Fresh Indie Fridays #74 

Karshni – “Josephine On The Floor” 

Although Pune singer-songwriter Karshni has been part of collaborations and has even put out her own material over the years, the musician is marking her first official solo release with the melancholic “Josephine On The Floor.” The folksy acoustic-leaning track includes some stellar songwriting and emotive lyrics while Karshni’s impactful vocal delivery stands out amongst delicate percussion work and jangly acoustic guitars. In a statement, the artist said, “‘Josephine on the Floor’ is about revisiting a certain artefact or memory that reminds me of who I am at my very core. At first, this was something childlike, a beautiful naïveté I may have lost, but now the meanings float around ranging from gender to sexuality and how I experience more complex developments in who I have become without being affected by the world around me.” 

Simona Fullinfaw – “Unaesthetic” 

Bengaluru singer-songwriter and producer Simona Fullinfaw’s latest single is a dance-pop track called “Unaesthetic.” With this song, Fullinfaw showcases her silky vocals as well as her ability to deliver quick-fire raps. Sonically, the song features a punchy bass and drum groove that hold the track together as various pop and punk-rock elements add to the experience. Fullinfaw’s unique vocal melody during the chorus stands out for its originality. In a statement, the artist said, “I wrote this song to reassure people that there is nothing wrong with being ugly. What’s wrong is the negative connotation that being ugly means being less smart, less capable, less impressive, less successful, etc. I really wanted to clean that word up and remove all negativity from it.” 

Tarang Joseph, Frizzell D’souza – “Ecstasy” 

Bengaluru musician Tarang Joseph and Mangaluru/Bengaluru artist Frizzell D’souza join forces for the laidback R&B ballad titled “Ecstasy.” The song features poignant keyboard parts as both Joseph and D’souza deliver impeccable vocal performances throughout. Joseph said in a statement, “The song is about that feeling of warmth, and that feeling we have that everything is going to be okay when we’re in love. That sort of trance, almost like intoxication that envelopes you and makes you stop worrying so much about your problems because deep down you feel everything is okay.” 

Radhika, Luv – “A Calendar To Get By” 

Pune-based artists Radhika Mohite and Luv Mahtani have collaborated on the new ukulele-aided song “A Calendar To Get By.” The ukulele strums in it are backed by a moving bass line, strings, piano as well as Mohite’s crisp and bright vocals. In a statement, the artists said, “‘A Calendar To Get By’ explores the process of dealing with heartbreak. Healing often feels lonely, especially when the passage of time is slow. With this song, we come back to October to remind ourselves that there is always hope to embrace, even if we don’t see it right away.” 

Trance Effect – “Blue Sweatshirt” 

Dimapur-based pop-rock band Trance Effect have returned with their quintessential sound on their latest single “Blue Sweatshirt.” The act retain their poppy sound that includes synths, 80s-sounding drums, airy guitar parts and slick vocals. In a statement, the band said, “This song is about this cute couple that met online during the lockdown and their love story. It’s about the couple’s urge to meet each other in the midst of the lockdown.”