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


BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

The Anirudh Varma Collective feat. Divyam Sodhi & Kavya Singh/ Mausam

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *****

Delhi-based The Anirudh Varma Collective has been doing some exceptional work, blending classical melodies with contemporary sounds in a rather subtle manner. The new song 'Mausam', from their forthcoming album, is another such gem.

It's a song about longing, sung fabulously by Divyam Sodhi and Kavya Singh, who also complement each other very well. The lyrics by Likhari uses lines like, "Mausam badalta jaaye, balma na aaye".

A highlight is Anirudh's arrangement, which makes good use of sarod, guitar and ghatam. All musicians get their space and the fusion is seamless. Captured live in the studio in Saubhagya Saxena's video, with a guest appearance by model Vrinda Chadha. 

Utsavi Jha/ Kaise Kaise

Label: first.wav

Rating: *** 1/2

Singer Utsavi Jha has been releasing songs for the past four years. After 'Piya' in April, she comes out with 'Kaise Kaise'.

The song has a pleasant melody line, with composition and production by Khwaab. It talks of sweet bickering between lovers, and their 'patching up'. Lyrics, written by Utsavi, Khwaab and Rahul Shah, begin with, "Aise yoon rootho na, lafzon mein tolo na, naraazi mein bhi, kehti kya samjho na".

Both 'Piya' and 'Kaise Kaise' have a pleasant hook. The clip-clop rhythm sounds repetitive on early listen, but one gets used to it as it goes with the song.

Girish Sadhwani feat. Rajat Sukhija/ Kaun Hoon

Promoted by: Pocket Films

Rating; *** 1/2

The video depicts a boy who is angry and frustrated, but gets help through divine intervention to understand the values of the world.

Rajat Sukhija plats the boy and Girish Sadhwani the person he meets. The song has been sung by Girish, composed and written by Imamuddin Dakkhan Sattari with additional lyrics by Zafar.

The main line goes, "Kaun hoon, mein kaun hoon, mujhe jaanta koi nahin, maujood hoon main har jagah, pehchaanta koi nahi". Some neat sarangi, violin and duff add to the effect.

Akshath/ Nadaaniyan

Label: Universal Music Group

Rating: ***

Here's a song that should make your mouth water not because of the tune or the quality of singing but because it's shot in a bakery where one gets to see some good varieties of dessert.

The song 'Nadaaniyan', written, composed and sung by Akshath, has a pleasant tune but there's something flat-tish about the presentation. Sharic Sequeira's video featuring Akshath and Aisha Ahmed is cute though, both because of the script and because of their screen presence. A little more expression in the vocals would have helped.. 

Ahikaa Arora/ masquerade 

Label: Ascension Records

Rating: *** 1/2

Ahikaa Arora is a Singapore-based singer-songwriter of Indian descent. Her debut single 'masquerade' has a cinematic dream-pop sound that goes well with her voice texture.

The song uses metaphors to talk of themes like melancholy, regret and acceptance, with the title referring to falsehood. Beginning with a piano backdrop, the orchestration builds up to use sweeping effects. While Ahikaa's voice is expressive, production by Felipe Monroy deserves a pat too.

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