Singles Roundup #4: Diversify your playlist with these latest tracks

Astaaq Ahmed aka The Earflower Experiment is a multi-instrumentalist and producer hailing from Gurgaon. His latest single Emerge is a metaphor between a person who is stuck in a toxic relationship and getting lost in the ocean and finally getting out. The laid-back guitar tunes are used to weave and narrate a story in the song in which the ocean is used to represent the relationship, where how swimming to the shore and not drowning symbolises getting out of the relationship and the only way to emerge victoriously is by discovering yourself again.

ZNA is an Indian singer-producer duo of Zaid Qureshi and Abraar Khan Warah. They have recently released their latest single Hey. They describe their music as electronic-pop with smooth catchy vocals paired with hard-hitting synths and groovy drops. Their latest track takes you on a journey through modern relationships with its slick transitions, melodic beats, and catchy relatable lyrics. It delves into contemporary pop with a house-infused grove, perfect for the dance-floor as well as casual listening.

Nishant Nagar who goes by the monicker Khwaab is a Mumbai-based producer and singer-songwriter who infuses meaningful Hindi lyrics based on his daily thoughts, struggles of his personal and professional life, which make his songs relatable. He then pairs it with experimental electronic music. Chaar Raste, the debut track talks about anxious moments in our day to day life and how incidents from the past leave scars behind and bring uncertainties in the future.

Barun Sinha, a Delhi-based producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer who came up with his latest single Project #6. The track also features other skilled musicians such as Kanu Gangahar of ‘The Revisit Project’ on lead guitar, Jubal Pradhan, an award winner on classical guitar, and Aadya Jaswal on vocals and as a co-songwriter as well. The guitar tunes almost create a soothing, mellow vibe and the track is further enhanced by Jaswal’s vocals, adding an R&B vibe to it.

Shaurya Bhatia, also known as MC SNUB is a New Delhi-based independent hip-hop artist, rapper, and music producer. His latest single Manifest is based on the law of attraction and is about making your wishes come true with hard work and faith. The track mixes old school and new school elements together with confident punchlines, distorted and reverberated vocals, old school beats and rapping style, along with a slight R&B vibe and relatable lyrics.

One of South Asia’s most celebrated R&B, pop and fusion artists-  Raghav, is back with a brand new track – “Sufi”. This new song by the Indo-Canadian singer is supported by Artist Originals (AO), JioSaavn’s hit-breaking label for global South Asian artists. Born in Toronto, Canada, Raghav stormed the music industry in the 2000s with popular hits like “Can’t Get Enough” and “Angel Eyes”. In 2018, Raghav created waves in the music industry with his pop ballad, “Maayera”. His latest single “Sufi” is an ode to unconditional love. The lyrics of “Sufi” evoke the need for an emotion that is above and beyond the rituals of material give and take. Sufi, intends to urge everyone to search for a love that transcends worldly existence.

Shivam Rawal, a bi-lingual rapper from Delhi and Bharg Kale, a singer-songwriter, music producer and sound engineer from Delhi came together for their debut single Bachale. It is a fun bouncy track with easy flowing lyrics. While most rap tracks talk about splurging money, they talk about saving it and how saving your money is not only smart but also cool. The cover art is also a quirky graphic illustration of Rawal and Bharg with a one-rupee coin.

Angad Katari, a Delhi based singer-songwriter who now runs an artist retreat in the hills of Uttarakhand, recently released his single Days which will also be part of his album releasing soon. Days is a song written by Katari after he lost his dog, Rosie, to a leopard in the hills. His song is soulful, mellow, and yet melancholic as it perfectly captures his sad emotions and his loss. The cover art is also simple, the embroidery of his dog watching a sunset in the hills.

Mumbai based musician Piyush Kapoor, who is also the vocalist for Hindi rock band Daira, in collaboration with Pratika Prabhune, a vocalist, composer, host and actor from Mumbai released a new single To The High. The track is an amalgamation of the artists’ varied influences over the years and has elements of electronica, dance, and pop. While everyone remains indoors during these times, the song aims to try to cherish one of life’s greatest gifts to earth- The Sun and how we all miss the vast outdoors.

VelvetMeetsATimeTraveller (VMATT) is a post-rock and experimental ambient rock band hailing from Kolkata who have released their debut single Kaafila from their upcoming EP Handmade Illusions. They aim to spread their music and the genre of post-rock to highlight certain social issues prevalent in our society. Kaafila talks about social detachment and how it affects a person’s mental health by weaving a story around the song of escaping reality.

Akash Chopra is a Jaipur based singer-songwriter who recently came up with his debut single Peace. The soft guitar plucking perfectly compliments Chopra’s breezy and soothing vocals, giving it a very acoustic folk vibe.

Mumbai based Ashish Lakhani who goes by the monicker Sixth Ocean recently released his latest single Swerve. He describes his sound as melodic sound/techno and that can be seen in his latest track as well. The deeply melodic and groovy beats of Swerve create an aura which can help you transcend the worries of past and future and get lost in its soulful techno beats. Ashish aims to create timeless pieces of music that one can truly relate to on a deep soulful level.

Delhi based rap outfit Full Power released their latest single Blame featuring Shillong based rapper Banjop on the vocals. The new single Blame gives the Indian middles class rage a new sound. Produced by Lambo Drive, Yungsta, and Asura, this track has been worked in a way that the arrangement is not a usual structure of a rap song but instead it sounds more like a musical piece with rap verses in between. Yungsta and Frappe have been extremely vocal about the everyday struggles of the middle class, political scenario, and the growing effect of corporations in the music industry.

New Delhi Cartel is a Delhi based emcee crew who came up their debut single Dilli. This bi-lingual hip-hop and rap track in Hindi and English spice ups the current hip-hop scene with their honest lyrics about the capital of the country. The dramatic music enhances the lyrics and makes it stand apart from a few usual hip-hop tracks which have been out.