Naren's indie round-up/ May 2026, Ep 1


BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

Amitabh Sen/ Bawarey

Language & genre: Hindi, pop-rock

Label: Self-released 

Rating: *** 1/2

One thing that strikes you about Amitabh Sen's new single 'Bawarey' is the quality of lyrics. The sub-title 'Journey Of The Restless Mind' is am indication of what the song is about.

The opening lines are, "Yahaan wahaan dhoondkey kahaan, kuchh khoke paaya, kuchh paake khoya" and the main words are, "Bawarey o bawarey, tu kyon nahin sukh paaye". It's sung to a pop-rock melody, with a neat guitar solo by Krishna Chauhan and strong harmonies at the end.

The video, by Simply Voyaging, blends studio footage with shots of river banks, religious places and tea gardens. Pretty classy.

Anchit Magee feat. Aditya Shukla/ Kyun

Language & genre: Hindi, soft rock

Label: Self-released

Rating: *** 

Delhi singer-songwriter Anchit Magee writes a song questioning the purpose of life. 'Kyun' impresses with lines like "Khwaab aise dikhaati hai hamein, phir tanha chhod jaati hai hamein, phir itna tarasaati hai hamein, jaane kyon" and "Yeh jeena kyon hai, yeh marna kyon hain, phir yeh saari baatein hoti kyon hai".

Though the words are philosophical, the music is quite lively, with synths, guitars and drums used in a vibrant manner. Producer Aditya Shukla maintains the soft rock feel, focusing on clarity of vocals. Importantly, the song has a thought-provoking, existential element.

Noopoor Khedkar/ Ab Ke Hum Bichade 

Language & genre: Urdu, ghazal

Label: Self-released 

Rating: ***

Singer Noopoor Khedkar does her take of Ahmed Faraz's ghazal 'Ab Ke Hum Bichade', earlier sung by many singers but mostly associated with Mehdi Hassan.

This one has a more contemporary arrangement, with IP Singh and Yash Desai overseeing production. Noopoor has a pleasant voice and this version seems to be more influenced by Iqbal Bano's rendition.

The main lines are "Ab ke hum bichade toh shaayad kabhi khwaabon mein mile, jis tarah sookhe hue phool kitaabon mein mile". However, she presents only one sher after the matla (opening couplet). Wish she had sung more, as the ghazal has some wonderful couplets.

Chaar Diwaari/ Parvana (EP)

Language & genre; Hindi, pop/ hip-hop

Label: Universal

Rating: *** 1/2

Going by the song list, Delhi singer-songwriter and producer Garv Taneja aka Chaar Diwaari's EP Parvana is all about mega-collaborations. With names like Sonu Nigam and Indian Ocean, there's a huge fillip.

But hear the six songs at a stretch, and there's a kind of flow that makes it a concept EP, if such a term exists. From the opening track 'Banda Kaam Ka', featuring south playback singer Sanjith Hegde, to the concluding 'Aashiqana', with Indian Ocean and upcoming star Gini, the songs cover a journey of desire, attraction, rejection and unrequited love. The sound draws from different genres with hip-hop and pop dominating, and the lyrics move from the funny and romantic to doubt-filled and emotional, using 'parvane' (moths) and 'shamma' (flame) as metaphors.

'Banda Kaam Ka' sets the mood with the lines, "Seedha saadha raasta tha, kisi se bhi na raabta tha, na koi fikar na koi tension, main kaise bhatak gaya". Sonu Nigam's singing is expressive on 'Iss Tarah', which talks of when attraction turns to love.

There is no collaboration on 'Tu Kyun Na Mujhe Dekhti?", which questions why love isn't being returned. The rap song 'Shamma Interlude' has interesting lines like, "Tere jaise sundar mujhko bhi banna hai, aaj tere liye mujhe bhi chamakna hai".

Of the collabs, the one with hip-hop duo Seedhe Maut's Encore ABJ on 'Chaand (Tu Jo Dekh Le)' is probably the most natural, with both singers complementing each other perfectly. The song has a cinematic vibe and some smart tempo changes though the ending is cacophonous. Finally, the Dr Sagar-penned 'Aashiqana' tells the story of the 'parvana', emphasising the need to move on ("jashn chalta rahe main tumhara"). Indian Ocean's Rahul Ram is in fine fettle, and Gini gives it a different twist at the end, after a sudden transition. After the ups and downs, the EP ends on a vibrant note.






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