Naren's indie round-up/ Mar 2024, Ep 4

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

Tayc & Shreya Ghoshal/ Yimmy Yimmy

Label: Virgin Music/ Play DMF

Rating: *** 1/2

French rhythm n' blues musician Tayc teams up with Shreya Ghoshal on the new dance-pop number 'Yimmy Yimmy'. Who cares what that means, as the bonus comes in the form of a Bollywood-styled video featuring Jacqueline Fernandez.

"Ab bhi chahoon, ishq nibhaoon, dil na maanein kaise bhulaoon", go Shreya's lines written by Rana Sotal. Tayc has written the French and English lyrics himself, and the music by Rajat Nagpal, Tayc and Nyadjiko has a club vibe.

The video by Piyush and Shazia has silver screen-style choreography. Jacqueline's dance moves match Shreya's voice, and the 'Yimmy Yimmy' line sticks in one's mind.

Amrita Chatterjee/ Tez Toofan Mein

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

On her latest single 'Tez Tufaan Mein', ghazal singer Amrita Chatterjee begins, "Tez toofan mein udti hui patte jaisa; zindagi bhi tera muqaddar hai tinke jaisa."

The song has been composed by Amrita herself, with Ajay Sahaab writing the lyrics. It continues, "Tumko fursat hi nahin isko pehenke dekho; apna rishta jo hai uttrey hue gehne jaisa", reflecting feelings of angst.

Abhishek Chakraborty's arrangements and Bubai Nandi's flute blend well with the serene video, where Souvik Halder has used riverside shots. For ghazal fans, this is perfect.

Harish Budhwani/ Khwab Tum

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

Pune-based singer-songwriter Harish Budhwani has released six singles since 2020. His latest 'Khwab Tum' is another heartfelt ballad expressing feelings for a lady.

At an ideal four-minute length, it begins with an acoustic guitar backdrop. The operative lines are, "Aankhen tarase dhundhti hai, kahaan tum, khamoshi bhi poochti hai, kya ho tum, main keh doonga, keh doonga, mera khwab tum". 

The orchestration builds up slowly, using flute and light percussion. But it never overshadows the vocals, giving Harish a chance to express himself well. Parth Yadav's video is simple, sticking to the song's mood.

Nidhi Wagle/ Helplessly 

Label: Self-released 

Rating: ****

Also making her indie debut in 2020 is Mumbai singer-songwriter Nidhi Wagle, who sings in both English and Hindi. Her latest release 'Helplessly' is an English number which falls in the pop-jazz category.

The song expresses the feelings of someone ready to risk heartbreak, thus falling in love freely and fearlessly. Nidhi sings, "You make it seem like there's nobody else but me, so I don't mind falling helplessly".

The production by Mihir Degaonkar is subtle, and Brecilia Dsouza's saxophone caresses the backdrop. The song is perfect to play well into the night.

Saroj Kashyap/ Bruises 

Label: Self-released 

Rating: ****

In her earlier songs 'Dancing With The Demons', 'Nargis' and 'Rabbithomes', Bengaluru singer-songwriter Saroj Kashyap displayed a certain maturity. It continues on her new song 'Bruises', which tries to capture the thin line between tough love and abuse.

Saroj's singing and composing style seems inspired by some of the 1990s stars, and there's pathos when she sings, "He saw me crying, crying, now, slammed the door down not to be loud". Ritwik Bhattacharya's production uses arrangements skillfully.

Going perfectly with the dark mood is Aravind Sanjeev's black n' white video. It captures the bruises faced by the protagonist.







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