Fresh Indie Fridays #69

Rolland – “a song for someone you’ve lost”

Andaman and Nicobar Islands-bred and Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter Rolland’s latest single is the calming acoustic-pop number “a song for someone you’ve lost.” The track includes melancholic guitar strums, a polished production touch, an eerie guitar solo, Rolland’s quaint vocals and more. In a statement, the musician said, “I believe that everyone has lost someone at some point in their lives, and that feeling may be one of the worst that anyone can go through. I wrote it for a childhood friend I lost in 2017, so this is the most vulnerable I’ve ever gotten with my songs.”

Pesty Pupil – Days I Don’t Forget You

New Delhi-bred and Berlin-based artist Rohan Singh aka Pesty Pupil juxtaposes hip-hop and jazz quite well along with LoFi, R&B, electronica and pop on his latest eight-track EP Days I Don’t Forget You. He said in a statement, “The message I intend to convey with this project is to take a nonlinear outlook on life. Events of the past can still affect us today and events in the future can recontextualize and change our past. This leaves only our present in our control and deserving of our attention.”

 ruhdabeh, Tanay Parulekar – about hue

Mumbai artists, singer-songwriter ruhdabeh and producer Tanay Parulekar joined forces on the recently released six-track EP about hue. The modern jazz meets soul record includes some profound songwriting, quirky and clever lyrics, eclectic sonic elements within the EP’s production as well as hauntingly beautiful vocals throughout and a rap section on the uptempo “red (like an apple).” In a statement, ruhdabeh said, “As genre-fluid musicians, this EP highlights several aspects of who Tanay and I are as musicians and the styles we like to explore. Collaborating with Tanay on this EP has been the best decision I could have made. Bringing my songwriting, his production and our compositional expertise together has helped transform this EP from just an idea into a fully refined finished product.”

Naheed, Shriram Iyer – “Kya Pata”

After learning music online with Bollywood playback singer Shriram Iyer, New York-based vocalist Naheed Anjum – who goes by her first name and is a doctor by profession – is now out with her debut single in the shape of the calming ballad “Kya Pata.” Naheed worked on the track with Iyer (who composed it) and the song features delicate acoustic guitar parts, light percussion work and Naheed’s effervescent vocals. A statement said, “’Kya Pata’ is a breezy romantic song about a girl who is confused in love.”