Keeping you up-to-date with some of the most compelling music releases in the last month, here is our August music recap!
Find themes of utopia and dystopia, a soul-stirring music release from a Bangalore-based outfit, a gorgeous re-imagined score from sudan, and artists igniting the pathway toward their future projects.
RANJ X CLIFR & STEVIE – ‘Trainwreck’
Hip-hop/pop duo RANJ X CLIFR tow in Chennai-based singer/rapper STEVIE on their latest outing. ‘Trainwreck’ is an R&B single that taps into the disorderly dynamics of a passionate yet unhealthy relationship. Laid over a synth-heavy velvety soundscape, this production is stitched together with RANJ’s snappy vocals pinched with autotune fragments. STEVIE drops in, singing out the latter half of the song.
The artists’ press statement revealed, “‘Trainwreck’ navigates themes of recklessness and indulgence, likening the relationship to a thrilling yet hazardous ride, painting a vivid picture of two individuals caught in a cycle of passion and chaos.” STEVIE and RANJ previously worked together on musician Issamood’s ‘That Way,’ released in 2021.
Cinnamon Cigars – ‘Utopia’
Fresh out of their debut EP titled ‘Gone,’ Nagpur-based singer-songwriter pair Cinnamon Cigars has unwrapped their new release, ‘Utopia.’ The song projects an ideal world scenario or, as the term suggests, circumstances where everything is perfect. Shaped with jangly guitars, mellifluous singing, and lively sonics, ‘Utopia’ carries an upbeat pop rhythm in contrast to its themes of chasing an ideal system amidst the harsh truths of life.
“It is a poignant reflection on the yearning for an idealized life, juxtaposed with the current sense of confusion and exhaustion,” shared Cinnamon Cigars.
Edited by the multi-talented Shubham Kundu, its music video slices through an animated sequence of a phone call between a female character sitting by a window and ‘God’ looking down from the heavens, smoothly transitioning back and forth between the two, all set to strummy guitar notes.
Shashwat Bulusu – ‘Tanashahi’
Singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist Shashwat Bulusu has released ‘Tanashahi,’ the lead track off his upcoming EP called ‘Fitrat.’ Opening with and supported throughout by angelic vocal harmonies, ‘Tanashahi’ delicately uncoils with somber piano arrangements and light percussive patterns.
About this song, the press statement explains, “Shashwat writes of the missteps and the politics found in everyday relationships, not just the romantic but also the political. He talks of compromises that often come from coercion and how they become oppressive when such compromises linger.” Independently releasing music after a while, Shaswat has produced, performed, mixed, and mastered this single at his studio in Baroda.
sudan x Ankur Tewari – ‘can you / hai kyun’
Mumbai-based bassist and producer sudan has reworked his much-loved composition ‘can you,’ wheeling in the artistic prowess of musician Ankur Tewari to offer up a delicious variation of the tune. Opening with the picky work on the acoustic guitar, this rendition – ‘can you / hai kyun’ is ladled with dulcet Hindi vocals courtesy of Ankur Tewari while preserving the original song structure and chorus.
About the song, sudan expressed, “I usually don’t think about language when I’m composing something but as soon as I finished working on ‘can you?’, I could very easily imagine another version of the song in Hindi because of all the classical elements the song has to offer.”
The artist further conveyed, “What I did not know was that I would have the privilege of working with Ankur Tewari, who I’ve looked up to since the start of my musical journey. He wrote his verses over a matter of a few hours and we recorded the song soon after. It might’ve been the easiest collaboration I’ve been a part of honestly. To have worked with him on a very meaningful song off my debut album was definitely a huge full circle moment.”
You May Also Like: An Interview with Ankur Tewari
Zachary Ray ft. Shreya Bhattacharya – ‘Chasing The Sun’
Musician Zachary Ray and vocalist Shreya Bhattacharya have paired up for another collaborative effort in the synth-wave infused number ‘Chasing The Sun.’ Picking up with dastardly electro sways, Zachary’s breezy vocals ensue, layered over a groovy pop beat. Shreya’s effervescent voice ushers the single into a feat-tapping dystopian soundscape.
Its music video angles in behind-the-scenes footage of both artists at work and audio engineer Hersh Desai, who produced the single. About the song, Zachary said, “Working on a song with like-minded creatives is always fun and adds so much to an original idea organically.”
You May Also Like: TFword in Conversation With Zachary Ray and Shreya
Niyati Handa – ‘Shiqayat’
Singer-songwriter Niyati Handa’s music career continues to make waves in the indie scene, now delivering a refined indie-pop/hip-hop single ‘Shiqayat.’ Produced by Joshua Kandy and entangled with assertive R&B style vocals and powerful Hindi lyrics, the music speaks to building a healthy and robust personality no matter what criticism people throw at you.
Niyati voiced, “‘Shiqayat’ talks about how people are always complaining. You will meet many people in life who will try to degrade and change you. But you gotta fight, come out stronger, and not let them affect you.” Niyati also projects her fixation with miming in the music video, seen on multiple yesteryear TV units and wall frames.
You May Also Like: Niyati Handa Talks About First Love on New Deep House Single, ‘Lost In You’
‘Mr. GnG – ‘A Call Away’
Opening with soothing guitar notes and steady bass vibrations, India/Paris-based rock band Mr. GnG pipe out their newest single, ‘A Call Away.’ Penned over a decade ago, this track drops flavors of an old-school rock ballad, driven by lively keys, thumping drums, and gravelly vocals with a coating of tidy synth patterns.
Speckled with Ahmedabad-based guitarist/producer Aatrey Bhatt’s improvised guitar riffs, this release captures the transition of love over time.
Zehen – ‘O Raahi’
Bengaluru-based multilingual fusion group Zehen, founded in 2016 by singer Tanushree Dwivedi and bassist Ashley Joseph, kicked off their journey into recording their original material fairly recently. Coming out swinging and firing on all cylinders, the nine-piece outfit dropped a tearjerker of a debut song in ‘O Raahi,’ exploring a time travel scenario of going back and speaking to a younger version of oneself.
Unfurling with delicate guitar strokes and violin segments, Tanushree’s dulcet singing hooks into each lyric ardently over a melody that’s molded with vibrant keys, nifty drum action, and a creamy guitar solo. “‘O Raahi’ expresses both the angst of a child wishing to be anywhere but here and the calm reassurance from a future where everything turned out just right,” shared the band.
Its music video commences with introductory credits played on a box TV screen (part of a much larger vintage VCR setup), moving to an anime-style bleak black-and-white neighborhood framing shots of a child being visited by a future version of herself – a thriving musician who is depicted in color.
The two then portal to a brighter and more colorful time, arriving at a concert that showcases her future self on stage beside animated figures of each band member performing at a sell-out Colosseum-sized arena. Returning to the past with this knowledge, the child’s surroundings light up and are not so gloomy anymore.
Arrows ft. Vernon Noronha – ‘The Light’
Mumbai-based songwriter David Britto, best known for his Arrows music project, documents his second music release with frequent collaborator Vernon Noronha on his latest single, ‘The Light,’ which also signals the impending arrival of his sophomore EP titled ‘Wilderness.’ ‘The Light’ was written during the woes of the pandemic and sees the pair stitch together a tune about hope and new beginnings.
Sonically, the music lifts off with flowing acoustic guitar parts and poignant work on the keys, accentuated by Vernon’s rich vocal textures. Talking about this release, Arrows said, “‘The Light’ sets the stage for my upcoming EP Wilderness and serves as the ideal lead single. It embodies hope and renewal. Collaborating with Vernon Noronha again after five years was a highlight, as he’s one of my favorite Indian artists and his touch perfectly complements this track.”
Listen to all of these songs and more on TFword’s official playlist –
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