Music from the Hills: Abdon Mech dreams of better days in “Again”
Nagaland-based singer-songwriter Abdon Mech discusses his lockdown-inspired single “Again”, his song writing process, future plans, and more.- by Ady Manral
Music as Still Life: Sameer Rahat’s poetic solo debut Aamad
Urdu singer-songwriter Sameer Rahat’s debut solo album AAMAD is quiet as the eye of a hurricane, rich in poetic depth and deeply-personal energy. A track-by-track review by The Blue Magpie
The World is Ours—Divine leads the rise of Desi Rap, with an assist from Nas
The unlikely fandom of American rap legend Nas in India; and the surprising connection between Nas, Divine, and the rise of India’s real hip hop culture. - an essay by Karan Madhok.
Lyrical Cacophony: Sexuality and Objectification in Bollywood’s ‘Item Numbers’
While the discourse around the ‘item songs’ in Bollywood films usually revolves around the sexually explicit videos, Ankur Choudhary argues that the bigger issue to be tackled is the lyrical content that leans towards the objectification of women.
Livin’ With Metal: A peep into the Indian metal scene
To provide a glimpse of India’s metal scene, Nidhi Lodaya interviewed some of the country’s top bands, shared personal experiences, and expressed hope for a genre beyond its traditional stereotypes and misconceptions.
Nowhere But Here
Personal essay: Anant Mital, drummer of new Delhi-based Nowhere Station, shares the story of the band’s origins and ambitions on the eve of their debut release.
The homegrown blues of Lal And the People—An interview with frontman Rohit Lalwani
From Bhopal to international acclaim, here is the story of how Lal and the People became one of the exciting new voices in Indian jazz and blues - by Nidhi Lodaya.
Music from the Hills: Bipul Chettri’s latest release, ‘Neela Akash’
The theme of loneliness and isolation—which so many of us could be feeling in this time—is particularly pertinent in this lush new Himalayan folk track - writes Ady Manral
Music and the Virus: How the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted the Indian Indie Scene.
No gigs, no jobs, and no income. Music photographer Nidhi Lodaya checks in with several of India’s indie artists and supporting professionals about the industry fighting for survival in the time of corona.
Music from the Hills: The Ladies of Indian Rock
Sultry blues, rocking tunes, and genre-benders: with an eye on the true indie music queens of India, Ady Manral recommends some of his favourites.
Music from the Hills: All efforts matter in the Indian indie scene
Obama listens to Prateek Kuhad and DIVINE signs with Nas. What’s next? Ady Manral writes about how musicians and artists around India can contribute to the rapidly growing indie scene in the country.
Lucknow Music Diaries: Sticking to the setlist
Looking back at the ups and downs, and dangers and desperation, of the Lucknow rock scene - by Prateek Santram