New Music: Math-Prog, Gentle Tamil Pop, Disco-Funk and More

“Woh” by Rohit Vasudevan Diaries

Inspired by a “mystery woman” that singer-songwriter Rohit Vasudevan met at his gig, “Woh” is an easygoing, swing-informed Hindi song. Vasudevan—joined by his band, the Rohit Vasudevan Diaries—croons about an enigmatic sort of encounter with a woman, and is backed by gentle acoustic rock arrangements as well as cheery saxophone performed by Mahendra Kumar.

“Individual” by That Boy Roby feat. Sutej Singh

Staying true to their strong sense of intrigue, Chandigarh’s experimental rock trio That Boy Roby team up with Solan-based guitarist-composer Sutej Singh for a seven-minute sonic journey called “Individual.” The wordless track puts Singh at the front with his guitar leads for the first half of the song and morphs into a folksy movement, followed by a trippy rock crescendo, finally bowing out in an abstract fashion. The trio’s go-to filmmaker/photographer Himanshu Khagta crafts a music video that matches the chaos and aura of “Individual” with striking frames and locales.

“Hindsight” by Nikhil Ramani and Luke Duckworth

Musicians and roommates from Indianapolis, drummer and producer Luke Duckworth and Chennai-origin singer-songwriter Nikhil Ramani get contemplative on their latest single “Hindsight.” The song follows a string of collaborations as part of their “solo together project” which kicked off in 2020 with songs like “Perspective” and “Lavender Dreams.” Their newest release stays in the mellow pop space, incorporating clever vocal layering and phrases to keep the listener engaged.

“Bhor Taaraa” by Ambarish Nag

Los Angeles/Mumbai singer-songwriter Ambarish Nag (who goes by his first name as an artist) taps into ideas of courage and confidence on his third single “Bhor Taaraa.” The Hindi song digs into rock and blues ballad styles, with Ambarish’s fist-tight guitar work, keys and synth by Sachin Gupta and a rock solid rhythm section featuring drummer Ajitav Choudhury and bassist Harry Mathew. “Bhor Taaraa” gets a stargazing finesse with production by India/Ireland studio Beyond Myths.

“Naan Inge” by Ashwin Vinayagmoorthy

Chennai-based producer-singer and composer Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy keeps things swift, dramatic and precise on his Tamil song “Naan Inge.” Described by the artist as “a moody, atmospheric record that tries to capture the feeling of being inside the head of a person in pursuit of something,” Vinayagamoorthy taps into a sense of ambiguity but replies with surety, proclaiming his promise to stay rooted even when everything else might be fleeting.

“Jail Break” by Baidurjya Banerjee

Part of bands such as Attva, Since105 and the Maahaa Project, guitarist-composer Baidurjya Banerjee has a lot more projects up his sleeve. His solo project is the vehicle for some seriously funky and disco-informed songwriting, as heard on his debut single “Jail Break.” Coming across as an appropriately escapist song, positioned to be an anthem for after-office hours, the trippy track features producer Shashank Alamuru. Together, the artists add a whole lot of dancefloor-ready grooves.

“Haiya Ho” by The Tapi Project

Drawing from the pastoral work of fishing communities in Kerala, Surat-bred folk-fusion act The Tapi Project create a raw and powerful new tune “Haiya Ho.” Vocalist Swati Minaxi roars with gleeful intent, while there are sing-along hooks at the center of the song. Anchored in guitarist-composer Yogi Saniawala’s agile, folksy melodies, the music video directed by Rohit Manjrekar brings to life their connection to rural India and the stories that grow from there.

“Noor-Kasauli” by Amartya Bobo Rahut

Enamored by the sights, sounds and people of the popular hill station Kasauli, singer-composer Amartya Bobo Rahut brings out his ukulele in “Noor-Kasauli.” With a music video (conceived by Diptarka Bose) that feels like a cheery travelogue of the town, Rahut pays homage with the flourish of a travel song that also doubles as a love letter to everyone who loves the hills and mountains. The upbeat song follows Rahut’s previous experimental track “Thikana” and singles like “Kaisi Ho?”

“SOS” by Manchild

Kochi-based singer-songwriter Sachin Rajeev aka Manchild (also part of prog rock band Chidakasha) blends the worlds of Indian classical, Carnatic and electronic pop on his new single “SOS,” produced by Best Asok. Flittering between vocal styles that recall soul, Carnatic and Hindustani classical, Manchild and Asok also sprinkle sitar going over chopped up beats and synth lines, as they sing about hope, persistence and reassurance.

“Supernatural Footsteps” by Allmighty Gecko

Three-member instrumental act Allmighty Gecko—comprising guitarists Subhajit Chatterjee and Tathagata Majumdar and drummer Deborshi Purkayastha—conjure dissonant, blistering and totally fun-filled prog metal with their debut single “Supernatural Footsteps.” Although intended to be a demo, there’s plenty of shine and promise in the trio’s near-unpredictable progressions, seemingly drawing from artists such as Animals As Leaders, Car Bomb and more.