#ReviewRundown: August 2023

Doctor Lincoln – Will See You Now

★★★½

There’s an unmistakable spark heard in U.S.-based Indian physician-turned-musician Doctor Lincoln aka Lincoln Samuel’s second album Will See You Now. There’s a vibrant opener that’s aptly titled “Start Over,” while there’s more soulful guitar leads on “Don’t Let Go.” He has a cryptic way with metaphors and allegories on “Musth” and a slower ballad offered up with “Wallflower.” If there was plenty of diversity in the first half of the album, Doctor Lincoln doubles down on shimmering synth alternative and pop rock hues for “Our Lucky Stars” and the anthem-like “Sing!” while “Get Burned” has a touch of grandiosity. There’s no doubt a dependency on hooks all the way through, which doesn’t really much room for experimentation, until we hear “AVNGR” with its adventure-like narrative. Barring that penultimate track, however, Will See You Now is pretty much for anyone who loves cheery rock riffs and hooks.        

Firaaq – Taish EP

★★★½

Kolkata producer Firaaq traverses themes of love, betrayal and self-discovery over electronic-fusion on his new EP Taish. With a spoken word poetry portion from Punjabi artist Roop Ghuman ushering listeners in to the EP on “Noor,” Firaaq takes a refreshing approach to the Indian classical-informed electronic music space that’s been steadily populated by several DJ-producers. The producer leans on the powerful vocals of Juina Banerjee to open “Piya,” co-produced with Shubhayan Dey. The sense of rhythm is intensely entrenched, with Banerjee’s vocals becoming haunting as the song progresses. It makes the extended mix even more hypnotic with its six-and-a-half-minute runtime. Banerjee and Dey make their contributions on “Savera” as well, which starts out similarly in structure, but infuses shimmering melodies. It’s a short but punchy EP that makes Firaaq yet another rising name in electronic music.

Eashwar Subramanian – Ambient Slience

★★★½

A reliable originator of ambient music in India at this point, Bengaluru-based producer Eashwar Subramanian’s new EP Ambient Silence is yet another testament to the artist’s craft for calm. Tracks like “Paradiso” ease the listener into his world, while “Sargam” goes into the cinematic fusion space, with an ethereal vocal line. Elsewhere, “Lotus Feet” builds steadily and easily with percussive elements, while “Portal to the Heavens” is almost futuristic in its premise, and “Adrift in the Clouds” might just be Subramanian’s liveliest track, reaching into the New Age zone. Ambient Silences is more than just ambient music, marking a growth in the artist’s sonic palette.

Darkrypt – As Fate Draws Near

★★★½

Mumbai death metallers Darkrypt add omen, sci-fi and experimentalism to their bludgeoning sound on their second album As Fate Draws Near. With Rishabh Ravi and Mihir Gaikwad at the helm of all things gruesome, menacing, the nine-track album makes no pretenses of typical death metal. “Welcome to Rapture” is at times otherworldly, while the title track shows just how grandiose Darkrypt can get. “The Sculptor of Flesh” ramps up searing guitar leads and rattling riffs, and “Corridor of Torment” is just as blistering. In taking more instrumental portions, there’s some sense of predictability that dots the songwriting, but Darkrypt keep us guessing with epic-length songs that never take the foot off the pedal. Songs like “The Cabal” and “The Illusionary Mind” keep things incisive and “Shackled” closes out in hair-raising fashion with a guitar solo.

Jatin Sharma – Matsya Nyaya

★★★

Lucknow-based singer-songwriter Jatin Sharma’s debut album Matsya Nyaya (translated to mean “The law of fish”) is populated with an impressive number of producers like Vishal J. Singh, Takar Nabam, Navneet R. Singh and Mohit Goyal. The result is a wide-ranging emphatic rock record with just a little bit of metal in the mix for Sharma’s introspective, philosophizing Hindi songs. The strongest cuts are “Waswasa,” produced by the multi-instrumentalist Vishal J. Singh which has wide-ranging appeal for all fans of heavy music. “Nazar Andaaz” has a more socio-politically charged message, where Sharma’s urgency comes through with most clarity. “Dastaan” is a slightly odd cut in terms of the full album, but early cuts like “Kaash” (produced by Nabam) has a quintessential Hindi rock edge reminiscent of bands like Daira, and “Atee” has just a smidge of punk rock energy to tide it through. Sharma blazes a path to rock glory on “Abb Jaago Tum,” a prior release that appears as a bonus track on Matsya Nyaya.

Suraj Mani – Oceania 1984

★★★½

Inspired by the literary classic 1984 by George Orwell, dystopia, fear, love and freedom are among the chief concerns of troubadour Suraj Mani on his new album Oceania 1984. He packages it in his own singer-songwriter manner across 10 tracks on the acoustic rock album. There are lessons for the present, as he notes on “Jericho,” while his high-pitched cadence drives the poetry amid flittering fretwork on “Party For Warriors.” There’s melancholy (“Could It Be…?”), boldness (“The Media Pimp,” “Satyagraha,” “Big Brother Knows”) and more stories told with a flair that only Mani has perfected over the decades, be it with rock favorites Motherjane or in his solo material. “You Are Unlike Your Mother’s Son” is a perfect example, punctuated by Mani’s vocal wails, while “I Gamble On” ends on an allegorical note (with a hint of reggae-like vocal delivery), making Oceania 1984 a meditation on everything from monarchs to media.