Naren's indie round-up/ Oct 2023, Ep 2

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, composer Yogesh Rairikar has released 'Raat Ke Baad', sung by Shom Chatterjjee. Significantly, the words have been written by the great Nida Fazli, whose poetry was often sung by Jagjit back in the day.

The song structure is reminiscent of Jagjit's compositional style, with Manas Kumar's violin lending a rich flavour, and Sanjoy Das adding his guitar notes. The words "Raat ke baad naye din ki sehar aayegi, din nahin badlega taareekh badal jaayegi" have depth.

The video, directed by Vidit Mithilesh Patankar, uses sea-waves and rocks as the motifs, adding to the philosophical nature of the song.

Alka Yagnik & Shamir Tandon/ Mohabbat Mohabbat

Label: Zee Music Company 

Rating: ***

One of the most prolific singers of the 1990s, Alka Yagnik appears on a ghazal composed by Shamir Tandon. It's a simple tune, with a singalong vibe.

Vishwadeep Zeest's lyrics are interesting, as he talks of how love overpowers everything else. "Zamaane ne chaaha ki nafrat ko chun loon, par apni fitrat, mohabbat mohabbat", he writes.

Though the tune gets repetitive in the middle, the twist at the end and Shomu Seal's vibrant guitar and strokes provide variety. Good and easy listening.

Sumeet Bellary feat. Yashraj Kapil and Priscilla Mozhumannil

Label: Viamonk Entertainment 

Rating: ****

One strong point of Sumeet Bellary's 'Tu Hi Pyaar Hai Sahiba' is its hook. The lines, "Sahiba sahiba, tu hi pyaar hai sahiba" linger on.

It's a love song sung by Yashraj Kapil and Priscilla Mozhumannil, with lyrics by Satya Khare. Words like "Tere kadmon ke main peeche peeche chalta hoon, tujhsa hi ho jaaon main koshish yeh karma hoon, yeh hai asar pyaar ka" create an impact.

The video has an arty, period look using motion graphics. The overall song has a filmi air, with good doses of romance. The classically inspired ending leaves you on a high.

Sambhavi Thakur & MC Jizzy/ Patteya Gaya

Label: Velvet Vibes Music 

Rating: ***

Here's another of those which takes a Punjabi folk tune and gives it a dance-pop flavour. 'Patteya Gaya' starts off in a very catchy way but the sudden inclusion of the rap part seems too clichéd.

Shambhavi Thakur sings, "Meri akhaan da kasoor si, sir teh fitoor si, haay rabba ve yaar patteya gaya, dil yaaran da vekh thageya gaya". The rap part by MC Jizzy just doesn't gel with the main song. However, the guitar solo at the end is a welcome surprise.

The video, directed by Phulawa Khamkar, features actors Heymal Ingley and Sahil Narang. Some good choreography but one has seen such videos often.