Fresh Indie Fridays #80 Featuring Apoorva, Natasha Noorani and Mali
Listen to the latest releases from independent acts
Scroll down to hear new releases on Fresh Indie Fridays by indie artists (from left) Apoorva, Natasha Noorani and Mali. Photos: Courtesy of the artist; Umar Nadeem (Noorani); Rema Chaudhary (Mali)
Natasha Noorani – “Matlabi”
Lahore singer-songwriter Natasha Noorani’s fourth single off her upcoming album RONAQ comes in the shape of the electro-pop track “Matlabi,” co-written by fellow artist Zeerak Ahmed. The song features slick production chops by Talal Qureshi, Noorani’s effervescent vocals that shine throughout as well as crisp melodies. There’s also a chic music video – directed by AR Malik – which has been released to accompany the track. In a statement, Noorani said, “It [“Matlabi”] illustrates the loss of oneself, the period of self-reflection and the journey back to solace. It deals with themes of the burden of generational trauma carried by women and matriarchs.”
Mali – Apple Music Home Session
As part of an Apple Music Home Session, Chennai-bred and Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Maalavika Manoj aka Mali reimagines two of her songs to create bone chilling and piano-aided versions of her tracks “Absolute” and “Mundane,” both off 2021’s full-length debut album Caution to the Wind. The songs are far from the synth-pop heard on Mali’s album and instead offer a more emotional approach wherein her vocals and lyrics take center stage. To close, Mali ‘Rickrolls’ us with a sublime cover of Rick Astley’s 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Apoorva – “Journal”
Two years on since releasing her bouncy and fizz-filled single “Pisces Energy,” Bengaluru singer-songwriter/producer Apoorva is now back with fresh new music via the trap-leaning pop track “Journal,” produced by Lost Hero. Apoorva displays lush and dreamy backup singing which makes for good ear candy while her lead vocals showcase a hint of rapping, droning and melodious moments that sit well on the 90-second track.
