New Music: Pan-India Ambient, Guwahati Electronic Pop, Bengaluru R&B and more

Leftovers EP by Aditi Ramesh

Mumbai-based jazz fusion artist Aditi Ramesh continues her wondrous vocal gymnastics with a nod towards divinity on her second EP Leftovers. The EP found its way to the top spot on the Jazz charts on Apple Music in India, which further solidifies the dexterity of Ramesh and her band’s jazz-meets-Carnatic chops. On the gripping “Origin,” the singer-keyboardist employs wavy jazz to sing about her roots, adapting a Carnatic composition by Muthuswamy Dikshitar, while she tackles mental health with jazz scatting on “Don’t Be Rude.” There’s groovy, slow-built jazz on pet peeves (“Folders”) and a closing meditation on “Outro.”

“Horticulturist” by Your Chin

On his first release in three years, Mumbai producer-vocalist Raxit Tewari aka Your Chin is just as distinctive as ever. The upbeat “Horticulturist” draws from a feelgood synth pattern but as is the case with Your Chin, the vocals are anything but ebullient. There’s dancefloor-friendly hooks but Your Chin is actually taking a dig at jumping the gun and being reactionary.

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“Chal Pada” by Anurag Mishra

To shed light on the idea of “moving on,” Mumbai-based composer and vocalist Anurag Mishra’s debut single traces the feelings of fighting anxiety, depression and mental illnesses to emerge victor. “Chal Pada” gets the swelling, cinematic treatment, with flute, strings and roomy percussive elements set to Mishra’s Hindustani classical vocal harmonies. Part of his upcoming debut album Project SWA, the first song also has a music video which depicts people looking back at their journey of battling mental health issues. Mishra is also crowdfunding to complete his album. Find details here.

Peninsula Volume 1 by Various Artists

Released in June by Indian label Liquid Frequency, the first volume of ambient music in India is compiled by Kolkata producer Varun Desai aka Yidam. About two years in the making, the 10-track compilation brings together the immersive ambient goodness of artists like drill┼mallo, Eashwar Subramanian and Kolkata duo Hybrid Protokol, while throwing light on trippy music produced by artists like Shivacult and Flux Vortex, among others.

Other Words EP by Lateral

The electronic side project of Guwahati’s alt rock/metal band Lucid Recess, the brothers Barooa – Siddharth and Amitabh – show off their soulful electronic pop side with Lateral. Their new EP Other Words bears a melancholic club-ready signature. Songs like “Lost In a Crowded Space” is driven by a swiveling bass-synth line, while “Come To You” and “Money” are hypnotic with a slight nod to synthwave. “What A Way To Know” sees Siddharth lead with a guitar lead as vocalist-bassist Amitabh bemoans lost love.

“Groove Pool” by Tushar Mathur

After churning out bluesy garage rock-informed riffs for Coimbatore/Bengaluru band Rock Paper Scissors, guitarist-producer and vocalist Tushar Mathur turns to wavy, groovy looped melodies on his debut single “Groove Pool.” The accompanying music video shows him taking on all instrumental and vocal duties, getting into the vibe of a layered, laidback R&B/soul song.

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