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Indian Weekly

weekly 22 June 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 22nd June 2025

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    22nd June 20251. Golpo Holo Shuru Singer: Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, Armaan Rashid Khan Music direction and design: Indraadip Dasgupta Lyrics: Prasen Music Production: Shamik Chakravarty Language: BanglaGenre: Semi-classical/orchestralMood: Pathos-RomanceThis one, designed and arranged by Indraadip Dasgupta, sounds beautiful thanks to the elaborate string section arrangements. The melody has traces of Raag Yaman and I also am reminded of this song from Bollywood called ' Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar'. Prasen is the lyricist for the song, and the amazing arrangements and music production are by Shamik Chakravarthy.The live strings are by Chennai Strings Orchestra comprising violinists Murali, Sasikumar, Hemanth Raj, Selvaraj, Mohan Rao, Basker, Prabhu George, Chandrasekhar, Murali, Sasikumar, Hemanth Raj, Selvaraj, Mohan Rao, Basker, Prabhu George, Chandrasekhar Viola players Gopinath sett, Jayachandar, Anita Francis and Samson, Cellists Srinivas and Vijandran, and on Double Bass we have Bidhu Kayal, with B Yensone as the conductor. Pratik Srivastava's solo on the Sarod joins along and plays the Yaman-laden melody. The Pianos are terrific as Arijit sings the Antara, "Shudhu Shonde", along with the Sarod, bass guitars and double bass. This line is so impactful, especially with the arrangements and Arijit's delivery. Mainak Bumpy Nag Chowdhury is the bassist. We get Armaan Rashid Khan, son of Lt. Ustad Rashid Khan to perform the Hindi lines "Piya Tora Kaisa Bhimaan", for which the original melody credits are given to Debajyoti Mishra and Rituparno Ghosh for the lyrics, from the album Raincoat. Armaan brings such a fresh perspective and all his classical Hindustani prowess comes to the fore. Shreya Ghoshal devastates the heart with that high-pitched Soprano-style singing and the strings and Piano accompany it. Pratik plays the counterpoint on the Sitar, and although I hear Kalyani Ragam all through, the end of the Antara makes me wonder if there is some Purvikalyani Ragam here. Sukhanta Singh, Amey Londhe and M Sundar Raj are the recording engineers. Subhadeep Mitra is the mixing and mastering engineer. @indradeep @armaankhanrk @subhashreeganguly @svfmusic @sangeetbanglaofficial @amey.music @sarodpratik @shamzmuzik @2. If I Die TodayVocals and Lyrics - Lyla Music Composition and Production - Surel Ingale Language:Genre: JazzMood: GroovyThis combination had me ensnared a couple of months ago with a song called 'Pomegaranet Lips,' and once again, Surel Ingale and Lyla make me feel love and tenderness and mesmerise me with their jazzy single. The trumpets call straight away, and they tell you, 'Please don't die, live another day'. Sambhav Pratap Singh is killing it with that Latin-dance-styled rhythm guitar display. The song carries more of a Latin Jazz tone with the trumpets playing that motif repetitively. Lyla is terrific form singing with such virtuoso and her confidence and attitude is communicable. She has penned lyrics that are so intriguing and thought-provoking with lines like " If I die today, would the kids go to school, and learn of human pain, of wars, love, of broken rules and history's cruel refrain?". The interlude on the trumpet is sensational and it feels free and calming to hear this bit. The music production is quite interesting with sounds of the door-knock, cash register etc all mixed at the perfect places to give the song more life. Surel is the composer and producer and the tracks are mixed and mastered by Onkar Tarkase. Sambha's guitar interventions are flawless and they keep the listener hooked all along. Lyla takes you on a wild ride in the outro with her improvisation and the guitars, trumpets and harmonies all follow suit. The director of the video is Akshita Agarwal, with DOP Mihir Patel. @lyla_la_vida @surelmusic @bread_andsam @onkartarkase @akshita_speaking @karnghvi @anson_dsouza @mihir_patel.mp43. Mudhal Mazhaithuli

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weekly 15 june 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 15th June 2025

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    15th June 20251. RoshniComposed and Produced by Simran HoraVocals: Javed AliLyrics: Manoj YadavLanguage: Genre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticAfter I listened to his score in 'Kota Factor y S3', Simran Hora impressed me wildly. Ironically, he belongs to a rare clan of composers who create music that touches our souls and does not sell them to the devil called money. This is a new Album called "Lafangey" a web-series on MX player, I request all of you reading my website to kindly go and check out this son, album and this man's work overall. My purpose is served when I listen to and recommend songs like these. Simran composes this ravishing melody, and you can make out from the chord progression and the notations that this man is here to establish that in a song, the melody is King. He appoints Javed Ali as the lead vocalist, and the latter responds to this call with such poise that I had to stop the song midway just so that I could absorb and enjoy what I just heard. Simran does not wait or waste time as the very first line of the song straightaway lands you on to the stairway to heaven. "Aadhi Aadhi Hogi Puri", Javed Ali sings, as though saying he and Simran are making two amazing halves, but that is not all about this song. Listen to the bravado on the strings displayed by this one-man-string-quartet who goes by the name Rithu Vysakh- Naam toh suna hi hoga! A layer of violin playing the melody, with the Cello riffs in the background. Keep your heart ready for what's about to come, people! Javed Ali sings " Gubaar Hai, Gubaar hai, sab yahaan gubaar hai" referring to teh darkness aall around, and then he calls out to this stroke of light and hope with the magical line "Tu ban ja Roshni, surkh Roshni". What can I tell about the notes especially when the chord progression that emerges in "surkh Roshni"? Manoj Yadav is equally vivid and descriptive in his lyrics. When was the the last time in an Indian album you heard an interlude of stunning proportions that too, something that lasted a whole 25 seconds? Rithu plays the solo violin and the melody and execution sways you like a mother's lullaby. Thank you Simran for writing these melodies portions and giftwrapping it all with your masterly arrangements and production. The Antara begins and the Javed-Manoj-Simran Trio keep knocking us down. Having grown up listening to Maestro Ilaiyaraja, I am astounded to hear that fabulous Nylon guitar intervention by Keba Jeremiah and Sandeep Mohan after "Mile Mouka toh dil banna". The Antara ends with a beautiful line "Kori, Kitaabon mein kahaaniya, utaare de", and we have Keba, Sandeep and Rithu responding with a beautiful concoction of the acoustic guitar, bass and Violin. Tapas Roy is the next brilliant instrumentalist and he engages us with that blue-grass style banjo and Mandolins, Javed Ali slowly but steadily conquers our hearts with "DHeemi Dheemi thay hogi". The tracks are mixed by Hemanth. @simranhora @javedali4u @rithuvysakh @mandolintapas @manojyadavwrites @gibsandeep 2. Pottala Muttaye Composed, Arranged and Produced by Santhosh Narayanan Lyrics: Vivek Singers: Santhosh Narayanan, Sublahshini Language: TamilGenre: Folk-popMood: RomanticI was extremely excited when I heard that Santhosh Narayanan is composing music for this rom-com movie starring Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen, because it is simple and rooted subjects like these that allow a musician and even actors to shine without the pressure of numbers and mass appeal. This song immediately lived up to the expectation of that hope and dream and Santhosh created a fascinating Nattupura paatu (folk song). With his vocal tone, rawness and likability Santhosh picks himself as the male lead vocalist but the killer shot was getting Sublahshini to perform the female lead vocals.She has been one of the most featured vocalists on my website of late with an outstanding display of playback singing in movies as well indie music. Sublashshini wastes no time as the folkish humming wakes you up from your slumber with that groovy kick in her voice. The Thavil by Karthik Vamsi ensures you land up in Tamil Nadu and now there is no looking back. The writing is just fantastic with such a creative set of words like "Va da en amubli machane, enna ambula thechane". Well done Vivek, who is just rising in leaps and bounds these days. A Santhosh song depends more than just on the melody and you can be witness to his vision and magic if you listen to the funky bass lines by Naveen Napier and that mild Accordion in the background as we hear the line "ooril kandathum illa yaarum, unnatum". The brilliance of the song comes out just after this line as you wonder what Santhosh is going to do with the chord progression. Sublahshini sings "Kodi chandiran undu nalliravu vidiyun mattum", as the last two words soar high into paradise. She extends the ending notes a little longer even as Santhosh starts singing his line. Notationally, vocally and lyrically this is like striking gold.

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weekly 8 June 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 8th June 2025

 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    8th June 20251. Moko KahanComposers: Vidhya Gopal, Digvijay Singh Pariyar Vocals: Vidhya Gopal, Digvijay Singh Pariyar Lyrics: Kabir Language: HindiGenre: Contemporary-TumriMood: PacifyingThis is an example of some excellent musicians coming together and sticking to the nuanced beauty of classical music. Vidhya Gopal and Digvijay Singh Pariyar are not only excellent vocalists but also talented and committed songwriters/composers. Here a Kabir original song is taken and given an ornamentation in the form of a melody written by Vidhya and Digvijay. Isn't this the great union of two varied styles as Digvijay's Harmonium plays alongside Shivam Pant's acoustic guitar and Aditya Ahir's bass?Vidhya and Digvijay sing with such elan and poise, and the song's sthayi is enough to strip you of all pride, such is the power of music. The mild sound of the Dimdi by Akshay Jadhav adds that Ganjira-styled effect and I wondered if there is a Kalyan Thaat influence in the melody. Digvijay tells me that this is Raag Bhoopali-inspired composition. The Sargam and alaaps by Digvijay and the harmonium that follows are all gentle like a touch of a petal and Vidhya takes the turn to take us along this walk in the clouds. Kabir's poetic genius did deserve a tune like this I am thankful to such honest musicians who stay in the with all heart for the art.Shivam Pant's solo on the electric guitar is one stunning addition in the interlude and it is a stroke of genius by the production and arrangement team. It allows a music lover to celebrate the greatness of music from around the world, where no style i superior to another. The way Vidhya sings "ek pal ki hi talaash mein" with that exaggerated harkatein on "talaash" is magical, like saying that the quest (talaash) is ongoing. Akshay Dabhadkar is the keyboardist accompanying right through, just being gentle. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Varun Patil, and the recording engineer is Shashank Sekhar Sahu.@vidhyagopal_ @firstwav @daisykhatri9 @drumrollplease_ @shashank_s_sahu @digvijaysinghpariyarofficial @adityaahir @shivamflat5 @akshaymusic @varoonmarooned @akshay_dabhadkar 2. Bejaara Aanen Movie: Love Marriage Music Composed, Arranged and Produced by Sean Roldan Lyrics: Mohan Rajan Singer: Sivaangi Krishnakumar Language: TamilGenre: Light MusicMood: RomanticThe unstoppable melody train of Sean Roldan goes on without even a semblance of a hindrance. Here is the new single called 'Bejaara Aanen' from the movie 'Love Marriage'. As the title suggests, the song messes up hormones thanks to the melody, singing and stunning arrangements. The kids' chorus is one element that never goes wrong and V.Shivathmika, Sadhana Rangaraj, and K.Vidhyarupini sing the intro humming with such cuteness and charm. The keys and rhythm programming is such a belter that would straight away invoke our dance skills when we hear it. Ramkumar Kanakarajan is on rhythm production and Sabarai Bharathi Krishna aids in additional rhythm production. Sivaangi Krishnakumar is in prime form singing the lines with such granular ghamakas. Listen to the ravishing strings in the background performed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and arranged by one of our finest musicians Kalyani Nair. My favourite line is "Idhu enna puthu feelu, tharaiyil illa en kaalu, enakku ini illa veraalu" and that way the last phrase ends abruptly with a minute pause reminding me of Maestro Ilaiyaraja.The interlude once again has this chirpy kids' humming. The tone, and the rhythm production all remind me of AR Rahmans stunning song "Marudaani" from the album 'Sakkarakatti'. Ashwin Suresh plays the acoustic and nylon guitars. Mohan Rajan writes these very witty lines like "En lightu nee thane, Un shadow naan thane", Sivaangi goes on to charm her way through the stanza and the chord progression along with the constant strings in the background is a reminder of why Sean Roldan is easily one of our best composers. This melody especially in teh charanam reminds me of Maestro's brilliant number 'Nil Nil Nil Bathil Sol Sol Sol' from the album 'Paatu Padava'. I am teary-eyed with the string arrangements as we hear the anupallavi once again "kekkadha tune ellam en manadu paduthu". Thank you Sean and team for this song that brings a long-lasting smile. The recording engineers are Aswin George John at Sounds Right, Sabari Bharathi Krishna at Roldan Records and Lijesh Kumar at Vision Studios. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aswin George John at Sounds Right. @rseanroldan @mohanrajan_lyrici @sonymusic_south

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weekly 1st june 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 1st June 2025

 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    1st June 20251. Yen IthanaiComposed, Arranged and Produced by Nishad GVocals: VijaynarainLyrics: Rishi KLanguage: Genre: Classical FusionMood: PathosThis is the best track for me in Nishad G's new album "Life UNtil 23". I just released a full album review of the same and I find it to be an excellent collection of 6 genre-bending tracks. Nishad had composed, arranged and produced all the songs with this Classical fusion single topping the list. There are at least another 3 exquisite songs and that is why I strongly recommend the readers to stream it. Vijanyanarin soaks you in the melancholy as he fits the bill perfectly to deliver this classical Carnatic-styled song. The male humming in the intro leads the way and Vijaynarain takes off from there, with the humming acting like a gentle cradle that rocks us in this lullaby-like start. "Thuyare endhan vazhvin vedhamo" is heavy and Rishi K loads up on the pathos with some fine writing. Don't lose your hope yet, and that is what Nishad does by giving a booster shot with the interlude, as we get a flute solo, swaras delivered by Vijaynarain and a pumping play on percussion with Sumesh's Mridangam. This segment is where I was tempted to think that the melody takes us through Raag Madhuvanti/Dharmavathi. Nishad tells me that Raag Hemavathi was the inspiration here. The combined effect of excellent words, a fine melody and uplifting vocals come to life here in this line "edarkindha bedham, paalinul kallin kabadam". Prashanth Techno is generating enough style and zest in the background Keys and it spills over from Naveen Napier's basslines too. We get a whiff of Kaapi Ragam in the line "Irulinil Naan thedidum Oli", reminding us of that famous Vidyasagar "Alankuyil" from the album 'Parthiban Kanavu'. The Keys and bass guitars along with the Mridangam are delightfully fusing in the title line that follows this charanam. The Jugalbandhi that follows is a stunning display of vocal prowess and instrumentalists' calibre as well. Sreerag on flute and Prashanth on Keys bring on their A game, along with the Kanjira (by BS Purushotaman) and Mridangam. It is still not done as Nishad has planned for a grand climax. The strings section is majestic thanks to the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and what we get is pure bliss in the outro. Like Nishad says he was impressed and determined to give music enthusiasts his version of legendary songs like Maestro Ilaiyaraaja's "Azhagu Malarada" and AR Rahman's "Minsara Poove". Well, Nishad delivers it. I will go ahead confidently say that Vijaynarain delivers one of his best performances of his career and kudos to Nishad for giving a song that this fine vocalist deserves. @rudranym @theindoencers @prashanthtechno @theindianchoralensemble @bspurushotham @flutesreerag @vijaynarain @napier_naveen 2. Kanavellam    Music Composed, Arranged and Produced by Amrit Ramnath Lyrics by Sri Ganesh Sung by Ananthu, Kalyani Nair, Uthara Unnikrishnan, Amrit Ramnath Choir Performed by The Indian Choral Ensemble (Chamber) Language: TamilGenre: Light MusicMood: Happy/EmotionalAmrit Ramnath made a fantastic debut in the movie space as the composer of the Malayalam album "Varshangalkku Shesham". Ever since I have been waiting for his Tamil debut and here is the first single. Amrit looks like a composer determined to stick with his style and avoid any external trending influences. This is what excites me most about this young talented musician. The first single in the album '3BHK' is performed by two brilliant vocalists viz. Ananthu and Kalyani Nair. Heavily underused powerhouse performers get a chance here in this song composed, arranged and produced by Amrit.Keba Jeremiah plays the Charango, a Latin American guitar-like instrument that automatically induces chirpiness in the intro of the song. The ethereal performers at The Indian Choral Ensemble perform with such poise and it gives a dreamy texture to this song which is ultimately about a happy family. Sri Ganesh is the lyricist and he writes these excellent lines, about the need for a home when it comes a family, with "Azhagana kuyil naalum onnaga vaazhum, thisaiyellam paranthalum koodonnu venum" The lead vocalists are now accompanied by Amrit as well. Amrit writes these elaborate interludes and that is so endearing to hear. The performers in the choral ensemble are Kalyani and Aparna Harikumar as Sopranos, Sivaranjini Chandramouli, and Nayansee Sharma as Altos. We hear the strains of Raag Maand when we hear the line "Kangalum Sumakkume Kanavugal". The song shatters your heart and I cannot stop crying when I hear the incredibly melodious line " Oru Naal Maarume, Tunbam theerume". I want to hug Amrit just for this line. Well done brother. The combined effect of Ananthu, Kalyani, Amrit and Uthara Unnikrishnan singing the line is mesmerising and it fills us with hope thanks to the lyrics as well that talk about hoping for a better future.The percussions are played by Krishna Kishore and the faint string section arrangements in the background help create more emotional connectivi

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weekly 25 May 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 25th May 2025

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    25th May 20251. Diya Diya Composed, Arranged and Produced by Nivas K Prasanna Singer: Sid Sriram & Nivas K Prasanna Lyrics: Karthik Netha Language: TamilGenre: Light Music/PopMood: RomanticThis is the second song from the album "Bun Butter Jam", that I am featuring here, so it is some fabulous work by a composer I like Nivas K Prasanna. He is one shining light and a hope for the future of Kollywood. This song is composed, arranged and produced by him and he gets Sid Sriram to deliver the lead vocals. Navin Iyer makes it a ravishing intro on his flute solo with the riffs on guitars by Keba Jeremiah. It immediately takes us to the era of AR Rahman and Harris Jeyaraj of 2000s. It makes me think of this one song in particular, 'ENnamo ENnamo pidichirukku' from 'Saamy'. Sid sings in the lower vocal registers and he does quite well in this Baritonish husk. There are probably shades of Abheri Ragam. Karthik Netha writes these very heartwarming romantic lines " Thanneeril vishum mazhaiyay, ennodu neeyum  inaindhai". When I hear this I am also tempted to recall this other beautiful song "Unna Partha Pinbu Naan" from the album 'Kadhal Mannan'. Things get fiery with Nivas singing the main title line "Diya Diya Oh Aarathiya" and we get some stunning basslines by John Praveen. KA SuryaHari does all the additional programming and he amps up with some fine rhythms. The interlude is in blitzkrieg mode as the electric violin solo by Ananthakrishnan goes head-on with Navin's flute. It is a very enjoyable segment of the song and this is where Nivas shines, telling us that he came to write these extended melodies with interludes like the songs of 2 decades ago. The stanza is just another fantastic movement of the melody with Sid Nivas and Karthik combining to give us lines like "Or ilai mel, peroli pol, nee vizhundhai, naan vidinthen" and "Maayavizhi Kattum Vazhi, Poguthadi kaathal Nadhi Vaa". The latter is just a mesmerising play of notes. The music supervisor is Alex Samuel Jenito, the tracks are mixed and mastered by Hevin Booster. KS Maniratnam is the recording engineer at The Mystic Rooms.@nivas.k.prasanna @k.a.surya_srihari @hevinbooster @sidsriram @karthiknetha_official @mani_the_rathnam @kebajer 2. DholaaVocals: Mame Khan, Anand BhaskarLyrics Ginny DiwanProduced by Ajay JayanthiLanguage: HindiGenre: Folk-Rock fusionMood: EnergeticA band whose music I have loved right from the day I started my music journey of music journalism, is Anand Bhaskar Collective. They haev everything one can dream of, a fabulous front man in Anand Bhaskar, some gifted instrumentalists/producers in Ajay jayanthi and Hrishi Giridhar, a stylish bassist in Neelkanth Patel and an energetic drummer in Shishir Tao. This song is a delightful fusion of folk music and mesmerising pop-rock making the listener land up in seventh heaven.Once we head towards the chorus segment after Mame Khan and Anand collectively deliver the lines "Too naa jaa", the keys and synths just flow. We have Ajay Banerjee on the Piano and Ginny Diwan writing the lyrics. The guitars and drums create a wave that will submerge you thanks to Hrishi's sizzling electric guitars. Ajay intervenes with a solo Violin performance in the interlude. This segment has a fine melody written for the violin, and Ajay is accompanied by some snazzy basslines featuring Neelkanth, in the verse that follows Mame Khan touches your heart with the rawness of his tone and elegance in his delivery.Shishir and Ajay never engage to take any attention away from the lead vocals as they play mildly in the background. The harkatein by Mame is endearing and we surrender to this man's voice in lines like "Nainon mein hai khaare, peed too jo daare". If you pay attention, just before the bridge section, Neelkanth is oozing style on bass. The calmness that follows is where a brief melody on the Piano lets you breathe and soak in the song's beauty. Ajay and Hrishi know how to end things as they take turns and play the affable little melody. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Keshav Dhar. The video is directed and edited by Smritim Dutta. @bhaskarville @mame_khan @ginny.diwan @ajayjayanthi @hrishigiridhar @thesingingbassist @shishirtao @ajbane98 @keshavdhar @smritimdutta @vedikachauhan @sharkandink3. Chal Chhod Na YaarSingers - Siddharth Mahadevan, Varun Jain & Shashwat Singh 

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weekly 18 may 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 18th May 2025

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    18th May 20251. Still Here Featuring Artist: Katya Krishnan Written & Performed: Dino James Producer: Bluish Music Language: Hindi/EnglishGenre: Hip HopMood: EnergeticI loved this album 'Priceless' by Dino James as he collaborates with some fine artists, and producers and gives a relevant, engaging, and heartfelt Hip-Hop album. This genre and space is always something that is used for some poor writers, who focus on money, luxury brand names, violence, shooting, sex and inappropriate content. So I will appreciate Dino for achieving what most Hip-Hop artists have failed to do - inspire and impact with good intent. A few songs are so amazingly written as Dino writes and performs all the songs in the album. His words of love thinking of his mother are the ones that touched me the most. This is my favourite track from the album. Katya Krishnan is one vocalist who I adore and she gets right on the job singing 'I'm still Here' in the intro. She stuns you like the sting of a serpent and you freeze, all you can do is listen to her breathtaking voice. The drums and rhythms come on board and I love the use of the saxophone, not just in this track but across most of the album. Harsh Bhavsar turns on the heat playing the Sax and one must stand up in appreciation for the way Bluish Music has created this stunning sound design through his music production. Just listen to the creative, colourful yet meaningful words as Dino performs "Yeh kamzor dil ke gaane nahi hain — I’m writing for the brave. Aur chaandi ke chamach waalon se karte nahi relate. Yeh mehendi aur tattoo ka farq hai — honge nahi hum fade.You will also know a lot about a talented artist when the rapper moves across topics, and world affairs to convey his point like this one here "Important khudko maante nahi — hum jhukne se nahi darte. Hum Sachin jaise chal dete, bhale sound na aaye nick mein". Dino continues to impress me even more as he captivates the listeners thoughts, wits and emotions with lines like " Velankanni, Durga — meri mother bohot hai. You sure you wanna fight, bro? Unka dakhal bohot hai. Pair lamba karke sote — ghar pe chaddar bohot hai. Aur main CID mein tha — sabki yahaan khabar bohot hai". The gospel-like harmonies, along with the Saxophone interventions and Katya singing her line are all coming along organically together in the outro. Abhishek Ghatak has quite a few elements and tracks to mix and he does that seamlessly, thanks to his mixing and mastering duties. @katyakrishnan @harshb.sax @bluishmusicoffiical @t._.vedant @theghatak 2. Soz e DilComposed & Performed by Yawar Abdal Written by: Shiekh ul Alam(RA) & Yawar Abdal Produced by: Lakshay Sharma, Akash Gupta Backing Vocals: Shubhra Agnihotri Language: KashmiriGenre: Folk-Rock/BalladMood: Mild PathosYawar Abdal is an artist who makes everything about his music soulful. The divinity in his voice is matched by the earnestness in his composition and here we get both in generous amounts. The melody composed by Yawar does possess strains of Khamaj Thaat and possibly Raag Rageshree. Ivaan Khaan starts with his striking solo on the Sarangi, and this is an intro which demands you to start focusing on what you are about to hear. The melancholy brought about here is immense with immediate effect. Lakshay Sharma and Akash Gupta handle all the arrangements and music production. The guitars start flowing gently, with Lakshay playing it and there you have Yawar mollycoddling us like a mother to her child. Akash Gupta plays the percussions and drums to give the song a gentle push forward. The electric guitar intervention is by Lakshay and adds a mild rock flavour to this fusion of styles. The electric guitar in the intro is played by Om Hulawale. The verse that follows this interlude is beautifully written like most of the song, but we get Hindi lyrics here that go "Iss haal mein kab tak jiyun Mein betaab, bebas mai bechain hun Ye aalam jala dun ijaazat jo ho Ye andhar hi andhar mai kab tak jaloon". This verse is not just profound in writing but also seeps into our system as a very hummable progression of chords. Shubhra Agnihotri can be heard in the backing vocals performing the humming. The Rock infusion is almost complete now with Kartik Singh on bass, and as the electric guitars and drums engage. Akash and Lakshay are also involved in the programming of synths, strings, and horns. I love that Ivaan continuously plays the Sarangi in the background, freely expressing his inner fire as a musician. Towards the outro, Yawar explodes with his energy on vocals along with the drums and guitars. The calm after the storm arrives at the very end, but the mind cannot stop thinking of the storm. Lakshay Sharma mixed and mastered the tracks. Xulkarnain Dev did the artwork, Harry Thakur handled the animation, and Taha Firdous Shah translated the lyric

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weekly 11 may 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 11th May 2025

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    4th May 20251. MinnalvalaMusic composed, arranged and produced by Jakes BejoyLyrics: Kaithapram DamodaranSingers: Sid Sriram, Sithara KrishnakumarLanguage: MalayalamGenre: Ligh Music/PopMood: RomanticThrough this song, I learned about a new instrument. We all probably have heard this instrument whenever there is a reference to Chinese folk music. It is the Erhu, a bowed instrument with two strings. There probably isn't any reference to China, but it still is creative of Jake to employ this instrument in the intro. It does sound like the Kottankuchi, used in Tamil folk music. Krishna Kishor makes the thumping rhythms sound catchy. Haruyo Kimura plays the Erhu. It probably has been a while since I heard Sid Sriram singing Malayalam, and he does a good job in this romantic single from 'Narivetta'. Naveen Napier is the bassist and we get a full exhibition of Jakes's arrangements and production through the song. I love the sound of the Kanjira playing mildly along with Kiran's flute solo in the background. Akhil Chand accompanies Sid on backing vocals giving a nice second layer of vocals. The strings section in the interludes is played by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra. The lyrics are penned by Kaithapram Damodaran. Sid continues to sound fantastic in the stanza as he goes about delivering the high-pitched lines with ease like "Raavil Ninte Poomukam Kandu". The highlight reel is when the exquisite Sithara delivers her line"Nammallo Theerathe Olangal Theeratha Daahathin Thaalanagal" with a mild vibrato at the end. Jakes must be complimented for writing a fine melody here especially, the stanza. The landing notes to join the song's Pallavi is a fantastic union of both these lead vocalists in "Paarithil Naa Poyidaam, Vin Nadhi Pol Ozhukidaam". The tracks are mixed and mastered by Midhun Anand and the sound engineers are Midhun, Unmesh Unnikrishnan, Amal Mithu, Abin Ponnachan, Vishnu Shankar and Arnav Sharma@jakes_bejoy @tovinothomas @kaithapram_d @sidsriram @sitharakrishnakumar @priyamvadakrishnan @midhunanand_official @napier_naveen @kishorbeatz2. SaathiVocals: Monali ThakurLyrics: Kausar MunirComposition, additional arrangements: Rohan RohanArranged and Produced: Avi LoharLanguage: HindiGenre: Light Music/ Semi classicalMood: Mild PathosVjay Tambe's flute solo makes the intro sound calming, and the melody contains fragments of Raag Brindavan Sarang. Monali Thakur calmly takes the lead vocals in this beautiful melody composed by the dynamic duo Rohan and Rohan. Kausar Munir penned the lyrics, and we hear this song from a historically important movie album called Phule. The flute interventions are constant and carry a lot of significance. The Keys start making an impact but the true grounded and rooted impact comes when the percussions start hitting. Avi Lohar is credited with all the amazing arrangements and music production with Rohan Pradhan and Rohan Gokhale handling additional arrangements. The melody written for the flute is excellent and the execution is equally impressive in the interlude. Monali's delivery becomes so beautiful as she reaches out to the higher-pitched notes, getting some 'Harkaetin' also executed with grace and style. Listen to the "Saathi Saathi" phrase at the end of the stanza for example. The arrangements become delightful with the strings section and the Sitar also accompanying. We don't have too many songs these days with two antara pieces and that is why this composition and overall song stands out. I wish Monali Thakur performed so much more. The tracks are mixed and mastered by Aftab Khan. @rohanpradhan_official @rohanrohanofficial @rohangokhaleofficial @phulethefilm @kingsmen.productions @kausarmunir @monalithakur03 @anuyachauhankudecha @ananthmahadevanofficial @patralekhaa @pratikgandhiofficial @radiasunita @aparna_shahstylist @mixedbyaftab3. Yethetho

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weekly 4 may 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 4th May 2025

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    4th May 20251. Edharkaga MarupadiSinger: Punya Selva Composed, arranged and produced by Santhosh Narayanan Lyricist: VivekLanguage: TamilGenre: BalladMood: PathosWhen the teaser was released, there was this one moment as Pooja Hegde and Suriya sit on the banks of a river and the latter promises a life of peace and happiness. Pooja agrees to marry him and a solo violin comes along like oxygen breathing life into a moment already full of life, making this moment eternal and ethereal. Not many in the world can be even mentioned in the same sentence as Maestro Ilaiyaraja me, but this solo violin piece composed by Santhosh Narayanan and played by Manoj is heavenly and maybe even Ilaiyaraja would nod his head to that in approval. The melody somehow reminds me of Maestro's "Thalaatu Maari Ponadhey" from the album "Unnai Naan Sandithen'The solo piece now has a song and ever since many like me heard this, we are all enamoured by the composition and the vocals by a new artist Punya Selva. The Piano and the upright bass add some more flavour to the song's existing melancholy. This whole melody that lasts 30 seconds feels like a lifetime. Punya Selva delivers the melody with such perfect restraint, and sadness bordering on desperation. The magic continues with that amazing line "Amaidhi adaintha kadalil puyalum varudha, avanin ninaivu, valiyil padaitha virudha, theelaga naal marudha" with that sensational set of notes written and equally well executed by Punya in the end. Kudos to Vivek for writing the intense and loaded lines, and this is where I feel Tamil lyricists have truly resuscitated something that was facing morbid times in the earlier decade.  The interlude is once again the same Violin melody but accompanied now by a strings section and Piano. The strings section is written by Karthik Manickavasagam. I sense a small lag between the solo violin and the background strings, but is it intended because the lovers' hearts skip a beat when they see each other The woodwinds just before the beginning of the first stanza are calming and when Punya starts her line, the flowy Pianos play alongside "Neeketta Punnagai", as if the notes are like Suriya's smile, incessant and elevating. Punya is flawless in delivering every minute emotion while singing the lines, on top of giving a remarkable tone and texture to the melody. The pathos builds on further in the second interlude with that soulful heart-wrenching humming by Ananthu and once that ends Santhosh throws a new surprise with a completely different stanza. He not only goes all guns blazing in his whacky creativity but also goes the distance in giving music lovers something fresh, heartfelt and everlasting like this song. The second stanza has a different mood, like a recovery from all of the protagonist's sadness and that is what I feel when I hear "Kadhal alayil oru nadhiyena aadi magizhden, nyana karaiyil , vandhu ezhunthaval eeram thurandhu vitten" thanks to Vivek's in-sync lyrics as well. Punya, in her ability to deliver the tough notes, Vivek in his immersive writing and Santhosh in his desire and gifted abilities to write these notes all come together beautifully in "En thadagame, En Kalabame, En Vivadhame, Un Vilasame". The song in its overall tone reminds me of "Kannamma" from 'Kaala'. @musicsanthosh @punyasworld @lyricist_vivek @manojviolinist2. NeendSongwriters: Aman Moroney, Shaurya Saxena, Mihir Thatte Produced & Arranged by Aman Moroney Language: HindiGenre: Semi-classical Pop fusionMood: UpliftingAman Moroney is one fabulous mentor and producer who I have featured more than a few times and he takes one more step further, as he composes and writes this song along with Shaurya Saxena and Mihir Thatte. The lead vocals are by Shaurya while Aman handles the majestic-sounding arrangements and production. The melody probably has some strains of Khamaaj Thaat and we feel it slowly entering our system.The keys and synths are handles by AMan and when Shaurya sings " Neend mujhe kyun kyun nahi, aati nahi", the helplessness of the protagonist can be felt. Shaurya starts slow and stead and lets you in on a few showy flashes of brilliance as he produces excellent harkatein on the phrase "aati nahi". We also get a glimpse of the violin, played by Aman. He pulls you deep as the mind gets captivated by the sound of the violin, like falling into an abyss of insomnia. A shift of moods happens now with the electric guitar and the introduction of the Tabla in the second verse. Vaibhav Duratkar plays the Tabla and Aman plays the guitars. Are you entertained when Shaurya sings " Jaise bechaini ki leher hai" with that beautiful vibrato in the end? Hardik Verma is exceptional in this classical-sounding solo on the Sitar and maybe there were traces of Raag Baageshree here. Shaurya is in prime form in the high-pitched lines singing " Na sune hain koye manwa ki baat, suna mann ka angna". I am left with a few tears as Shaurya ends singing " dhoop tu, chhav bhi sajnaa". This is a fantastic song which brings together excellent vocals, songwriting and music production skills together. Aman Moroney does the mixing and mastering and the recording engineers are Soumya Saksham and Aman. 

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weekly 27 apr 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 27th April 2025

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 April 20251. SaadhoVocals, Composition: Pavithra Chari Arrangements, Production: The Anirudh Varma CollectiveLyrics: Kabir DasLanguage: TraditionalGenre: Classical FusionMood: InspiringThe brilliance of The Anirudh Varma Collective continues and with a song almost every week being featured for the last few weeks here is one more mindblowing fusion track from 'Sabr' the album. The melody has Raag Bhairavi (Sindhubhairavi in Carnatic) written all over and the intro begins with Soumitra Thakur's Sitar solo, along with Madhur Chaudhary's bass guitars and Suyash Gabriel's drums. Pavithra Chari comes and just establishes her presence with her classically emboldened vocals. The harkatein that she delivers is generous and graceful. Pavithra has composed the melody and the arrangements are by The Anirudh Varma Collective. Shrikant Bishwakarma can be heard playing the zappy electric guitars, and slowly the arrangements get thick and heavy. Varun Rajashekharan plays the unmistakable Ghatam, but the heart feels heavy with the notes on the Sitar. Things get very interesting when we have Rohan Prasanna join in with his Sarod solo and the tete-a-tete is a music lover's haven. Pavithra takes us on a ride into the gates of paradise with her amazing vocals and Anirudh makes every segment feel thrilling and blissful with his arrangements and production. Just stop doing what you are up to and surrender to Pavithra's aalap, along with the harmonies and instrumental arrangements that glorify the outro. The tracks are recorded by Jonty Indra with Anirudh's mixing and Shawn Hatfield on mastering. @rohanprasanna @suyashgabriel @soumitra_thakur @strings_of_karma @basskarmadhur @aamibangali @anirudhvarmaofficial @pavithra.chari @vroonr2. NizhalConceived, Composed and Sung by Job KurianLyrics: Engandiyoor Chandrasekharan Arrangement & Guitars: Rony George Language: MalayalamGenre: Pop-BalladMood: PathosJob Kurian is one man who gets the job done every time. His conceptualization of a song is where he strikes the first blow and a hard, good one. This called 'Nizhal' is a splendid song that will grow on you and follow you like a Nizhal (shadow). We hear the very mild Piano by JOb and the Strings played by Krishnakumar, arranged by Varkey. The lyrics are by Engandiyoor Chandrasekharan, and they are used to create some haunting mesmerism with the help of a melody written and performed by Job Kurian. Rony Goerge plays the acoustic guitars and handles all the arrangements. My favourite line is "Hey nizhal aatam kaanam tharaaro" with the high-pitched vocals and the strings section in the background. He touches your heart and makes a deep impression with the way he lands his notes, filled with passion and emotion. Ananthu Nirmal brings on the rhythm and groove when the verse begins again, and Binoy Rethnakaran (ret) brings on the funk with his bass guitars. The mind attains a sense of calm when Job sings, giving those gentle heartfelt vibratos. This line makes me weep with a deep sense of love for all things around me " azhakaay alivaay niramaay varoo, nirayaan uyeraan pon tharamaay"We assume we have heard the best parts of the song, and that is when this interlude comes about with a strikingly inspiring choral ensemble arranged by Evugin Emmanuel. The performers here are Vinesh, Joel G Bensiar, Sreejith Beard, Eguvin, Krithi Sounder, Riya Ann, Vineetha Jude and Aleena. Rex Vijayan is the mastermind behind the fantastic mixing and mastering of the tracks. @jobkuriank @varkeyhere @sravan.krishnakumar @evugin.emmanuel @vinesh_dharan @engandiyoor_chandhrashekaran @vineetha_m._jude @sreejiththebeard @ananthunirmal @the_r.e.t @rex_vijayan @nirvanaahhh @joel_gabriel_bensiar @_.krithisoundar._ @athira_job3. Dooray Composed by Alokananda Dasgupta 

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weekly 20 apr 2025

Top Indian Songs of the week 20th April 2025

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 April 20251. THE ONE Lyrics: Vivek Singers: Sid Sriram, Santhosh Narayanan RAP: SVDP Composed / Arranged / Programmed by Santhosh Narayanan Language: TamilGenre: Hip-HopMood: EnergeticI trust one composer in India today when it comes to delivering a massive hero-elevation song. He goes by the name Santhosh Narayanan. Everyone else is either mimicking something from the West or Middle East or making things just boisterous. There isn't a genre that Santhosh cannot create, and this recent track from the upcoming movie 'Retro' proves once again that SaNa is the go-to guy. His ability to create the perfect energy, blend styles and have a nice melody at the core all work in Santhohs' favour. I have looked at so many such hero-elevation numbers in 2024 and 2025 and have enough to talk about in a separate IG video soon. The bottom line is that nobody is close to achieving what Santhosh does. He goes all out in this with Sid Sriram to deliver the Tamil lines and SVDP to instill madness at break-neck speed. SVDP responds to the call of Santhosh and gives something to the audience as juicy, reverberating and pulsating as 'Neeye Oli' from the album "Sarpattai Parambarai". The Brass instruments make a killer start right at the intro.Sid Sriram's high-pitched vocals with minimal production, and slowly some more elements come in like the percussions, and backing vocals, reminding us of another blinder by Santhosh called 'Kanda Vara Sollunga' from the album "Karnan". Vivek pours his heart out with his inspiring writing like "Natchathiram Onnu Theriyuthamma, Ninna edam pathi eriyuthamma". Mahalakshmi, Ananthu and Victor join on the energetic backing vocals here. I also love how Sid is made to sing in the Thoothukudi dialect, just like Surya in the movie. Karthik Manickavasakam does all the additional programming with additional electronic elements done by 808Krshna.An unforgettable highlight is the choral humming which was already released in the very first announcement vice of 'RETRO" many months ago. This magnificent piece is performed by the amazing vocalists of The Indian Choral Ensemble, and conducted and recorded by Karthik. SVDP performs with such stylish animosity that you want to simply stop doing everything and just float in the air along with him. The accompanying Keys, Synths and rhythms are anything but magical as Santhos, composes, arranges and programs this masterpiece. I pray and hope that the whole track is picturized in the movie and that it is not just a rolling credits piece in the end. The way Santhosh introduces another segment here that is filled with passionate writing by Vivek and singing by Sid is phenomenal. A mistake many composers do is to keep the loud music, and rhythms go on forever without injecting any pauses and breathers. See how the lines "Neeyum dhooram poga nenjam punna kidandhen, Unn padham pogum padha vazhi manna kidandhen, Kaalam kaalam thaandi uyir oora kidandhen, Raasa raasavandhaan, Ulagellam Adanchen Yele". The lead vocals, choral ensemble, percussions, and brass section all combine to make this nerve-racking in a good way. The fitting outro is the TICE performing the humming and the closing statements by the braa section. The choir consists of Aparna Harikumar, Alisha Mathew Thayil, Sushmita Narasimhan, Nidhi Saraogi, Vani Nandhini, Rutuja Pande, Shwetha Sugathan, Yazhini, Samanvitha Sasidaran, Amritha Rajesh Chelat, Nayansee Sharma, Geethu Nirmala, Fathima Henna, Megha Salila, Shruthi Parthasarathy, Shri Bhadra, Varsha R Mallya, Ananya A, Pavithra Chari, Kaaviya S, Akash V H, Sudarshan HemaRam, Keshav Vinod, Shivsundar R, Shridhar Ramesh, Manoj Krishna, Shibi Srinivas, Dhiyanathiru, Nikhilchandran D S, Arshith Kurian, Chirag Shetty, Manikandan Chembai, Joseph George, Ebenezer, Regis Tony, Shyam Krishna, Prashanth Mohanasundaram, Cyril Solomon, Neeraj Selvaganapathy and Soloman Ravindar. Santhosh and Karthik are the recording engineers, with the former also doing the mixing and Rupendar Venkatesh handling all the additional mixing and Mastering. The additional chorus is by Karthik Manickavasakam, Shridhar Ramesh, Manikandan Chembai, Shivsundar R, Chirag Shetty and Shravan Narayan. Meenakshi Santhosh handles the music management department with Studio Assistant Jabaraj. 2. Dey Singer: Zeba Tommy Lyricist: Yugabharathi Composer: Govind VasanthaLanguage: TamilGenre: JazzMood: GroovyHe is one man the music world can trust to create fresh, original and authentic music belonging to any genre. Govind Vasantha, take a bow for never letting the world of IG Reels corrupt your output. I enjoyed this album 'Gentlewoman' and this probably was the best single, not only for its whacky Jazz and Cabaret style of music but also for Zeba Tommy's bravado on vocals. We get the hi-hat drums and the upright bass in the intro and the feather-touch Pianos, almost making me feel like I am sitting in a bar in New Orleans. Yughabharathi writes the lyrics. Zeba is on fire and this is a singing masterclass for anyone wanting inspiration to become a playback singer. Govind must also be appreciated for assigning Zeba for the job and she pays him back with more than the deserved dividends. "murukku Meesa, thimira partha, bayantha poven sollu? Azhukka pesi , alayum unna , adichhen kolven" she sings with such playful improvisations and vibrato strewn all over. 

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