#ReviewRundown: May 2022

Zyakuni in My Backyard – Zyakuni in My Backyard EP

★★★

Among the newer indie rock artists on the block, Zyakuni in My Backyard are soul-searching while throwing the spotlight on their eponymous debut EP. Informed by pop as well as rock, the band ends up crafting a heartfelt and diverse listening experience across five tracks. There’s warmth and glee that illuminates the sing-along love song “Parking Lot,” while “Missing Bridge” feels like a late-night musing that packs a punch. “2 Glow: Fade” is the EP’s slowburn, intimate jam, where Zyakuni in My Backyard channel a bit of R&B. Vocalist-songwriters Anushka Datta and Shraddha Jennifer Singh have an evident rapport on the mystique-heavy, anthemic rock song “Eliza’s Cure,” and “Storm” really brings the six-piece band together in epic style – the swirling keys and sprightly guitar melodies, and the way the song journeys, make Zyakuni in My Backyard a wholesome, powerful band.

EZ Riser – The Slacktivist EP

★★★½

It’s about to become a decade since Mumbai DJ-producer (and founder of booking and events agency KRUNK) Sohail Arora launched his project EZ Riser. Back in 2012, India saw all kinds of boundary-pushing electronic music come to the forefront. Now, with his EP The Slacktivist, EZ Riser retains that edge with jungle and drum & bass tunes. It’s one thing to lead a dance floor on any given night, but Arora’s definitely distilled that into the six tracks on The Slacktivist. Special seismic cuts include “Solar Dub Power” and “Jigsaw Bump.” He invites intrigue with the voice samples on “Late Bloomer,” aims for something more emotive on “Renegade” and stirs things up with “The Revolution Song,” aptly grandiose and ready for the clubs.

$arthak – Bombay Mafia

★★★

Sarthak Pattnaik aka $arthak’s full-length album Bombay Mafia stands at a laborious 52-minute running time. It’s an ambitious project from the relatively fresh-faced yet prolific hip-hop artist, who’s part of a strong-minded wave of rappers looking to approach an album with the finesse of their idols, both Indian and international, which in $arthak’s case include Seedhe Maut and Kendrick Lamar. Playing out with a bit of courtroom drama skits and the like, his strength is often in his collaborations, belting out epic tracks like “Killing My Demons” with The Siege, 2Facebleed, Mark Bhatia and Archit; an emotive ballad like “Tu Humnava” with Mumbai artist Electrona and singer Smrutika; and “Meherbani” with New Delhi artist BIAS. There’s plenty of angry bangers attempted along the way but it doesn’t command attention consistently. It’s not directionless rage, but the elements all seem standard fare at times. Bombay Mafia might not be the definitive hip-hop release that $arthak lays out, but given his run, there’s going to be plenty more chances to get it right.

Sonny Singh – Chardi Kala

★★★½

Stories of devotion, revolution and celebration come to the forefront on New York-bred trumpeter, composer and singer Sonny Singh’s solo album Chardi Kala. Turns out, when he’s not starting parties with desi fusion group Red Baraat in the U.S., there’s plenty more Singh has to say. “Aise Preet” and “Chardi Kala” are resplendent in their heartwarming renditions of Punjabi and Sikh traditional music, while “Ghadar Machao” raises the volume with a bit of Spanish thrown in. Produced by Wil-Dog Abers, there’s not only an unmistakable funky hip-hop-meets-big-band flavor (“Turiya Turiya Ja,” “Mitar Pyare Nu” and “Koi Bol Ram”) but also soulful cinematic cuts like “Duniya” and a charming twist on “Sajana Tere Bina.” The Red Baraat side eventually shows up on songs like the menacing  “Rebel,” but this album sees Singh at his most-focused, grandiose best.

Dokodoko – Demodemo EP

★★★½

“Have you been feeling out of sync?” ask Sikkim vocalist Dr. Kritika and Siliguri producer-vocalist Debo Sanyal on the seemingly industrial/synth pop song “Out of Sync,” the opener to Dokodoko’s debut EP Demodemo. Short and punchy, Demodemo shows the exact potential of a duo just getting started. “Where I Am” runs a hip-hop/trap beat for confused feelings, while “Waking Up” is shimmering dance-pop with jaded lyrics about, well, waking up. Dokodoko send out a snippet of a song idea on the 31-second “Heart” as a prelude to “Heartheart,” which crosses Daft Punk with classic Eighties elements, going over a dystopian, deranged tale of love. Demodemo is likely just a glimmer of Dokodoko’s full potential and vision as artists (like any demo would be), so we’re going to keep a keen ear out for what’s next.

Sputn!k – Orion EP

 ★★★

It seems like drum & bass has had a fruitful few months in India, especially with studio releases. Mumbai-based Shannon George aka Sputn!k’s new EP Orion launches itself from zero to 100 in no time, diving right into the chaos with the opening title track. George – a guitarist in the rock and fusion circuit in what could be called another lifetime – builds up chaos on “Reichstag,” which seemingly matches the intensity of a lot of metal. Except, there are triumphant horn sections at times. “General Ludd” (which takes its name and features a dialog sample from an episode of T.V. series The Blacklist) zips at lightspeed, the synth slicing through the beats in futuristic fashion. Orion is a high-energy EP that does well to hone in on topsy-turvy electronic music, one that’s raw and relentless.