This is the first time I’m hearing Panther and upon listening to ‘shehro ke safed sadkon pe sehroon ke sangeen safar’ it was clear to me that the artist isn’t trying to portray himself as something he isn’t. Hip-Hop is obsessed with the ‘Hard’ persona and while his music does delve into his come-up and struggles it does it in a more loveable manner. His music is part of the newer wave of Indian Hip Hop that is more concerned with being transparent with emotions and showcasing vulnerabilities instead of a hard shell.
The opening track ‘amar’ is a cheesy come up track with a corny Panther at the mic. He makes it known immediately that he is shameless, in a sense, as he very confidently puts on the veil of autotune. I think Panther is very aware of how he sounds especially when he compares himself to Michael Jackson. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but his opening track also feels slightly sarcastic. The production is good and I’m glad that the flute line was replaced by a synth, moving away from the recognisable and overused sonor of the former. The writing, once you pay attention is also good, a trait that is slowly becoming a regular occurrence in the scene. Once you, as the listener start peeling back the layers you begin to see his vision, lyrically.
Things start looking up from the second track, where Panthers leans into being a more traditional rapper. Reminding us that he is not originally from the big city and that his worldview and approach to dealing with conflicts and troubles are different from city folk. Something that gives him strength as opposed to being stereotyped. The structure of the song is more orthodox and even the production lends itself more to Panther’s hard persona. It’s here that I first appreciated panther’s lyricism and delivery. In terms of production this song is a little more bare than the others and that gave me a chance to actually listen to what he’s saying. To be fair he isn’t delivering mega punchlines but his style and ability to craft a story are really good. He isn’t trying to come across as a “hard” rapper.
This is particularly exemplified in the next track ‘rehna nahi si’. Dawned by smooth pads and a dance-y two step beat, the song is centred around a very beautiful hook sung by Rish. Easily my favourite tune on the EP, it showcases a side to Panther that could easily be missed. The vocal production of both Panther and Rish are much more refined. i would’ve loved for it to be longer but still manages to satisfy my hunger for hooks. The verse by panther is condensed, yes, but his delivery is clear. A very balanced track that is carried by all the elements of the track. With ‘rocket’ we really begin to see that the second half of the EP is a lot more fleshed out. Everything from the choice of beat to the vocal production aligns much better with the style of the artist. The writing is wittier and his delivery is not trying hard to impress. All of this works to his advantage as it highlights a maturity and nuance that was definitely lacking in the first two tracks. Panther’s storytelling is more structured and his ambition begins to shine through instead of him having to constantly force it to the forefront of the track.
The EP finishes strong with ‘kaafi’. One of the more easygoing tunes of the bunch, the track works as a great palette cleanser. The production is refreshing featuring a nice jazzy opening to the second verse. Panther’s verse isn’t surprising anymore as he’s established how fluent he is as a story teller.. Rishi Roy with his guest appearance takes the song a notch higher with a really meaningful melodic contribution. His voice stands out as expressive and fearless, capturing the emotional direction of the song very well. Drawing a comparison to the EP opener I do see some similarities stylistically, but this track is easily more evolved. Overall the EP observes a growth with each track and Panther’s presence gets more chiselled.
I will say that this EP requires the listener to delve into it a couple of times beofre it makes a an impression on you. I’d personally attribute it to the fact that this space of music has become over populated and that nothing really stands out instantly unless it completely rewires what we think of Hip-Hop as a genre. But having said that there are some good songs here and I urge listeners to give it time to grow on them before passing any judgement. There is obviously scope for improvement as is with any record but Panther’s vision comes through at the end. Looking forward to more.
Listen to ‘shehro ke safed sadkon pe sehroon ke sangeen safar’ on Spotify and Apple Music
