narenmusic

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Khanvict & Raaginder feat. Rashmeet Kaur/ Devotion Label: Self-released  Rating: *** 1/2 Pakistan-origin Canadian producer Khanvict collaborates with violinist Raaginder and singer Rashmeet Kaur on 'Devotion', a foot-tapping Punjabi number aimed at the dance floor. Aided by a retro-look video, it takes you back to the 1990s style of party naach-gaana . Raaginder's violin, with its Indian classical base, is a highlight and the strong basswork and infectious beats blend well with Rashmeet's vocals and Sufiana flavour. The song is the first single from Khanvict and Raaginder's EP Arrival . main line "Jogan ban gayee aa, sudbud main kho gayee aa" is set to a catchy groove. Sounds ideal for headphones or simply high volume. Gaurav Bangia & Amruta Natu/ Tu Baadal Label: Self-released  Rating: **** Over the past few months, composer-singer Gaurav Bangia and singer Amruta Natu have teamed up on the wonderful songs 'Raaste' and &#

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  The Rolling Stones/ Hackney Diamonds Genre : Rock Label : Polydor Records Rating : **** Uh-one, uh-two, drums, uh-one-two-three-go, guitars, Mick Jagger sings, "Don't get angry with me, I never caused you no pain, I won't be angry with you, but I can't see straight, yeah". The song is called 'Angry' and in two minutes, you have the Keith Richards electric guitar razzle-dazzle, and the line, "I'm still taking the pills, and I'm off to Brazil", a throwback to past debauchery. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back the Rolling Stones, on their 26th US and 24th UK release. Hackney Diamonds , a title inspired by East London slang for broken glass, comes 18 years after A Bigger Bang , their last album of all-new material. Though they did the blues cover album Blue & Lonesome in the interim, and lost drummer Charlie Watts two years ago, this was the comeback studio album fans were waiting for. Live, the bad boys of

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Nemophilis/ One Last Time Label: Self-released  Rating: **** Here's a beauty that takes you back to the glory days of 1990s rock. 'One Last Time', the second single from the forthcoming Nemophilis album The Iceberg , has all the makings of a live favourite, right from the melodic hook, soaring vocals and crackling guitar solo. Nemophilis are a three-piece band from Pune, comprising vocalist-guitarist Kshitij Choudhary, bassist Saurabh Lodha and drummer Akarsh Singh. The song is about a desire to return to the great times of yesteryear, with the lines, "Take me back to love, take me back to life, take me back to all the things you gave, one last time". The band's influences seem to draw from Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, hints of Skid Row and even a passing nod to The Who. But they have an energy and charm of their own. We're looking forward to the rest of the 11-track album, due for release on November 2. Underground Authority/ Saansein  Label:

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Ricky Kej feat. Abby V and Sona Mohapatra/ Ghule Label: Sufiscore Rating: ***** This combination of musicians is a coup of sorts as three-time Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej ties up with singers Abby V and Sona Mohapatra on 'Ghule', the first single from the forthcoming Sufiscore album Aarambh . The melody is based on raag Puriya Dhanashri, and the blend with modern arrangements is just perfect, as both singers display their technical finesse while maintaining the core soul. Jyoti Venkatraman's lines, "Ghule kajarwa re bole kangana re, piya tore milan ki baaje muraliya re" have the traditional charm. Jay Parikh's video uses plenty of orange, black and grey to give it a classy look. The production, both audio and visual, are first-rate, and the tune lingers on. Yogesh Rairikar feat. Shom Chaterjjee/ Raat Ke Baad Label: Yogesh Rairikar Originals  Rating: *** 1/2 To mark ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh's 12th death anniversary on October 10

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  The Newcomers/ Coming Home Produced by Mahaveer Jain & Warner Music Rating: **** To mark Gandhi Jayanti, four youngsters calling themselves The Newcomers have put out this video song 'Coming Home'. Based on the Mahatma's belief in the 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'The World Is One Family' philosophy, the English song talks of coming together and being united. With support from Mahaveer Jain, the four youngsters are 18-year-old video director Divyansh Jain, composers Rohansh Pandit and Abeer Pandit, and singer Neel Khosla, who is joined on vocals by Siddharth Basrur. Neel also writes lyrics along with the prolific Rahul B. Seth. The video culls clips from various historical events, including footage of Mahatma Gandhi. The lines, "Coming home to where we belong, coming home to the love in our hearts, coming home to a place we are standing together, because we all are one" sum up the message. The Revisit Project feat. Amithav Gau