New Music: From Folksy Blues to Multihued Hip-Hop and more

“Confession” by Alisha Batth

Off her new EP Prologue which released in October, singer-songwriter Alisha Batth shares a glimpse of her haunting new sound on “Confession.” The opening track to the EP, which leads with a sparse guitar line that eventually scales up, is centered around Batth’s warm and emotive lyrics about grace and relationships. In the video shot by London-based filmmaker-photographer Shiori Akiba, Batth looks her vulnerable best, if that’s a thing.

“Chalega” by Trap Poju

23-year-old rapper Vineet Nair aka Trap Poju has been at it since he was 14, releasing his debut album Greatness in 2015, and he’s going from strength to strength on his new song “Chalega.” Part of his upcoming album Kala Pani, Trap Poju throws down about the attitude that runs in India’s vein ”“ about letting things slide whether it comes to passing exams or getting paid for gigs. In addition to the bass-heavy shimmering beats by producer HHB, the real winner is the VFX and mind-bending editing from Mumbai film and design collective Hut Nation.

Introversion 1.0 by Aptebhau

It’s been a while since Bengaluru-bred rock band Space Behind the Yellow Room called time, but everyone in the band has been up to something on the music front. Guitarist Nihar Apte, now based in New Delhi, has released his debut album Introversion 1.0 after months of releasing songs. Collaborating with Space bandmate Shoumik Biswas aka Disco Puppet, Aptebhau dives into synthpop, indie rock and electronic music that recalls the likes of Depeche Mode and more; a solid robotic beat, wistful vocals, swelling synth parts and the occasional guitar part that make for a catchy listen through seven tracks.

“ABCD” by Sasi the Don ft. Anuradha Sriram

Malaysian-Tamil artist Sasi the Don has been a veteran in the Asian reggae and dancehall circuit, with his hip-hop and electronic blend. The latest enlists seasoned film and Carnatic music singer Anuradha Sriram for the Tamil dancefloor friendly track “ABCD.” On the track that features English and Tamil verses over a familiar electronic/Tamil folk-style euphoric beat, Sasi the Don and Anuradha celebrate the advantages of a simple life and happy existence.

“City Beat” by Sooraj

Mumbai-bred, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Sooraj pens an ode to the city of Mumbai that is exactly the kind you would expect from him. After releasing his single “Nemesis” in 2017, there’s a laidback simplicity that is central to Sooraj’s songwriting on “City Beat,” which has already gained over 100,000 hits. The video, featuring crowdsourced footage from the city’s streets, sights and sounds, is spliced with footage of Sooraj performing the saccharine track about calling Mumbai home.