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

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

Jubin Nautiyal feat. Yohani/ Tu Saamne Aaye

Label: T-Series

Rating: ***

Sri Lankan singer Yohani became a rage last year with her Sinhalese song 'Manike Mage Hithe', which later spawned numerous adaptations using different languages. She has now teamed up with Jubin Nautiyal on the Hindi number 'Tu Saamne Aaye'.

Yohani's vocal style remains the same, without even attempting to deviate from the earlier hit. But she's backed by a catchy tune by Jubin-Rocky, with lyricist Rocky Khanna using lines like "Main dekhoon tujhe bhi, dekhoon main tujhe hi, kyon".

The song is lifted by Navjit Buttar's video, starring Sakshi Joshi and Mateen Vakil. Set against a road journey, it has a classy look. One only hopes that going forward, Yohani slips out of her Manike hangover.

Ishaan Nigam feat. Brite Roy/ O Jaana 2.0

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

Two years after releasing the well-received 'O Jaana', singer Ishaan Nigam and composer-lyricist Brite Roy present a sequel. Ishaan plays a blind artiste in the video, which also features Brite and Jagriti Sharma.

Ishaan has a melodious voice and expressive delivery, without getting into acrobatics. He displays good diction too, when singing Urdu words like 'vasl', 'kurbat', 'shiddat', 'farhaat' and 'mehfooz'.

Brite's composition has a melodic air, and KD's production is commendable. Both the song and the video create an impact.

King/ Maan Meri Jaan

Label: Warner Music India

Rating: ****

In September, rapper King released the hip-hop track 'Oops!' as a build-up to his forthcoming album Champagne Talk. He followed it up with 'Maan Meri Jaan', a totally contrasting love song.

The track has become a YouTube sensation, proving again that simple romantic numbers often work if they touch the audience's heart. King sticks to a catchy singalong melody, with the lines, "Tu maan meri jaan, main tujhe jaane na doonga, main tujhko apni aankhon mein basaake rakhoonga".

Saurabh Lokhande's production is subtle, and the video by Akhilesh Vats and featuring Natasha Bharadwaj tells a familiar but relatable story. Most important, the tune lingers.

Shruti Rane/ Resham Ka Rumal

Label: Saregama Music

Rating: **

The new Saregama Music song 'Resham Ka Rumal' is about 'cherry wali lipistick', 'mehengi wali goggle' and 'branded wala perfume' to be specially worn in a razaai. So classy.

The song is sung by Shruti Rane, but the effort is more to promote it as an item number featuring Divya Agarwal (in picture). Probably it's targeted at those who will ogle at their cell phones and whistle.

It is also an adaptation of an earlier Ila Arun tune which didn't talk of lipistick or goggle. Unlike this raunchy rendezvous, that one had a rustic folk charm.

Prash/ Jaana Hai

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

In his new Hindi-rock song 'Jaana Hai', Mumbai-based singer Prash begins, "Teri yeh baatein sunke mujhko door jaana hai, tu mujhse kehti hai ke paison ka zamaana hai, koi keemat nahin hai mere armaanon ki, bas aankhein band rakh ke aage bhaag jaana hai, jaana hai".

The angst continues over the next few verses, and some sizzling guitars and vibrant drums give company. Though some parts are reminiscent of the Rock On soundtrack, the song has a charm of its own. And the lines 'Jaana hai' are delivered with loads of josh.