Naren's indie round-up/ June 2022, Ep 2

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR 

Folk Masti/ Jadoo Ki Chhadi

Label: Self-released 

Rating: ****

Picturesque landscapes, green woods, snow-capped terrain and open fields embellish the video of Folk Masti's new song 'Jadoo Ki Chhadi'. As its name suggests, the group comprises musicians having fun with folk music.

Vocalist-guitarist Vipul Panchal, keyboardist Samadhan Guldagde, percussionist Roshan Aade and bassist Prince Mangan combine to create a track that pays tribute to the environment. The lines "Chhadi jadoo ki ghumai, meri zindagi banaayi" are filled with gratitude.

Rahul Chavan's video goes perfectly with the song, and has been shot with imagination. After 'Kahaniya', this is another mast number by Folk Masti.

Bandish Vaz/ Hum Hi Hum The

Label: Tips Originals

Rating: ***

The new single from Tips Originals, 'Hum Hi Hum The', features singer Bandish Vaz, who sings about the good memories love can offer. It's a simple love song composed by Shameer Tandon and written by Sandeep Nath.

While Bandish has a naturally pleasant voice and good flow, there is one occasion he unnecessarily tries to raise the pitch. The song is aided by a romantic video, starring Akansha Ranjan Kapur and Aashim Gulati (in picture).

Director Adil Shaikh works on a script that blends romance and tragedy. It's a routine video but it looks good.

King/ Sinner

Label: Warner Music India

Rating: ** 1/2

The video of the song 'Sinner' announces, '4 million views and still counting'. So if four more people watch it after reading this review, rest assured you're contributing to the world economy.

The artiste calls himself King, probably wanting to be one up on Badshah. He wears the usual dark glasses, gold chains and black outfits, and dramatically gets off a costly car singing, "Haathon mein jaam hai, hum roz peete hain par jee nahin bhara". Hic hic. 

To be fair, the song is fine on its own, as it has a certain catchiness. It's just that one has seen such videos 4 million times before. And still counting.

Motherjane/ Awoke

Label: Self-released/ crowd-funded

Rating: *** 1/2

After Anubhav Langthasa's trademark guitar intro, Niranj Suresh's vocals take over with the lines, "Sweet Morpheus lulls me to sleep, a song devoid of harmony plays out to plague me".

Kochi rock band Motherjane are back, and 'Awoke' opens their four-track EP 111. The Carnatic elements are very much there, but one finds a touch of modern prog-rock too.

Clyde D'Rozario's bass and John Thomas's drums are tight. The central guitar part takes the song to another level. It's 'woke'.

Aarifah/ Now She Knows

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Aarifah Rebello, also known as a drummer, has released her debut video 'Now She Knows'. The song is about a young woman who realises her worth and gets confident enough to move on.

After an acoustic guitar-led back-up, the instrumentation builds up. And while the subject isn't new, what's welcome is the maturity in the lyric-writing. The video, featuring family and friends, is very relatable too.

"She controls the steering wheel, makes her wanting to believe, that she holds authority of herself at least", sings Aarifah at the end. The words should strike a chord among young women.