabhtoj has done some excellent work in the past and here he produces a blitzkrieg, well that is what the poster of the song looks like too, Sanjeeta and Prabhtoh set the stage on fire. Welcome to the spot, with Keys and the Violin by Madhuri Martinez inviting you. Rythem Bansal gently lays his fingers on the Piano and when combined with Sanjeeta's enthralling voice, it sends a shiver down my spine. Sanjeeta wastes no time, and she gets right down to business, making these outrageous vibratos straightaway. The writing is excellent "Shall I make a speech about my right to speak", and when the lines progress into "I want answers, I want to be sure", Madhuri's solo Violin is taking over with immense power in the background. The arrangements and production by Prabhtoj are nothing short of spectacular, and Sanjeeta dn Prabhtoj sown you what songwriting is all about, with lines like " What good is a story when you've got no one to tell it to". The song moves into a much more aggressive and breathtaking plane with the introduction of drums by Aveleon Vaz and Sanjeeta is singing with her lungs about to explode singing " Babe, why don't you love me no more?". Here come Aman Sagar's guitars and Prabhtoj's bass guitar support. The last 40 seconds are just a celebration of great singing and production. @sanjeeta11 @prabhtojsingh @rythempiano @amansagarr @aveleonvaz @madhurimartinez @andresmayoestudio @ferriswheelstudios  2. Bezubaan Singer: Armaan BedilLyrics: Navi FerozpurComposer/Producer: Goldboy Language:Genre: Folk/ Light MusicI have featured both Armaan Bedil and Goldboy before as artists on my website and here the two combine to create this very enjoyable Punjabi melody. Goldboy composed the tune and produced the music, with Armaan's vocals and Navi Ferozpur's Punjabi lyrics. Kudos to Goldboy for the elaborate production and amazing sound design. We hear the Accordion, strings section and flute, all combining with grandeur. It feels like a song by Ajay-Atul from the album "Sairat". The title line is just brilliant to hear with Armaan's voice and the arrangements by Goldboy. The interlude is rich with a loud and imposing strings section, and Accordion in the lead. The stanza is simple with a hummable melody, but it is the intervening mix of these instruments that make for some wonderful listening. I can also hear the stylish bass guitars. We do not get such productions and arrangements in Punjabi music, and the second interlude is a testament to the effort and execution of Golboy as the producer. @iamarmaanbedil @goldboypro @naviferozpurwala 3. Musafir Singers: Salim Merchant, Karthik Chennoji Rao, Yogeendra HariprasadComposed and produced by Yogeendra HariprasadArranged and performed by Pineapple Express

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 6th August 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Swinging Like a Pendulum Performed by Mathangi JagdishWritten by Mathangi JagdishProduced by KJ SinghLanguage: EnglishGenre: JazzI played this EP called " Major Troubles in Minor Blues" and I had no idea or expectations about the artist Mathangi Jagdish. Within a few seconds I was smiling, with eyes closed and living an unforgettable moment of excitement and joy. If a diagnosis was done of these symptoms, the cause would generally have to be "listening to amazing music". True!Mathangi is nothing short of brilliant and she straightaway reminded me of powerhouse performers like Vivienne Pocha and Samantha Noella. This EP is something that you should try straightaway and I loved all 3 songs, with special mentions for "Swinging like a Pendulum" and "Salt in My Kitchen". The magical Bombay Brass is on the horns section and you hear their delightful intro with Robin Fargose on Trumpets, ID Rao on Tenor Sax, Ramon Ibrahim on Trombone, Rhys Sebastian on Alto Sax and the Baritone Sax. The arrangements of the brass section are by Rhys. Mathangi makes a grand entrance with her phenomenal vocals and when you hear the line " At every corner, a twist and a turn" the delectable vibrato on the word 'turn' makes so much sense and oozes of style. The title line is beautifully composed by Mathangi like the entire song, as she goes " Im swingin' swinging like a pendulum". The Piano and drums are constant companions with Merlin Dsouza on the former and Jeoraj George on the latter. The entire production is by KJ Singh and he deserves a standing ovation just like Mathangi and every live instrumentalist, except that he is the director of this whole movie. Mathangi has written these witty lines and she performs with amazing zest. The bridge section is very nicely written, and Mathangi's genius comes alive again when the word "elevate" is sung with rising notes. Kudos! Singing with emotions is what many in the current generation need to learn, I can feel her weariness when she sings " cos I'm tired". The other song that is just brilliant is "Salt in My Kitchen", with the same roles played by all musicians, except for a few minor changes, there are no major alterations to the amazement. The song feels like Tina Turner's "Golden Eye" OST and here too the Bombay Brass is killing it. Joshua Rodrigues plays the Double Bass in the EP and it is Siddharth Talwar on guitars. Mathangi explores even deeper capabilities of her vocal structure in this song. She conveys so much in " All I wanna do is write my song Cos its been so long" because Mathangi has been such a famous playback singer in South Indian cinema with over 450 songs to her credit. She has sung for greats like AR Rahman and MM Keeravani and geniuses like Ilaiyaraja. I cannot wait for her to turn this debut EP into a start for something magnificent in the future. Towards the end Mathangi does a Carnatic styled " Oh it's been so long" and I was bowled over. This is where I heard a bit of Raag Bhimpalasi in the mix. The tracks are mixed by KJ Singh, with Mark Wingfield on mastering duties. The recording engineers are Mrunal, Leslie Charles, Adhithya Sivakumar and Hersh Desai. Asli Music is the label. @kjpahji @musicmerlin @everythingwedoismusic @saxontoast @idrao_official @trumpetrobin @ramonibrahim @crossbow191 @musicsoundart @jeoraj_george @mark_wingfield @stainedclassprod @lesliecharles @studioislandcity @pandalilikestopaint @punamsawhney @nehav07 @aslimusicglobal @mathangijagdishmusic @hersh.desai.9 @adhithya.sivakumar2. Raahein Singers: Shrishti Kedlaya, Parvatish PradeepLyrics: Sushant SudhakaranMusic Composed & Produced by Parvatish PradeepAudio Design: Sparsh Agrawal, Abin ThomasLanguage: HindiGenre: Electronic PopTime for a newcomer on this list, and that always gets me eager and excited. The composer we have here is Parvatish Pradeep, who has also produced this brilliantly. We hear the female vocals coming from Shrishti Kedlaya, and Parvatish also accompanies the lead vocals. Interestingly Parvatish has a classical Carnatic music background. Shrishti has this amazing tone, almost feeling surreal when you hear her and, there is no way a music lover can resist her voice, so we end up getting drawn into the song. Abin Thomas and Sparsh Agrawal are responsible for the fabulous audio design and we have to credit them with the exuberant and excellent sound. I do sense some Raag Hamsadwani right at the beginning when Shrishti's lines are up. The strumming of the guitars is accompanied by Keys and synths and the song gets a tremendous boost when she starts singing " Raahein". That is one brilliant moment which will throw you off your seat. The electric guitar solo comes into the interlude and some vocal interventions. This sound design in a few ways does remind me of Pritam and himonshu Parikh's 'Kesariya' last year. Parvatish joins in the stanza and maintains the beauty that Shrishti created up until then. I trust a lot of the song's great output is thanks to Sparsh, because to this day, "Colors" produced by him is one of the best Indie songs of 2023. 

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 30th July 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. I grew up Written & Performed by - Tarana MarwahProduced by - Tarana Marwah & Gaurav RainaLyrics by - Tarana MarwahLanguage: EnglishGenre: Electronic/Synth PopTarana Marwah a.k.a. Komorebi, impressed me immensely with the background score for the Amazon Prime Webseries 'Dahaad'. It was out-of-the-ordinary, with some moments that truly haunted me. The standout element was the use of local Rajasthani folk instruments and style and such clarity, commitment and skill shared by Tarana and Gaurav Raina is showing its head again here. This composition is by Gaurav and Tarana, and the synths are powering up like a rocket ready to launch. Her dreamy and impactful vocals draw you in deep, and the duo produce this song with an immaculate style. We get the fantastic guitars played by Warren Mendonsa a.k.a. Blackstratblues. Listen to the absorbing strings in the background played by The Mavron Quartet viz. Chris, Beatrice, Rachael, and Niamh. James Gair has arranged the session. This feels almost Hans Zimmer-esque.  The Keys and Synths never take a moment of break and Tarana's lyrics are imposing making you see the message as clear as day. The battle against time is a losing battle, she says and this message feels like a warzone, not knowing where sounds come and hit us from, and kudos to the spectacular design. One of the most enchanting movements is towards the end when we hear multiple layers of vocals, aided by the resonating drums, guitars, Keys and strings. The whole song makes me feel like, I was born, stayed innocent, playful and then suddenly grew up, fell in love, lost in love, and by the time I learnt my lessons, it was time to die. The song is an experience. Gaurav is the mixing engineer and the tracks are mastered by Mike Marsh. @komorebi.music @blackstratblues @james_gair @mavronquartet @mediamonks @groovio @suyashgabriel 2. See Me Now Vocals, Lyrics, Composed by: Sahitya Nepal 'YAATRI' Song Arrangement & Song Production by: Vishal J Singh (Pargot Studio) Additional Production by: Trisha Romeno (Pargot Studio)Language: Nepali & EnglishGenre: ExperimentalThere are many artists here who I have never featured or heard before, and that in itself is something that thrills me. This superior rock single is a class apart and songs like these ascertain India's position in the world of music. Sahitya Nepal 'YAATRI', the Kathmandu-based project, has these unmistakable vocals and they suit the rock genre to perfection. Sahitya has composed and written the lyrics as well along with playing the acoustic guitars. There is an amazing contribution from Vishal J Singh who is playing the exuberant drums, and also getting the grooviness quotient up with his bass guitars and electric guitars. The Keys by Vishal pacifies things a bit in between, but the room gets hot and heavy thanks to Sahitya's breathtaking vocals. Take a bow, Vishal, for the wonderful arrangements and production with assistance from Trisha Romeno. The way the song amps up in intensity and then breathes lighter allowing the vocals and lyrics to be heard is all smartly done. There are moments when I felt like I was listening to Phil Collins perform, and that is one outstanding compliment according to me. Just past the 3rd minute, get a load of a sizzling solo on electric guitar by Vishal. We have the Choir Vocals by Loc Punk (Harip Tatwo), Vishal J Singh, Subodh Dahal, Sahitya Nepal & Ves Timalsina. Vishal and Jason Baruah have done the stereo mixing and mastering of the tracks. @risha_midicore @vishaljsingh @pargotstudios @subodhdahal_ @sahityanepalyaatri 3. Dil Se Dil Tak 

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 23rd July 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Padminiye Song Composed & Arranged by JAKES BEJOY Singer: SACHIN WARRIERLyrics: TITTO P THANKACHAN Music Producers: JAKES BEJOY, EDEN MICHEAL, EBIN PALLICHAN, PRAKASH ALEXLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light Music/Electronic PopIf Sachin Warrier can compose good music, like he has done recently for a Tamil movie album, he definitely can sing quite well too. Jakes Bejoy is the big facilitator with his fantastic composition and arrangements, but the quartet of Jakes, Eden Michael, Ebin Pallichan and Prakash Alex come to the fore and produce this magnificence. Josy Alappuzha's playful solo on the flute, along with the funky Keys make a grant start. Amidst all these Western influences sounding like an electronic pop song, we get glimpses of the local Kerala percussions like the Thavil, Chenda and a few more. The title line is just filled with poise and fun, and we have Jakes, Akhil J Chand, Aruna Mary George and Aavani Malhar on backing vocals which we can hear faintly are various instances. The Nadaswaram by Bala plays out the title line, and then Josy's flute comes and anoints the interlude. The stanza is just brilliant in composition as you will find yourself constantly being found out by Jakes' unpredictable set of notes. Daniel Joseph Antony and Maneeth Manoj excel in all the session arrangements with Akhil handling the Harmony arrangements. Titto P Thankachan is the lyricist, Midhun Anand is the mix/master engineer and we have Midhun, Daniel, Maneeth, Najid Nizarudheen, Vishnu Shankar, Hari Narayanan and John Gregory are the recording engineers. @jakes_bejoy @warriersach @saregamamalayalam @titto_p_thankachen @midhunanand_official @prakash_alex @ebin_pallichan @aavani_malhar @josy_alappuzha @maneethmanoj 2. Mera Sukoon Singer & Composer: Bhagyesh HendreLyrics: Bhagyesh HendreMusic Producer: Neil-NirajI heard this song while I was waiting to board a flight, and I got so caught up in the brilliant melody, that I played it on a loop over 3 times and missed my chance to board the flight for almost 15 minutes. Finally, when I drew enough utility and pleasure, I went to board my flight, ready to take off with my heart already flying miles into the air thanks to this amazing song produced by Neil-Niraj, and composed and performed by Bhagyesh Hendre.Bhagyesh and Neil-Niraj are all making their debuts on this website and I cannot wait to hear more resulting from their collaboration in the future. The guitars that strum right away are played by Dhananjay Chhettri and we hear the soothing vocals of Bhagyesh. Ha has this tonality that resembles Sonu Nigam and Shaan, their best parts at least. The biggest merit of this song other than the singing and composition, is that guitar riff that stands out. We have the thumping rhythms and in the foreground the strings section in the interlude. For all the intensity in the interlude, the stanza is pleasant and filled with melodic richness. The arrangements are fantastic that get the electric guitar playing in the background. The musical team involves Sahil Vishwakarma, Ajith Aryan, Mehul Nikhare & Meet Gohil@sochmusicindia @neilnirajmusic @ridzzthakkar @whodipesjbangera @iam_kanakharipriya @nirajmusic @_meeeett_ @dhananjaychhettri3. Dhaage Music Composed & Produced by: Salim Sulaiman

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 16th July 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Yeh Awaaz Performed by Bryden & ParthWritten by Bryden Lewis, Nirmika SinghProduced by Bryden LewisLanguage: HindiGenre: Indie Pop'Unstoppable', and it is the perfect word for Byrden & Parth. These guys are killing it and I haven't in 4 years of music journalism seen 3 consecutive weeks where songs from the same album/EP have come in the top 2 spots. This is mindblowing stuff and after 'Chameleon World' and 'Rain Chant', we have a Hindi track here that is dominated by the duo in every aspect. Bryden Lewis is the lead singer and guitarist, while Parth Chandiramani is blowing us away with his Penny Whistle. The song is composed and produced by Bryden like the other two we featured but the duo get Nirmika Singh for the Hindi lyrics. The Penny Whistle is the primary instrumental driving force and this 6-holed woodwind instrument is like a toy that Parth is totally having fun with. Siddhart Kamath's Keys keep taking us back to the 1990s Pop and we have some amazing beats thanks to Liben Toms on drums and Kamal Bon on the innovative percussions. I love the transformation in the notes when the lines "Bulaa rahi bulandiyaan, chalo jo bhi ho, pighal rahi hain dooriyan chalo jo bho ho" emerge. The bass guitars by Osigo Mango add delicate style to the background. Close to the 3rd minute, we get a fantastic interlude with the Penny Whistle, Guitars and drums stealing away all our focus. I like the way the percussions and instruments take a back seat with only the lead and backing vocals dominating towards the end. We have Shruti Dhasmana and Bryden performing the backing vocals. The outro is outrageously good with the Parth on the Penny Whistle, Bryden's lung-bursting vocals and the energetic percussions by Kamal. @brydenlewis @nirmika @vivekthomasproductions @robin.schmidt.mastering @rahul.narayan.15 @parth_chandiramani @siddhartkamath @osigomango @libentom @kamaldrummer @shrutidhasmana @sharanyavasuki 2. Thee Veyilil Vocals by  Gowry Lekshmi, Lyrics by Vaishakh SugunanMusic by Christo XavierLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Light Music/PopI listened to the new Malayalam movie album "18+" and this has a composition by Christo Xavier, someone I haven't featured before. The EP is decent with a few likeable moments but this song stood out, not only thanks to the score but also because of the undeniable beauty in Gowry Lekshmi's vocals. The instrumental lineup right at the beginning of the song is magnificent with the strumming of the acoustic guitar and then followed by the Violin, Viola and Cello with rising intensities. Leave it to Gowry, to then bamboozle the listener with her intricate vocal sensibilities. Christo does an outstanding job in this score as he gets a very hummable melody and adds unique and relevant sounds suited for the modern-day music aficionado.The interlude has even a stylish slide guitar that tantalises the listener and brings an element of American Folk music into the fray. The folk style that is so popular in Malayalam music takes over and who better to sing it than Gowry. The numerous percussion sounds are engaging right through the stanza and the folk turns to semi-classical with the beautiful line " thedumne theeram ennume, kaanumne vaanil vaanavil". The strings section is emphatic in the second interlude. I love the fact that the second stanza is completely different from the first, and there is so much happening in the background in the form of the strings, that I cannot resist standing up and giving Christo a standing ovation. Vaisakh Sugunan writes the beautiful words. @christo_xavier @thinkmusicmalayalam @falooda_entertainments @vaisakhsugunan @gowrylekshmih 3. Hiraeth

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 9th July 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. On The Wild Side Composed and written by Perfect StrangersVocals: Ananya Raja, Pranav DMLanguage: EnglishGenre: Jazz/RockSurprisingly, I am listening to this amazing band for the very first time, but like they say, "Better late than never". This Bengaluru-based band has been around since 2013 and is quite popular in that region. I was truly blown away by this and there was no way this song would be featured at any other place than the number 1 spot. Kudos people!The band wastes no time, as straight away we get an induction of rock with Debjeet Basu's electric guitars and Preran Gulvady's drums. After that opening cameo, we get the sensational Jazz construct, with Sweethin Hartman on the saxophone, Joshua Costa on Keys and the outrageously savvy vocals of Ananya Raja. Is she singing her lines from the depths of a deep well, because that is how low she could go in the vocal range? It soon turns into an exhibition of vocal sorcery as Ananya blows red hot right through. Her control, and her vibrato, is all flawless and I am certain this could be placed right alongside Samantha Noella's performance earlier this year for the song 'Glow". I feel the intensity when she sings " Don't you push me away, would you rather have me stay?". Sense for yourself, the groovy bass guitars by Shalini Mohan and then when we get to the title line, the song is a whole other beast that will just devour you, because it just sensed your weakness for good music. The song is a concoction of amazing production, arrangements, singing etc. The song explores the story of a transgender woman and her journey towards authenticity and acceptance. Let the Pride flow!The Pianos form a beautiful interlude past the 3.2 minute mark and it is this unpredictable nature of the song's progression that I deeply love. Sweethin's Saxophone solo is breathtaking and is another worthy feather on the cap for the band's single. Akash Shivakumar is the mixing engineer and Vivek Thomas is the mastering engineer. The song feels like taking a walk on the wild side with the heavy drums and electric guitars @perfectstrangersindia @vanarosa11 @pranavdm @ananyarajaa @debjeetguitar @shalinimohanbass @vivekthomasproductions @sweethartman @akashshivakumar @joe_keys_jazz @preran.pramod2. Rain Chant  Composed and Produced by: Bryden LewisEnglish Lyrics: Manek D'silvaKannada Lyrics: Halakki VokkaligaLanguage: Kannada/EnglishGenre: Folk/Alt-RockIs there no stopping them, as we have Bryden & Parth deliver another rollicking Folk fusion here that takes them to number 2 on the list? This is following a phenomenal chart-topper last week called "Chameleon World". When the song starts off, I feel like I am listening to the opening folk portion of B Ajaneesh Loknath's 'Singara Siriye' from the hit movie "Kantara". Halakki Vokkaliga writes the Kannada lyrics and, after that, the guitar-led vocals start falling like beautiful droplets of rain. Bryden Lewis has composed the melody and he is also the guitarist and lead vocalist, for the English lines penned by Manek D'Silva. The humming gives a monumental feeling of hope and inspiration and the usual suspects join in making this transcendental chant rather than just a song. Osi Gomango plays the bass guitars and Liben Tom is the drummer. The sound of the Bnsuri played by Parth Chandiramani, like the chirping of a bird, makes all the pain and agony of a long hot summer go away. Here it is Jimmy Francis John singing the amazing Kannada lines aided by guitars, bass and Siddhart Kamat's Keys. The rain has just fallen, and then what do we get, the flowing stream in the form of Siddhart's Piano with the thunder roading percussions by Anthony Kamal. Just wait for the 3.2-minute mark when Anthony takes matters into his own hands literally and changes the tempo of the percussions. There is this segment of merriment as Parth and Siddharth go ahead with their jugalbandi on the steel flute and the Keys. The outro alaap is pure magic and may have some influences of Bhimpalasi Ragam. Vivek Thomas does a phenomenal job of mixing these varied tracks and Robin Schmidt does the mastering. The recording engineers are Vivek Thomas, Rahul Narayan and Siddhart Kamath @brydenlewis @parth_chandiramani @libentom @kamaldrummer @siddhartkamath @jimmy_francis_john @osigomango @vivekthomasproductions 

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 25th June 2023. The Spotify Playlist is hereIf you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Chameleon WorldPerformed by Bryden & ParthWritten by Bryden Lewis, Manek DSilvaProduced by Bryden LewisLanguage: EnglishGenre: Alt-RockI listened to this song and I had a surge of excitement, songs like these can are exactly why I do this job so that the world can open up their ears and listen to this kind of amazing homegrown talent. Bryden & Parth is the name of the band and the founding members are Bryden Lewis who is the composer, lyricist and Producer, and Parth Chandiramani plays the Flute and saxophone. The band also comprises Bassist Osi Gomango, Keyboardist Siddart Kamath, drummers Kamal Bob and Liben Toms and vocalist Jimmy Francis John. This song's brilliant vocals are performed by Bryden and we have the magnificent Shruti Dhasmana on backing vocals. The lyricist Manek comes up with that stylish opening speech, sounding like a game show host in the US. We instantly get a taste of what is about to come thanks to the Steel Flute by Parth and the drums by Liben.That feeling of Latin Jazz emanates the moment Kamal plays the Percussion, sounding like the Cajun. We then get all the live instruments converging, like the Keys, guitars and bass and drums. The steel flute whenever I hear it, I am reminded of Ian Anderson at "Jethro Tull", the brilliant British Rock band of the 1970s. But the overall pop tone does feel like the great times of the 1990s and the best line is "She has an outfit for every occasion, Chameleon Girl wouldn't know what's real", sung with great oomph by Bryden. I also pleasantly recall songs like "Two Hearts" by Phil Collins and "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" by Billy Ocean, thanks to the similar tone. Bryden is terrific on the lead vocal but we can hear Shruti's dashing voice in the background and these harmonies are well-arranged and executed. I love this along with the dominant Keys when we hear the lines "back from who you truly are, from who we are". As we progress Siddhart gets wild on the Keys and the combined effect of the drums and percussion works like magic. At around the 3rd minute, we get a beautiful Flute solo by Parth. Then there is this nice tete-a-tete between the Flute and bass guitars, and finally, the outro is performed at a higher vocal pitch. @brydenparth @brydenlewis @manekdsilva @parth_chandiramani @shrutidhasmana @libentom @kamaldrummer @siddhartkamath @osigomango @vivekthomasproductions @rahul.narayan.152. CloserPerformed by Sukruth MalleshWritten by Sukruth MalleshProduced by Sukruth & Siddhart KamathLanguage: EnglishGenre: Indie PopA couple of months ago, I featured a fabulous single by Sukruth Mallesh called 'Without You' and before even reading this review, I suggest you please listen to that song right away. Now coming closer to 'Closer', I was playing my set of new songs that I always plan on listening to every day in the morning. This is an exercise where I don't look at my phone till a song gets over so that I avoid any biases from taking over in judging the content. Along came this outrageous beauty, and I thought to myself, maybe this is some European or UK-based producer. I loved it so much but couldn't bear to open Spotify and see who is the artist. I jumped joyously knowing it is an Indian and that to this guy Sukruth who already had raised the bar last time. Here come the Keys, laying the platform and then as Sukruth begins cooly, we get the acoustic and bass guitars to add style. The way the additional vocals pile on when he sings " But I have been hurt so much" and somehow the impact of the hurt sort of magnifies and that is smartly arranged. The highlight of the song is the line " Can I get closer, Will I, Will I ever get closer?". It is like that famous line in the movie 'Jerry Maguire' that goes "You had me at Hello". I have to say Sukruth had me at "Can I". I just feel goosebumps when he sings "Will you hurt, If I get closer to you" and the chords change

Here are the best songs released in India across languages and genres for the week ending 25th June 2023. If you are a musician submit your new music here.1. Na Koyi Mera Composed by Amit TrivediLyrics by Kausar MunirSingers - Papon & Vaishali MadeProduced by Sunny Subramanian & Amit TrivediLanguage: HindiGenre: RetroThe web series 'Jubilee' created a massive wave of expectations and the series lived up to the hype. I am yet to see the series which boasts of some amazing performances as well. I will be doing a separate Instagram video review of the series, and its BGM score by Alokananda Dasgupta. Now the songs have ne composed by Amit Trivedi and he seems to have found new love and passion for retro Hindi music. After outclassing in 'Qala' on Netflix, this time it is an Amazon Prime series which demands 40's styled music and Amit delivers without fail. I loved a few songs from the album like "Nahin Ji Nahin", "Voh Tere Mere Ishq Ka" and "Sare Ke Sare Akele" other than this chart-topper. Lyrics are penned beautifully with intent and passion by Kausar Munir and the producers are Amit and Sunny Subramanian. We have amazing strings opening the account thanks to the group of violinists Jitendra Thakur, Sandeep Thakur, Pradeep Thakur, Chandan Singh, Mohan Goyal and Sanjay Verma. Lakshmikant Sharma plays the gentle Mandolin and we immediately are taken back to the 1940s thanks to The Woodwinds by ID Rao, Accordion by Satyajit Prabhu and also the delightful Harp. Chandan Singh plays the solo Violin. The song is perfect in its timeline representation and a huge role is played by Deepak Borkar on Percussion and Rhythms. Papon sings like he is holding a magic wand and it shows the man's skill to sound so apt in the retro style. I was pleasantly surprised by Vaishali Made's female lead vocals and she delivers a stunning performance. The song itself reminds us of "Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi" by Shankar-Jaikishan. The interludes continue from where they left off in the opening segment. The interplay of all the live instruments is like a tonic for the heart. I love how the arrangements shift when Vaishali " Aaja tujhe dil se laga loon". The sound engineers are Urmila Sutar and Avadhoot Wadkar. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Shadab Rayeen with assistance from Pukhraj & Anup@itsamittrivedi @paponmusic @kausarmunir @vaishalimadeofficial @tseries.official @shadabrayeen @sunny.subramanian @idrao_official  2. Panjimittai Song Composed, Arranged and Produced: Jay UnnithanLyrics: Manu ManjithSingers: Nithinraj, Nithya MammenLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Folk-PopThis is epic by Jay Unnithan. Very rarely do we have two songs from the same EP being featured in consecutive weeks, that too both in the top 2. Time to get up and give an ovation. Like 'Noolamala' this too is composed, arranged and produced by Jay, with lyrics by Manu Manjith. The vocalists are Nithinraj, who I am featuring for the first time and the brilliant-sounding Nithya Mammen. Embrace the stringed instruments like the Mandolin and Guitalele by Sanu PS at the start, and the local percussion gives a thump. Assan Nidheesh SD is the man behind the energy here, as Al Nishad handles all the additional rhythm programming. ID Rao makes it two in two after making an appearance in the number 1 song also. He is omnipresent with his Clarinet in the opening instrumental segment and also plays the Saxophone later.  Nithinraj has this teasing style of delivery and that suits this song folk-pop song. I love it when after the 1.15-minute mark the percussions abruptly stop and it is only the vocals, Guitalele and bass guitars. The whole scenario feels like a wedding procession thanks to the Clarinet and percussion. The tempo builds up in the interlude to arrive at the stanza where the Diva Nithya performs and the melody is like an earworm. My favourite line is "Vallathe thullathe" which feels o refreshing with Nithya's saccharine-laden vocals. Lijesh Kumar handles all the vocal tuning, with recording engineers Deepak SR and Ezekiah Naniwadekar. Abin Paul is the mix/master engineer, and he does a splendid job getting the tracks together in perfect sync. Listen to the brilliant saxophone, Clarinet and Keys coming together.