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

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 29th March 20261.Elelam KiliComposed by Sithara’s PROJECT MALABARICUS Vocals: Sithara KrishnakumarAdditional Vocals: Gana VimalaLyrics: Ahamed ShyamLanguage: TamilGenre: Folk FusionMood: EnergeticShe's one of my favourite singers, and when Sithara Krishnakumar isn't involved in a movie album, she’s raising the stakes and delivering some earthshaking performances for her Project Malabaricus. Being a Tamil, many times I find myself jealous of Keralam and its music, and its overall place as a model state, but I also have to thank that they are our neighbours and we can learn faster from them. It gives me a wide smile when Malayali artists write and perform for teh Tanmil audience just like this one here. O.K. Gopi invites you with his Nadaswaram solo, just like how one gets to feel the power of this wind instrument at a wedding hall in the south, just when you set foot inside. Liboy Parisly and Vijo Job give the rhythm guitar support, and soon enough, Sithara sings these amazing tongue-twisting words penned by the talented Ahamed Shyam. The energy doesn't sap for one second thanks to the percussion by Sunilkumar PK. Ajay Krishnan’s basslines and lead guitar interventions, along with Midhun Paul’s drums, elevate the intensity and western Alt-Pop influences to a great degree in this folk-fusion single. My favourite lines are when Sithara sings “Yettram thaazvu ingu vahvenbathe, maatram kondada, nootril ondraaga”, especially as she adds such love and warmth here. Subsequently, when the words are more charged up, Sithara too rides a wave with fire and dagger with “ooraar paarvai uruthum mirattum”. Dance away when we hit the chorus segment of this infectious song. Is there some Abheri ragam in the melody? Maybe. The interlude with the Nadaswaram, guitars, bass, keys and percussion is pure bliss to the music lover. Srinath Nair is the keyboardist, and the chorus singers are  Kaanjana Sriram and Sadhika KR. Can you hear those stirring strings in the background? That is Rithu Vysakh casting his spell on Violins and Viola. I love how the lead guitar comes on and plays like a whiff of the Late U Srinivas on the Mandolin. “Thonzhntha pothum munneru neeye un ulae aalu neeye”, Sithara sings in the charanam, with the drums, keys, and bass guitar in sync, and with every note she whips up more and more magic, such is her ability to express vocally. How does she sing this impossible-sounding phrase, “ maarum theermanam un kaiyile, neeyum neeyaga vazhum theermanam un kaiyile” with such fine vibrato? Gana Vimala joins as the additional vocalist towards the end, accompanied by those heavy folk percussions, singing “kannu” in the bridge section. Arjun B. Nair is the mixing engineer, with Balu Thankachan handling the mastering. The sound engineers on board are Arjun B Nair, Ashwin Kumar, Sankeerth Shaji and Vivek Thomas.@sitharakrishnakumar @rithuvysakh @liboypraisly @midhun.paul @srinath_nair_ @sadhikakr @sunilkumar.p.k @gana.vimala48 @projectmalabaricus @thebaluthankaxhan @vijojob @kaanjana_sriram @the_isolated_alien2.AvastaWritten and performed by 24 Karen Gold Vocalist - Jyotisha Santosh PillaiMusic Production - George Thomas Mathew & Jyotisha Santosh PillaiLanguage: MalayalamGenre: PopMood: EnergeticThis feels like 24 Karat Gold, and to have a song like this on debut makes me believe in this glitter. I love the bass guitar that sets the tone straight up with Athena Roy as the bassist in charge. Jyotisha Santosh Pillai is not here to mince words, and she gets to the point with impeccable clarity in “Premam Paranayam, what the fuck, yuck? That's what he said after we fucked”. Within just 10 seconds, you are impressed, and you start understanding that 24 Karen Gold is here to make some serious music. The ability of a vocalist comes to be known when they can change gears, shift tracks and make your heart race and also calm the nerves in a matter of seconds with their style of delivery. If the opening lines of the verse let you think that Jyotisha is a dominant force, her subsequent lines,” Why, do you not want me baby, am I not good enough?”, make you ponder if she is soft, tender and desperate. Now that is raw talent, according to me. Dennit Shibu Jacob is on the drums, and George Thomas Mathew is the guitarist who alternates between the rhythm guitar and that smooth and silky solo on the lead guitar in the interlude. Kudos to Jyotisha and George, who take on music production responsibilities and effectively create the perfect soundscape and keep manipulating the arrangements to perfectly be in sync with the lyrics and the messaging. 

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 22nd March 20261. ShambhoVocal, Composition & Lyrics: Vishal MishraMusic Production: Ishan Das, Kandarpa KalitaMusic Assistants: Kumar Gaurav Singh, Trihangku Lahkar, Bitupon Boruah, Kandarpa KalitaLanguage: HindiGenre: Folk-RockMood: EnergeticThis 16-track album by Vishal Mishra, called " Pagalpan, " deserves your time and attention, and I loved 5-6 songs at least, already having featured one song on my weeklies as well.  This is another stunner from the album, and within seconds, as the slide guitar, lead guitar and bass start. Ishan Das and Kandarpa Kailta are the guitarists, and Rahul Putai is the bassist. The terrific drums by Nawaz Hussain, accompanying this, give us some flavours of folkish-rock, something we would hear in country/rock music in the US. The arrangements and music production are by Ishan Das and Kandarpa, and this reminds me of “Dil Se” by AR Rahman. We have always heard a devotional song performed in a certain semi-classical way in India, and that is why this song in praise of Lord Shiva works brilliantly and kudos to Vishal for his creative vision. This feels exhilarating when Vishal sings the line “Ham toh tere saath hai, tere saaith Bhole Nath oh Bhole Nath Shambho”. Vishal writes the lyrics, the melody and gives us one heavy dose of adrenaline with his singing. The backing vocalists are Kumar Gaurav Singh, Kandarpa Kalita, Kaushal Kishore, and Trihangku Lahkar. The melody, especially in the Antara, has mild hints of the Raag of Bhimplasi, “ paaye tujhe toh udne lage hai”. I love the way Vishal has written this melody and encapsulated some terrific arrangements to go along with. There are moments I loved this track so much that I started feeling a resemblance to the impact U2 had with their “ Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”. Listen to the bridge section that feels like a bridge for me to walk towards Kailash “ Mere Kadam Teri taraf Kailash ko badhle lage, shiv mantar hai, shiv anth hai” is all testament to his free-spirited songwriting. The recording engineer is Trihangku, Abhishek Ghatak on mixing, and Dave Kutch on mastering. @vishalmishraofficial @theghatak @kumargauravsing @kandarpakalita @nruti_s @trihangkulahkar @ishandas_666 @tseries.official 2. Ulavum DhegamSinger: Pradeep KumarComposed, Arranged and Programmed by Aditya Ravindran.Lyrics: Sabarivasan ShanmugamLanguage: TamilGenre: PopThis was one of the best debut movie albums in recent times, as Aditya Ravindran makes it music-lover friendly with this Telugu feature called “Couple Friendly”. This song, like a few more, is terrific in many aspects, including playback performances, music production, and melody-writing. I am writing about the Tamil version so that I can better appreciate the lyrics. The song begins, and it immediately reminds me of Govind Vasantha’s album ‘96’, thanks to Pradeep’s voice, the song’s sound design, at least in the intro. Things deviate into another surreal soundscape with the title line “Ulavum Dhegham”. The highlights are definitely the lead guitar riffs and the basslines by Aditya, adding some suave textures. The interlude with those distorted vocals just after Pradeep's intense line “ Anal mel pogum ula” is reminiscent of the style of Santhosh Narayan, Aditya being his protege. Pradeep ensures your focus is stuck on his delivery, and everything else around is a blur, such is the power in his voice, as he sings “Kelvi Koondin or paravai , thadagam thaandi pogaatho siraiya”with all his fantastic vibrato, which is enough to prove why he is one of India's best. Aditya shines in writing these melodious phrases in the charanam, a skill most composers have started losing today, to prove once again that ‘Melody Is king’.  Pay attention to the strings in the background performed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and orchestrated by Karthik Manickavasagam. Aditya has composed the melody and also handled all the wise arrangements and programming bits, his class and purpose showing in keeping the charanam portion production-lite. The levitation of the mind happens with the high-pitched line “ aaz manathin kanaa, idhu yaar ezhuthum vinaa”, kudos to Sabarivasan Shanmugam for the beautiful words. The genius move is when Aditya decides to up the ante at the end of the charanam, and now the song’s opening lines hit you hard with the Alt-rock flavours, on drums, played by Bishwanth YR, and lead guitars. This moment and to me felt like the magic of “Fix You” by Coldplay, as Chris Martin runs and joins his band on stage after that lead guitar riff, singing” Tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace”. Well done, Aditya Ravindran and the whole team, because this song and album do fix you good. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Nitin Muralikrishna at Voyager Soundlab. 

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 8th March 20261. Yeh Dil Mujkho DedeVocals: King and Sunidhi ChauhanLyrics: KingComposed and Produced by Mir DesaiLanguage: HindiGenre: Reggae-PopMood: DanceThis new album, called “Raja Hindustani” a nice title considering it releates perfectly to the main artist King. The rising intensity of the brass section in the background is absolutely stunning, and when I heard this, I knew that the composition and production had to be by someone really special and talented. Yes, I was right. Mir Desai has composed this catchy, affable melody, and the production with heavy brass section elements is mesmerisingly good. I love the line “chaahe chota hai thoda, koi baat nahi” as a melodic phrase, and King renders it in his cool/casual style. When we hit the chorus line, it is a carnival mood out there with some Reggae-Pop styles flowing through and the writing, melody and arrangements all fall in place to give us absolute delight. ID Rao and Robin Fargose are the brass section players who are killing this with their skill and will. “bas yeh di mujhko tu de de, badle mein jo bhi le le, mera poora dhyan rakhoonga” is all just fantastic writing, and the rhythms, guitars and bass are electrifying in their impact. King finishes his lines and enters the Queen, Sundihi Chauhan, in her Altos singing. Her performance is stylish, dreamy, and raises the sexual tension. “main baaki saare ghum rakh loon piya, hone na doongi tujhko dukhi” feels uplifting, like how a girl says yes to your proposal. Kudos to Mir for writing these fantastic melodic phrases and making them addictive with the arrangements. It is a total celebration when she sings “tu toh pura dhyan rakehga” with the brass and rhythms in hyper mode, and this is the kind of touching writing that we need in a world filled with sexist and demeaning lyrics. Both King and Sunidhi improvised with their vocals and jazz-style scat-singing, which leaves us wanting more. @ifeelking @sunidhichauhan5 @trumpetrobin @idrao_official @rhsharma504 @studio5o4 @mixedbyhanish 2. Kadi Aavi VeProducer, Vocalist, Composer: Sambhav BaxiLyrics: KawanLanguage: Traditional PunjabiGenre: Semi-classical Pop fusionMood: UpliftingThis is not my first time getting impressed by and featuring this fine artist, Sambhav Baxi. The Keys, guitars create a very soothing soundscape, and when you are waiting to hear the opening line, Sambhav nails it with his tone, and the semi-classical melody that comes and touches your skin like a cool breeze. Is there some Raag Bihag in the melody? Maybe, but whatever the technicality of it, the melody glows and starts to grow on you. Samhav has composed the melody and also handles all the arrangements and music production. The song has a beautiful soft rock flavour, with the impending bass guitars and drums. The heart melts when he sings “Raanjhana Na Jaave chadke”. Aditya Sarkar plays the guitars. The slow tempo with all the harkatein on the “Kadi Aavi Ve” is nothing short of tranquillity, and Sambhav is just not acing it on the vocals, but every element of sound added speaks volumes, like the finger-clicks on the rhythm, and the Piano in the interlude with a lead guitar solo as a counternote. The song makes you completely surrender to the purity and creativity of this musician, and the emplyed strings section gives a sense of pathos and poise, making us feel deeply connected to the music and lyrics. The outro is climactic and elevates our spirits with the heavy use of strings and rhythms. The touching words are penned by Kawan. Jonty Indra is the recording engineer, with Abhishek Sortey on mixing and Donal Wheelan on mastering. @sambhavbaxi @kawan__.__ 3. MijajLyrics & Composition - Traditional, Harshvardhan Rajpurohit, Aviral SinghMusic - Harsh AviralVocals - Muntaj Khan, Harshvardhan Rajpurohit, Aviral Singh, Diya RajpurohitBacking Vocals - Nandini Agarawal

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 1st March 20261. Seelay SeelayMusic Composed, Arranged and Produced by Sean RoldanSingers: Sean Roldan, Chinmayi SripadaLyrics: Uma DeviLanguage: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanceSean Roldan is like The Godfather Trilogy or The Dark Knight Trilogy, where the rules of sequels don't apply and each new movie is as good as, if not better than, the prior. Sean is incredibly consistent with his fantastic music composition, and his streak just extends and keeps one-upping the prior. After having loved his 2026 albums “My Lord” and “With Love”, here comes the first single from his next project ‘29’, and this is the definition of “terrific music”. Rithu Vysakh makes you numb with the strings (violins in the intro), and what can you tell about Sean’s voice? Truly, as the words go “nanjam polambuthe”, and the effect on the Piano along with the pallavi, is heartening to hear.The song is composed, arranged and produced by Sean Roldan with lyrics by Uma Devi and the lead vocals helmed by Chinmayi Sripada and Sean. The more he sings, we do feel the heart becoming heavy and as Uma Devi rightly points out, “Kangal Kalangudhe”. The chorus segment is the moment when I felt like I had entered the threshold of paradise. The keys and rhythms are like the stairway to heaven, and the interlude with Ashish Venkateshwaran on the flute and Rithu on strings helps the song move forward like a bridge to the charanam. Chinmayi, who is generally irreplaceable when it comes to Ballads and Pathos, mesmerises with her first note singing “kannadi munne naanum naana illai”. When I hear the next line of the charanam “nee vandhai en nenjathin siragaga”, I feel glimpses of Shankarabharanam Ragam. The ending part of the charanam that goes “Vaan pirai kooda Oru naalil vizhi moodi Ilaipaarum nam kaadhal Olitheerummaaaa” is incredibly written by Sean, with the chord progression being immensely satisfying to the music lover. How many songs do we hear in movies these days with 1-minute-long verses (charanams) that are comprised of 3-4 long, unique phrases? Don’t bother answering that! The chorus line “Seelay Seelay” reminds me of that old song “Kalvi a Selvam a Veeram a”. The song is not just a charmer for its melody, but the programming, production , and sound design are emphatic too. The second interlude with the flute and Chinmayi’s humming is another segment where I was wondering if there was any Raag Bihag involved here. The charanam that follows here too has shades of the Raagam taking me back to “Un Parvaiyil Orayiram by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Sean Roldan goes one up on himself again, giving a second stanza that is fresh and completely different from the first atleast for the first phrase, or in western songwriting, you could call it a bridge section. “Suzhalum soora ulagail Kavalaigal maranthu” is the phrase I am talking about here, as it is entirely different from “Kannaadi munne naanum naana illai” we heard in the first stanza. I request you to stop reading now and just keep listening to this blissful music on repeat. Hariharan at 20db Sound Studios and Sabari Bharathi Krishna at Roldan Records, Vishnu M at Mystics Room, and Aswin George John at Sounds Right are the recording engineers. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aswin George John at Sounds Right. 2. AlvidaComposed, Produced & Written By: Raghav & Arjun Performed by: Anubha Kaul, Kamakshi Khanna and Raghav & Arjun Language: HindiGenre: R&BMood: Groovy“Tera Mera hai rishta jo bhi” sings this outstanding vocalist Anubha Kaul, who is known to cause severe heartbreak to avid listeners. The song is composed and written by a duo I immensely respect , Raghav & Arjun, who are like Karan-Arjun, hitting excellence every single time with their creative projects. The piano comes and sends mild shivers, for the earth has still not begun to shake. The music production is also handled by Raghav & Arjun, who skillfully assess and employ the right tools in sound design. I feel a trembling emotional air surrounding me, and the pathos is produced by the way Anubha executes this vulnerable tone with a touch of despair in her voice. The Piano notes begin to flourish and embellish the interlude, and the choral arrangements elevate this phase. Veljon Noronha plays the guitar from this moment on, as the second verse is all about Kamakshi Khanna’s controlled flamboyance. The string section arrangements and rhythms, along with some stunning bass and Piano interventions, make this an elevating experience. But the master stroke for me was when we heard a female humming, sending our emotions to a sky-high orbit. Kamakshi stuns you with the line “deewaron par kahin naam sajaun saath tere”, also full marks to the melodic beauty of the phrase. Kudos to the composers for writing the bridge section that progresses into a zone of unpredictable notes and touches. That is why Raghav & Arjun rock because they can think and write music that moves and surprises. “ Woh Saare khwaab jo phir pure agar na huey”, is the line I am talking about.  I don't think any wise individual can say ‘alvida’ to ladies who sing like this. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Prathamesh Dudhane at Bombay Live Studios, with Praneeth Kumar assisting. Kudos to the entire team comprising Shivi Arora, Karan Vaid & Annie Bafna, Akshay Nair, directing the video, and Aditya Verma on editing. @raghavandarjun @anubhaaaa @kamakshikhannamusic @neo.nair @veljon6noronha @prathmeshdudhane @firstwav @anniebafna @helloshivi 

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 22nd February 20261. Vaada HaiComposer - Vishal BhardwajLyrics - GulzarSinger - Ananya WadkarMusic Arranger & Producer - Meghdeep BoseMusic Assistant - Anant BhardwajLanguage: HindiGenre: Light Music/PopMood: soothingI was in a car as it came around the hills of Uttarakhand as we left from Bhimtal, and no sane person will close their eyes when such a heavevnly beauty beckons in front of their eyes. Yet I did it because I was listening to the album by Vishal Bhardwaj called ‘O Romeo, ' which I rated highly on my IG page. Incidentally, the brightest spot in that was Ananya Wadkar serenading me with her voice in this gentle song that substantially touched me emotionally. The last time I heard her was on her indie project, which I featured, but this one feels like a song that she deserved. Vishal ji, take a bow for showing your commitment to creating such striking melodies. The words belong to another legendary genius called Gulzar, and a native Hindi speaker might appreciate the lyrics even better than my review here. Meghdeep Bose is not just tantalising our spirit with his live guitars and bass; he is also the man behind the spectacular arrangements and music production. I feel the love immensely when Ananya teases with “ohh tere liye jeena apna iraada hai”. The string section slowly starts to feed in even more serenity, and the killer punch becomes the harmonies by backing vocalists “Rajiv Sundaresan and Shazneen Arethna” singing “ Vaada Hai Humdum, Vaada Hai Vaada Hai”. The interlude brings in the accordion and rhythms, and this is where I felt a touch of resemblance to A R Rahman’s “Ae Hairathe”, from the album ’ Guru ’. When the antara begins, the melody just starts sounding even sweeter, and Ananya is in peak form, giving a touch of playfulness with “tujhe andheron mein jhoom lenge”. The harmonies are constant, and when we sing the subsequent line “tera saaaya pakadke chalenge” the heart grows fonder thanks to the mild Bansuri and the Keys that accompany. When you listen to a song like this, it creates a dilemma between feeling joy that such talents still create splendour and sadness because the industry standards are low and compromised. Listen to what Meghdeep achieves with his arrangements and sound design after she delivers the line “jab koi bhi na hoga gali mein, main pukaroongi khidikiyon se”, with the chords, magic!. The tracks are mixed by SoundsLikeTintin, mastered by Christian Wright. 2. Kya Bataun TujheVocal, Composition & Lyrics: Vishal MishraMusic Production: Vishal Mishra, Vaibhav PaniLanguage: HindiGenre: Alt-PopMood: PathosI am looking forward to this album of 16 songs by Vishal Mishra, but the very firsts ong I heard already makes the cut for me, and here is my review of the song. Kandarpa Kalita makes us all sway away in delight with his Nylon guitar intro, taking us back to the solo interlude in “Hotel California” by the Eagles. Vishal Mishra goes for Pathos in his songs, and it works better than any other mood, thanks to his ability to write the lyrics as well as the melody that carries this melancholy and finally, when he sings with that achingly beautiful voice, the package is complete. I love the phrase when he sings “ pyaar karne tujhe phir se lenge janam” because he brings a few modifications right at the end with notes that differ from the earlier line “chahne ko tujhe waqt kam hai mila”. All hell breaks loose when you least expect and this is possible because Vishal has this wide vocal range, and he goes from 0-100 in 5 seconds, as we hear “kahoonga toh chalne lagenge sabhi, jo kehte hai chahat hai unka dharam”. The accmpanying strings arrangements is ncessary to give us a very impactful sound that adds to the grief. Vishal plays the Keys, synths, bass and rhythms and the music production is handled by the talented Vaibhav Pani and Vishal. I love the unexpected pause in all the background sound when he delivers the phrase “mohabbat se kam”, giving us a jolt and making us pay even deeper attention to his misery. We get some heavy-duty Alt-pop here with Kandarpa’s electric guitar solo, along with some synths as well. The dude just did some face-melting stuff on the lead guitar at the end of teh interlude, making things quite exciting. The music assistants are Kumar Gaurav Singh, Trihangku Lahkar, Bitupon Boruah and Kandarpa Kalita. The song ends on a powerful note thanks to the exhilarating arrangements and production. The tracks are mixed by Arnau Figueres (Spain) and mastered by Dave Kutch – The Mastering Palace (USA). Trihangku Lahkar is the recording engineer. @vishalmishraofficial @vaibhavpani @kandarpakalita @b2pon_ @kumargauravsing @trihangkulahkar @arnaufigueres_ @tseries.official @nruti_s 3. Doob Jaane 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 8th February 20261. Baanancha DaatiComposer/Singer/Music Producer - Narayan SharmaLanguage: KannadaGenre: Light Music/Pop/ Semi-classicalMood: Calming/RomanceI trust Narayan Sharma to deliver something that always speaks directly to the heart, not through letters but through notes. That is why my inability to fully understand Kannada is not a problem at all. His melody, the poetic and poised arrangements, with a galaxy of celebrated instrumentalists, all come together, and in 4 minutes approximately, even a disturbed and dejected heart is given a spark of joy, the joy of living and feeling the intricacies of music. I commend this man as Narayan composes the melody, produces the music and sings the lines written by the talented Sumedh K. Advait Pattanaik, who teases you with the guitar intro as he plays the acoustic and nylon guitar.You get a folkish flavour, rustic an drooted thanks to the one-man show on strings from the inimitable Rithu Vysakh. His range extends from the cello, giving that soothing texture, but he also plays teh Viola and Violin solos to strike you with their incisive pathos. The sound of Narayan singing ‘Baanancha Daati’ feels like the fresh smell of coffee to me, invigorating. The phrase means “beyond the horizon”, and it does make me travel to a fairy land far away. The instruments are present, distant, and they slowly start rising in intensity. Is there some fragmented piece of Bihag Ragam, because I am taken to Maestro’s “Un Parvaiyil Orayiram”, and there is also a devotional song from Thiruppavai in Tamil called “Oruthi Maganai Pirandhu” and maybe that is why I sense this Ragam’s influence. Santosh Jayaram makes you gasp for breath with that Veena solo in the interlude, and when that combines with the sizzling bassline by Naveen Napier, you already feel like seeing the best of both worlds. The charanam continues to grow fonder in your hearts, and this is where Narayan showcases his vocal range as well as his abilities as the string arranger. I love how the notes end up giving me a surprise “Karmodada usire”, after the way the phrase “pade pade hosa dani” starts. This is what I look for and get intrigued by, because Narayan doesn't settle for the mundane and expected, and with the phrase ”ade ade hale dhani”, that circle of merriment is complete. It is like Rithu’s strings are pulling the melody together and conjoining the various phrases. When you watch the amazing video along with the song, anyone will fall in love with love itself. He uses the anupallavi to land back on the main verse at the end of the charanam. The video is directed by Sucheth Ramprasad with Karthik Kamath and Pranam SK as DOPs. The recording engineer is Vishnuraj MR at 2bQ Studios. The mixing and mastering is done by Aniket Mohanty at Audiokraft Studios, Bangalore.@narayan_sharma227 @advaitpattanaik @santoshjram @rithuvysakh @awwwwwwwwwniket @sreesang_mpse @hypocr8 @audiokraftstudio @vishnuraj.m.r @sumedhk119 @karthiikk.k @ms._.shree @beyondhues.co 2. Yaad Sajan Ki AayeMusic: Shekhar Ravjiani Lyrics: Anvita DuttSinger : Rohit RautProduced by Abhijit Nalani Language: HindiGenre: Semi-classical/ PopMood: CalmingShekhar Ravijani’s journey in the indie space is something of an inspiration, not just because of the quality of work that gets produced, but also the frequency and the fact that Vishal-Shekhar were one of the most original and pathbreaking in Bollywood as well. This is at least the 10th single by Shekhar that I have featured in the last couple of years, maybe, and I must confess that this one here is probably the most profound yet. I listened to teh song wearing my headphones, performing a very laborious and mundane chore at home, but the song completely turned my mood around, giving me a new lease of energy and life to my spirits. So before I start writing anything else, I must say thank you to Shekhar and this super team. I remember Rohit Raut because his song Naar was, in my opinion, one of the best in NEXA S3, and I rated it pretty high, expecting him to be one of the winners chosen by AR Rahman. I am very glad that Shekhar has presented this opportunity to the talented musician, and it looks like Rohit has already paid back with his top-notch singing. A stroke of style with Rhythm Shaw’s lead guitar lifts the curtain up, and when Rohit starts singing, you will feel a rush of blood to the head and a few goosebumps all over your arms, because he loads up the lines with such juicy vibrato and improvisations. A point in example is “Kisse kahein tere bin na hain”, and then the chorus line drops with the ever bankable Gino Banks on drums. The chorus segment takes me back to Pritam’s “Aaoge Jab Tum” from ‘Jab We Met’, while the verse has some similarities with the ‘Taare Zameen Par’ title track composed and performed by Shankar Mahadevan. The most striking arrangements follow as Rohit embeliishes the “ Yaad Sajan Ki Aaye” line with such beautiful harkatein, thanks to Sheldon D’Souza on bass, Rhythm on guitars and Sanjeev Sen on the Tabla. Teh mild string arrangements are as stunning as the sight of string pearls with Abhijit Nalani handling all the music production. Anvitta Dutta gets into your mind with these tender words. How does one focus , if not he/she were a multitasker because the interlude offers so much on a lead guitar phrase and some slick basslines and rhythms arranged by Raju Sardar. This segment may be some strains of Raag Maand. When teh Antara begins, and the notes start heading up higher in the register, “De Dhoongi usko, tooti si duaayen”, Rohit does sound like Arijit Singh , especially when you hear the phras e” dukh hua meri chaar guna”. The recording engineer is Dileep Nair, and Abhishek Khandelwal does the mixing and mastering. This video is directed by Shruti Merchant, with Diptesh Das on VFX & Edit, and Aniket Mishra on the visualiser. 

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 1st February 20261. Yetho YethoMusic composed, arranged, and produced by AR Rahman.Lyrics:  Pa VijayVocals : Amina Rafiq and Shridhar RameshLanguage: TamilGenre: PopMood: RomanceOne touch of a live instrument and the sound of that could invoke so many fantastic emotions, and here, when I heard the Santoor by Sathyendra Singh Solanki, that was 5 seconds of proof that AR Rahman has still some semblance of magic left in his head. How else could he have stayed at the top of the game in a very competitive and demanding space for more than 3 decades? Looking at all his accolades, fame, and achievements, it might not be surprising that he came up with a delicious track like this in the new album “Gandhi Talks”. But for someone like me who has seen the quality of work decline, especially in the last few years, this comes off as a stroke of promise and hope. I pray that AR Rahman stays away from mass cinema and big banner production houses, which are only keen to use his name and not allow the legend to write music with his heart. This movie is a silent film, and has the song released in 5 languages with a total of 10 different playback singers. I am choosing Tamil as that is my mother tongue, and I can feel the words and energy through my bloodstream. As the Santoor ends, we get a classical phrase on the Piano, and a solo violin intervention by Vignesh that reaches for the stars. A pause ensues, and the song’s impeccable quality oozes out with Amina Rafiq’s hauntingly romantic voice. I also need to tell you that her tone sounded the most unique of the 5 female lead singers. Is there some Raag Bihag in the melody because my mind goes to AR Rahman’s masterpiece called “Malargal Ketten”? The guitar notes are like blows to my heart as they keep coming whenever Amina pauses, “Yetho Yetho Ulle Arumbugindradhe.”The song’s brilliance lies in a few things, like minimal production, great lyrics, etc., at the top of that list being the melody, which throws enough surprises and googlies at you. When I kept listening and practising the lines, I knew the song’s anupallavi would kind of separate the pros from the amateurs thanks to the tough notes that follow “Neenda dhooram Nizhal Thedum Paravai”. I felt like I, too, was searching for the exact notes, unable to hit them exactly, just like the bird searching for some shade to rest. AR Rahman subsequently ups the ante with another tougher phrase, “Iman Oram Meendum Ilai Para Vendum”, and then he proudly smiles with a brilliant landing line “, Enna solla manadhin Mozhi Neeyo”. As this line comes to a halt, the flute keeps playing, reminding me of Maestro Ilaiyaraja’s “Sundari Kannal Enna”. Kudos to the lyricist Pa. Vijay for picking words that fit and also complement the amazing melody, not to forget Amina’s stunning delivery. Every single female lead singer cracks it with ease and grace, so kudos to Hinanaaz Bali, Nayansee Sharma, Aanandi Joshi and Sivaangi Krishnakumar. The Piano starts off by playing the melody of the charanam (Sanchari) and then drifts away, and you will recognise the similarity in the phrase “ Pogum Vazhi Engum Putham Pudhu Mutkal”. The charanam is simple with just a couple of lines, but here too Shridhar Ramesh gives that assurance with his delivery and stability, and Amina provides splendour with that mild vibrato at “ Koodam Kai Pidithu Naanum Nadakkiyil” especially on the word “Naanum”. It feels like this woman protagonist, Aditi Rao Hydari, is going to lead the main man Vijay Sethupathi into love and glory, and that is precisely what I feel even Shridhar Ramesh does, following the lead of Amina and doing a few ghamakas of his own in ” Ninaivulla Varai, Nenjil Ganapathu”. The brief yet interesting charanam ends with AR Rahman taking us back to the anupallavi (Antara) notes this time with the male singing “ Yezhudhadha Padal Yar Kaiyil Serum”. The highlight is when the singers unite in harmony, singing such meaningful words “pirivenbadhe sera thaane anbe”. It has been a long time in Indian cinema music since we got a song with two stanzas and two interludes. Kamalakar plays the flute, and the sun shines brightly with the strings played by the Sunshine Orchestra. Jerry Vincent conducts the session here.  The additional programming is by Shubham Bhat, and the tracks are mixed by Suresh Permal and Pradeep Menon. Gun to my head, I would want to go on and rate my preferences from all the 5 versions, and for me, my top pick would be the glorious version in Marathi performed by Aanandi Joshi and Abhay Jodhpurkar, because the lyrics fit so well, and these two stalwarts are cranking it up with their pitch-perfect and poised singing, also maybe bacuse my mind travels to “Moongil Thottam”. Nayansee and Shibi Srinivasan were in terrific form once again, with Telugu lyrics fitting well and the sweet nectar in Nayansee’s voice pulling in one direction and Shibi’s soothing texture in the other. Sivaangi is finally getting the deserved eyeballs , and she proves that she is worth this chance in the Malayalam version. Yadu Krishnan’s delivery is probably my favourite male version of this song. I think being a South Indian, listening to all of AR Rahman's greatest years of music, Hindi was the most distant for me , also because I understood the words much less. But I was elated to see two more worthy performers give this song their heart and soul, so kudos to Faiz Mustafa and Hinanaaz Bali. 2. Ini OndraaiComposed, Arranged, and Produced by Nishad GLyrics: Suthan BalaVocals: VijaynarainLanguage: TamilGenre: Folk-PopMood: UpliftingNishad G is one committed and talented musician who knows the whole 9 yards of composition, arrangements, and production, and he consistently raises the bar with some stunning music. The time of the year when he doesn't release his own music, I keep listening to his breakdown of some of the timeless classics of Tamil cinema music. Here we have a song that begins like the first rays of sunlight, thanks to Rijul’s nimble Piano and the chirping of the birds, transports us to the meadows of peace. A transformation happens, and we are no longer just in serenity, as the energy levels spring up with Chris Jason’s guitar strumming. The verse begins with Vijaynarain’s folkishly soothing voice and the line “Nee pazhaiyathai pazhaiyathi veesi” with the fantastic percussion in the background by Martin is where my heart started to grow fonder.