Fresh Indie Fridays #60 

Rono – “Lost & Lonely” 

Back in February 2021, Mumbai singer-songwriter Rono released a two-track acoustic EP entitled Postcards. One of the songs off that record – “Lost & Lonely” – has now been given new life with lush production, ambient soundscapes and melancholic vocals. The track also comes with a music video that features the singer-songwriter and his friends dancing in a silly manner around their living rooms. In a statement, Rono said, “’Lost & Lonely’ is the classic lockdown song, written at the height of the pandemic, and recorded almost completely at home.” 

Shikhar – Moonbrain 

Bhopal-bred singer-songwriter Shikhar Chaudhary – who goes by his first name – just released his debut four-track EP Moonbrain. The artist initially teased the record this past May with the breezy title track and followed it up with the ballad “Easily.” Other songs that make up the pop-rock EP include the gripping “Sink” and the verdant “Hindsight.” In a statement, Shikhar said, “[The EP] is about spending a lifetime inside your head and dealing with troubles that come with existing that way.” 

Abhinav Saxena – Other Side of Light 

Classical guitarist, composer and producer Abhinav Saxena recently dropped his new four-track guitar-driven ambient EP called Other Side of Light. The record features Saxena’s rock and jazz influences as well as electronic soundscapes, and also feeds into his love for practicing yoga with calming moments across the EP. He said in a statement, “In this EP, I have used a lot of electronic ideas in my production. I find the hypnotic nature of electronic music to be very interesting and have tried to adapt such elements, both in my production and live guitar play, with the intent of producing an introspective story to connect with my audiences.” 

Swarupa Ananth – Recomeçar 

Indian percussionist, tabla player and producer Swarupa Ananth blends the sounds of the East and the West perfectly on her six-track debut solo record Recomeçar. The songs on it include slick grooves, mystifying electronic sonic elements as well as punchy production throughout. In a statement, the artist said, “This album is an amalgamation of my influences over the years and many personal expressions, and in a way portrays the many roles played by a woman in her everyday life. Upbeat, chill, quirky, playful, joyous, peaceful, rush, adrenaline, relaxed, centered – me and my music are all of these shades and Recomeçar is the canvas. To women – mother, artist, spouse, friend, creator, resolver, educator, daughter, observer, giver, lover – be what you want to be.” 

Mohit Mukhi – “Find You There” 

A year on since releasing his four-track EP Who’s Sizing Me Up, Mumbai singer-songwriter Mohit Mukhi is back with his latest offering, the assertive “Find You There.” The singer-songwriter retains his melancholic sound but also amps things up with a juicy guitar solo that takes over for the latter half of the song and builds with background vocals and drums before returning to the song’s acoustic refrain. Mukhi said in a statement, “’Find You There’ is an ode to love, loss and longing.” 

BeBhumika, Soham Mukherji – “gone” 

Bengaluru singer Bhumika Raman aka BeBhumika and Mumbai producer Soham Mukherji (from hip-hop collective Citimall) recently teamed up on the R&B-infused pop track “gone.” Mukherji’s glossy production juxtaposed with BeBhumika’s beautifully laced vocals and delivery make the song quite bop. In a statement, BeBhumika said, “The song is an emotional, meaningful pop track about how the love in a relationship has simmered away. Soham and I have worked on many tracks together online, but this was the first one that we made together face-to-face, post-pandemic. He played me the beat and I could instantly hear the entire song from start to finish. We finished writing, tracking and producing it all in the same day.”