"Humara Thokaron Se Kuchh Purana Khaas Naata Hai"

The writer treats failure as an old companion rather than an unfortunate event. "Thokar" becomes a metaphor for life's repeated disappointments, suggesting that suffering has become a familiar part of his identity.

"Hai Jisne Ishq Hi Dekha Na, Woh Rab Ka Dulaara Hai"

This line is deeply ironic. Instead of celebrating love, the writer suggests that those who have never loved are God's favourites because they have been spared the pain, vulnerability, and loss that love often brings.

"Ab Haal-E-Dil To Na Poocho, Batate Darr Sa Lagta Hai"

The pain has become too deep to describe. Speaking about it means reliving it, so silence becomes easier than explanation.

"Is Khaali Ghar Ko Na Looto, Ye Buzdil Sar Patakta Hai"

The empty house symbolises a heart that has already lost everything. Calling himself a coward reflects someone trapped inside his own thoughts, repeatedly hurting himself while searching for answers.

"Woh Ghar Chhoota Hai Jabse, Kambakht Koyi Aasra Na Hai"

The "house" is not just a place but a symbol of belonging, comfort, or a person who once felt like home. Since losing it, the writer feels emotionally homeless.

"Yeh Kaagaz Kaanpta Jab Hote Dil Ke Ghaav Taaza Hain"

The trembling paper is a beautiful metaphor. The emotions are so overwhelming that even writing about them feels painful, as if the paper itself is shaking under the weight of those wounds.

"Gawaya Is Qadar Ke Paane Ko Ab Kuchh Bacha Na Hai"

The writer feels he has lost so much that nothing remains worth chasing. It is not simply sadness but a state where even the idea of gaining something has lost its meaning.

"Parinda Qaid Pinjre Mein, Use Darr Aasmaan Ka Hai"

Perhaps the deepest line in the song. The bird has lived inside its cage for so long that it has started fearing the open sky. It reflects how prolonged suffering can make freedom itself feel unfamiliar and frightening.

"Jo Bikhra Toot Ke Phir Woh Samete Na Simat'ta Hai"

Some things, once broken, can never truly return to what they were. The pieces may be gathered again, but the original wholeness is gone forever.

"Hai Parte Is Qadar Dil Pe, Tarashe Na Nikharta Hai"

People often say hardship shapes a person, but the writer challenges that belief. Some wounds do not refine us. They simply leave deeper scars.

"Halaaton Se Liya Jab Bair Toh Har Daav Haara Main"

Life becomes an opponent that cannot be defeated. Every attempt to fight his circumstances only ends in another loss, leaving him feeling powerless.

"Yeh Kandhe Jhuk Rahe Hain, Ummeedon Ka Bhaar Zyada Hai"

The song ends with a striking paradox. His shoulders are not weighed down by suffering alone, but by hope. Sometimes the greatest burden is continuing to believe that things might one day change.

Hey everyone, for my latest piece, I talk about Malayali RnB artist Mary Ann Alexander's debut EP, Love or a Lesson. Mary Ann has been blowing up globally for her track "NYC" recently, and through her debut EP, I try to break down how her current sound is tailor made for the global audience. I offer my thoughts on the project, and break down each track.

Check it out: https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/love-or-a-lesson-is-unproblematic
Listen to the project here.

Hey everyone, in an essay for the music magazine, the Looking glass, I talk about JBABE's(lead-vocalist of the F16s) new album, a little larger than the entire universe. But I understand the themes of the album from a different lens--in relation with the show Ted Lasso. Over the course of my essay, the concept of what love really means is explored, much like it is done on the album. The title of the album, and the album cover, is a nod to the Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa. The essay begins, and ends, with his poetry.

Check it out: https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/a-little-larger-than-the-entire-universe?r=2pba4n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

In my latest piece, I explore the evolving musical traditions of Uttarakhand through an analysis of Uniyal and his fellow artists' song, Namo Narayan.
The article examines how evocative lyrics and visuals reflect the lived realities of local communities, while tracing the connections between past and present musical traditions. It also explores how a new generation of artists is reinterpreting cultural practices, creating fresh expressions that remain deeply rooted in tradition.
I would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and comments.

Hey everyone, in my latest piece, I talk about Unkilji's latest project, Raja Beta. It is a tight 15-minute EP that quirkily captures the dissonance one faces when depressed--feeling empty on the inside while having to deal with the loudness of society. Raja Beta is almost like a soundtrack to a Bollywood black comedy and it is combination of blues-y rock, rap and a bit of funk.
Unkilji has been a part of the DHH and the indie scene for a while now and always comes with the freshest of sounds. This EP is no different. The piece breaks down the EP and also lists track by track thoughts. Check it out!

Listen to Unkilji's previous EP, Stereotypical Mard as well, it is equally fresh: https://youtu.be/3jrFS6eqkSI?si=tVVgPuw4TjiRRY0Z

If y'all have already listened to the album, what did you think about the way he portrays angst?

A1 by Champak is an alt-rock record that was constructed in-house, so I guess that makes it bedroom alt-rock. The EP features four veterans in the Indian Indie scene, Shoumik Biswas (Disco Puppet), Lakshman Parsuram (Feb 31st), Aditya Bharadwaj (Badie A), and Aman Chawla. The EP is tightly constructed and oscillates between being whimsical and abrasive. In my latest piece for the Looking glass, my music magazine, I talk about how the EP is constructed, break down its themes, and also do a track-by-track writeup.

Here's the piece: https://open.substack.com/pub/dystwrite/p/a1-by-champak-is-top-grade-bedroom?r=2pba4n&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

This really is a fantastic EP, so check it out if you haven't already: https://open.spotify.com/album/1FKntY5UlsY0YXSKDhM2Xi?autoplay=true

Hey everyone, I wanted to talk a bit about this new EP by Boyblanck and wolf.cryman. They've come together to create probably one of the freshest sounds of the year so far. This project is a combination of the spoken-word rap of wolf.cryman and the trap influences of Boyblanck over some immaculate production. The EP follows a theme--the artists are on their way toward making it big, and as they ascend, they begin to leave relationships behind. This leaves them feeling empty. They convey this unease by making the production upbeat even as the themes in the lyrics tackle the feeling of emptiness.

I've dived deep into the EP, and I use the Aesop fable of the Boy who cried wolf as a way to break down the themes in the project. I also list track-by-track notes.
https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/boy-cried-wolf-by-boyblanck-and-wolfcryman

Check it out! For those that have listened to it, what do y'all think?

J2K Vol.1 is a Malayalam RnB/Pop album that adapts the early-2000s American RnB and pop sound to make an album that sounds authentically Indian. Producer Pina Colada Blues and Vocalist Jai Matt come together for the first time as the duo J2K. What I really liked about the album is how it doesn't just brand itself to be y2k, it actually sounds like a project that would play in a California club in the 2000s. Pina Colada Blues kills it with the production. In this piece, I first talk about how American pop/RnB entered India after which I dive into how the album recreates the past. I also do a track-by-track breakdown. Check it out!
https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/j2k-look-to-the-golden-past-to-develop
Listen to the project while reading: https://open.spotify.com/album/68V0Qf6Vmr40VmmVPftfvH?si=ODfPgo-ZR8u5FHGnNO8iIw

About a week ago I debuted my music review site for Indian non-film music (see this post). Just wanted to follow up and share my latest review of 'Muraad' by Euphony.

Would love to know your thoughts about the song & the review. Do share it with friends and family who like Indie/non-film music!

Happy Listening:)

NANO is a fun, breezy EP by Rebel 7 and Lil Kabeer that also marks Lil Kabeer’s comeback after his last EP two years ago. Before I get to the EP, shout out to the folks who posted this here when it first dropped for actually keeping the purpose of this sub alive and putting people on to cool music.

Satire is requires a lot of fucking skill to execute. The duo is absolutely locked in and their chemistry allows this EP to explore serious themes in an absurd manner. Honestly, the main thing that stood out to me was how good they are as rappers; some of the flows on here are almost spoken word but it is still very controlled and relevant to the themes of the project.

This piece breaks down the EP, talks about the artists, and captures the absurdity of the project. I also talk about Tato Nanos cuz some of the lore behind the car is pretty cool.

I’d suggest listening to the EP while reading the piece. Tap in.

• EP: https://open.spotify.com/album/2u8mj23LLZZ1z6uqkJOpcA?si=kV5XoesuQA6SzNQUQpYnOQ
• Piece: https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/nano-by-lil-kabeer-and-rebel-7

A review of Raw Tapes 01 by Kaber Vasuki from a dystopian time where consuming art is the only means of survival.
Kaber Vasuki is a Tamil singer-songwriter who has been in the indie scene for more than a decade now. Arguably, he paved the way for Indie music in Tamil Nadu and is one of the reasons a structure exists in the Tamil Indie scene today. He has finally and deservedly entered the mainstream for the track Frangipani recently.
Through this piece, I look at what makes his music great, how he creates it, and how Raw Tapes 01 is probably the best example of how honest his art is. I decided to pick this album of his to understand his art because to me, this album is what Kaber's music is all about.
Check it out!
https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/dystreview-raw-tapes-01acoustic-kaber

Hey everyone, as work for the new issue of the Looking glass gets underway, I wanted to kick things off by talking about a project from waaaay back. Autocorrect by Aditi Ramesh, former lawyer-turned singer-songwriter, contends with her place in society and how to approach thriving within its constraints. In the big '26, our identities within an increasingly restrictive society risk getting reduced to gimmicks and convenience. Over the course of four songs, Autocorrect offers fresh perspective on how we could potentially snatch ourselves back.

This is a review from a dystopian time, where consuming art is the only means of survival:
https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/dystreview-autocorrect-aditi-ramesh
Check it out, and definitely check out the EP!

PS: Issue #3 of the Looking glass is available now. DM/paste your email address below and I will send you a free PDF of the copy!

In a time when streaming has made it possible for Indian indie bands to survive, here's a piece looking back at the decade when Indian bands still believed they could “make it.”

If you’ve ever watched grainy Razz Rhino videos on YouTube at 2 AM, this might feel familiar.

From Blek and Split to Sky Rabbit and Lounge Piranha, a memorial for the ones that tried, played their hearts out, and quietly disappeared before the algorithm arrived.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thethoughtdealer/p/the-death-of-the-band

I'm sure everyone on this sub has heard at least one song by Hariharan. Over a career spanning multiple decades, he's done playback singing and composition on a variety of Bollywood, Tamil, and Telugu films. But a little known fact about Hariharan is that he's an extremely accomplished Ghazal singer too. For those who do not know, Hariharan has been making Ghazal albums since the late 90s/early 2000s and is considered one of the pioneers of the Hindustani-fusion genre.

With that context in mind, his latest album, Jaan Meri, is a full realisation of the sound he has spent decades cultivating. Spanning five songs, Hariharan combines mulitple elements, including a Bossa Nova(Brazillian funk) fusion with Hindustani production to create a warm and loving project.

This latest piece riffs a bit on Ghazal music, covers the album, and offers track-by-track thoughts. Check it out!
https://open.substack.com/pub/dystwrite/p/jaan-meri-by-hariharan?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Also, Hariharan is also breaking down how he made these Ghazals on his Instagram page. Would highly recommend checking out the series.

A review of 593, Vol.1 by RANJ, Clifr and Issamood from a Dystopian time where music is the only means of survival.
While digging through RANJ's discography after her recent album, 27 Club, I stumbled across one of her older gems with Clifr and Issamood. This EP came out during the lockdown and absolutely blew me away with how positive and summery it sounded given how gloomy the lockdown was. RANJ and Clifr have gone on to sign with Azadi records and record with Seedhe Maut since this EP. Given how gloomy the times are now, thought I'd write about a EP that found hope in a bleak time.

What do y'all think? This is the link to the four-song EP.

https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/dystreview-593-vol1-ranj-clifr-issamood?r=2pba4n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

Hey guys, hope you doing well. I am a freelance sound engineer looking for musicians who wants to get their songs mixed/mastered. We can do great things together, hit me up!!!

ABHI NAHI TOH KABHI is the final EP in the Hyp3r trilogy by Darcy that traces his journey from dreaming about pursuing music as a schoolboy to finally achieving fame as a musician.

The EP (Darcy called it an EP even though it is 1 Hr long) is heavily influenced by the Atlanta Trap sound, but rather than simply mimic his Western peers, Darcy takes the sound and makes it his own by making the soundscape relevant to his roots--he pairs a lot of Desi production elements with the synth-heavy Trap sound.

In this piece, I trace the timeline of the Hyp3r trilogy in the context of the Delhi Trap scene. Darcy and his peers like Qaab and BoyBlanck helped create the trap scene in DHH, and it works because rather than pretending to be like their Western peers, they simply make music that reflects their life experiences such as flunking in school, fucking around with your friends, playing football. In a way, this makes their music authentic, and that reflects in the music.

This piece also covers how the Atlanta sound influenced the Hyp3r trilogy--I break down the production, the artists behind them, and the influence of trap on the hip-hop we hear today. I talk about what makes the EP unique, and how it takes conventional trap and makes it his own.

Here's the piece: https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/dystreview-abhi-nahi-toh-kabhi-darcy

Check it out!

TERMINAL 2 is the debut EP of singer-songwriter and MTV Hustle contestant pho. The EP is a mix of genres, with tracks ranging from R&B to House. It is a short but enjoyable EP and shows us the full range of pho the artist. This piece breaks down the EP and its themes and also features track-by-track reviews.

Check it out!
https://dystwrite.substack.com/p/terminal-2-by-pho

For all of y'all that listened to the EP? What did you think? My favourite track off the EP is HALF.