Fantastic five soul-humming Indian releases

There is a whole universe out there filled with lot of music by independent artists. We browse through tons of playlists to give you a curated list of the best Indian releases in the indie music genre. You’ll love them.

When you’re feeling blue under the weekdays’ worries and to-do list pops your eyeballs out, here are a few new tunes to hum and dance away the blues. We feature here some folksy, rock releases that are sure to catch you off guard with their unique styles and songwriting abilities. Check ‘em out.

Random Gyan

EP: Just Some (2018)

Each of Random Gyan’s songs appeals to some new demographic and categorizing them into narrow genres just seem impossible. With two vocalists, a violinist, a jazz drummer, a guitarist and bassist, this Ahmedabad band really takes time in exploring the full spectrum of its abilities. Even in the middle of its jazzy, lyric-heavy Bills, its funky, instrumental solos, saxophone and bass take turns to woo listeners with their soothing improvising. Even if you listen to ‘Intergalactic Lights’, sitting in your boring cubicle, you’ll be sure to be transported to the comforting anti-gravity of outer space. These four diverse songs will leave you wanting for more.

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Second Sight

EP: The Violet Hour (2018)

Second Sight is a band based in Bombay with lots of different styles under its belt, but this EP brings its usually rocking aura to a more folksy hemisphere. Though there are only four songs, it feels like a good long day on the beach with your high school sweetheart. They have said that their inspirations are the Civil Wars and Hiatus Kaiyote, an unlikely combination, and somehow this is a perfect mix of both. ‘Blood’, the second track, features bare vocal harmonies and a sparing string section that comes across hauntingly beautiful. Be sure to listen until the last song which features a raw, intimately read poem with equally evocative music.

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Tejas

Album: Make It Happen (2017)

The bright and in-your-face vocals and instrumentation will bring you up on your feet on those slumpy Wednesday nights. His percussive lyrics and general dance ability give some serious Justin Timberlake vibes.‘Kindness’ stands out, catching you off-guard with an innocent intro on jazz organ, and then suddenly launching into intense electric guitar and angsty vocals that is reminiscent of the 70s impassioned pop-musical era with leather jackets and slicked back hair. Some of his popular tunes like ‘You Want’ and ‘Wine’ are paired with lovely bared down songs like ‘Foresight’, ‘Slow Me Down’, and ‘Maybe We’re Not Enough’. Immerse in this fulfilling, diverse 10-song album!

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Aditi Ramesh

EP: Autocorrect (2018)

This Bombay lawyer-turned singer and songwriter has been playing shows with her band – the Aditi Ramesh Ensemble and Ladies Compartment. Her music-making is a new creation that combines jazz and Carnatic improvisation. This EP, though it doesn’t want to, challenges the bounds of fusion and makes it a household name. From the beginning track, ‘Efflux of Time’ – a melody seated on a bed of honey-coated vocal harmonies, Ramesh makes a statement. ‘Marriageable Age’ is a song that warrants a few listens for its sheer creativity, going from a sanctimonious tanpura drone to a fun bilingual rap. Her bluesy piano-soloing touches the soul and the groovy tracks, and fun lyrics will be sure to have you nodding your head and snapping your fingers in no time.

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Peter Cat Recording Co (PCRC)

Album: Portrait of a Time: 2010-2016 (2018)

This is not an album as much as a legacy. PCRC has been at the forefront of the contemporary music scene in India since their 2009 beginning in Delhi, and this is a gift to their cult following: a collection of nine songs they have released over the years. Their tracks are sample-heavy, with lots of rain, ocean, conversation, peppering their songs. ‘Bebe De Vyah’ is a new take on the traditional wedding song, featuring either a shehnai-like motif on trumpet or a trumpet-like motif on shehnai with reticent jazz brushes and ambient chords with layers that keep adding up. The eponymous – ‘Portrait of Time’ – is a piece that features fanfare, vintage vocals reminiscent of Elvis and lyrics that catch you off guard like ‘the stars and all the gravy/they’re burning out/and now they’re through’. Peter Cat Recording Company has not released anything new recently. With its members branching out on their own musical projects, this is an endearing album that tells a rocky but captivating story of the band’s history.

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