With an electrifying, viral video, Hanumankind’s “Big Dawgs” has become Indian hip hop’s biggest global smash. In an email exchange, Karan Madhok and Nakul Yadav discuss his unlikely breakthrough, the future of Indian rap, and Baba Sehgal’s “Aaja Meri Gaadi Mein Baith Ja”.

Newly Aged (2024), the debut album by Green Park, is an experimental, cross-cultural rock project that responds to the uncertainties of transition, joy, and the life ahead. By Karan Madhok

Imtiaz Ali’s biographical drama Amar Singh Chamkila (2024) returns to the profane and scandalous themes of the Punjabi artist’s music, reclaiming the singer’s societal impact, and exposing the flawed notions of morality in Punjab’s cultural milieu. By Deepansh Duggal

With a bloodthirsty protagonist and an army of brute Sikh men, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s controversial hit Animal reduces the Punjabi folk song “Arjan Vailly”—a storied war cry against oppression—into a chorus of vile brutality. By Deepansh Duggal

In a wide-ranging conversation, bandmates Vikramjit ‘Tuki’ Banerjee and Chandrani Banerjee of Krosswindz spoke about the legendary band’s inception, the legacy of Bangla rock, secrets of their musical craft, and much more. By Ronald Tuhin D’Rozario

How the music from Qala (2022)—produced by Amit Trivedi—diverged from the flow of mainstream formulas in the Hindi film industry, and succeeded in inhabiting a rare sweet spot of commercial and critical appeal. By Raunaq Saraswat

The music of Dev.D—produced by Amit Trivedi—still sounds fresh and imaginative, honouring Indian traditions while pushing the envelope of a global sound, remixing this popular tale with a burst of enigmatic new energy. By Karan Madhok

From the happy chorus of ‘Desi trick or treat’ singers to the problematic lyrics in folk classics, Deepansh Duggal takes a deep dive to explore the cultural significance of Punjabi Lohri music in contemporary times.

Saurabh Sharma explores the rising wave of propaganda anti-Muslim music on Indian airwaves, songs filled with jingoism, religious bigotry, and xenophobia masquerading as art.

Srinagar-based rapper Ahmer spoke to The Chakkar about how a deeper examination of his own community, culture, and history helped jolt him out of his comfort zone, and inspire his ambitious sophomore LP, Azli. By Karan Madhok

Dhani Muniz looks back at a masterpiece of cross-cultural curation, Miles From India, a one-of-a-kind document of two traditions bonding over a shared appreciation and recognition of the language of a true musical maverick.

Classical musician/composer Vivek Venugopal introduces his latest piece Moods for Violin and Piano, Op. 15, where he finds musical relief to accompany a myriad of life’s temperaments faced during the pandemic.

‘I’ve always been a blues-loving rock guitarist at heart, but I love so many different forms of music… all of it filters in!’ Indian guitar legend Warren Mendonsa discusses his latest Blackstratblues album, the inspirations that shaped his musical journey, and the path ahead. By Karan Madhok

Harish Raghavan’s work is the first full-band application of Indian classical concepts in jazz that sound and feel natural. Dhani Muniz explores the band’s music and deconstructs Indian flavours in jazz.

Delhi-based artist Mocaine’s ambitious multi-disciplinary project The Birth of Billy Munro is a dark and nihilistic narrative of music, prose, and film. While an imperfect patchwork of borrowed inspirations, the culmination is still unlike anything else in the Indian indie scene. By Karan Madhok

Often called ‘The Indian Bob Dylan’, singer-songwriter Deepak Peace from Pune challenges and confronts listeners with contemporary political issues, turning music into a call for revolution. By Hunardeep Kaur

The music of the Kudiyas from Coorg (Karnataka) is a melodious celebration of the gift of the forests. Sravasti Datta explains how an artists’ collective is helping to promote the indigenous music and stories of tribes across the state.

Superpower 2020, the new album by Indian genre-bending artist Lifafa is an instant classic, a creative mishmash of techno and Bollywood classical, all packaged tightly in a musical vision of defiance, a satire of a national superpower gone wrong. - by Karan Madhok.

In their latest live release Grugs Are Dood, Mumbai band Punk on Toast present a melodic, controlled chaos, a politically-charged sound of young Indians in musical rebellion. - by Karan Madhok.

“We intend to only make people realise that they can only change themselves before changing the world.” Multilingual Indian hip hop crew Swadesi discuss their inspirations, their place in India’s music scene, and sparking a revolution through rap -by Karan Madhok.

The ‘magic of sound’ has an inherent healing power. Akhila Damodaran reports why many Indians are seeking music therapy to cope with the stress of a particularly painful year.

Kochi-based multilingual pop-folk band When Chai Met Toast discusses their first Hindi track, upcoming album and connecting with fans amid the pandemic - by Barkha Kumari

S.P. Balasubrahmanyam’s iconic voice and plethora of soundtracks marked the multilingual singer as one of the most essential artists of his time. Jamie Alter recalls the impact of the crossover artist in the Hindi film industry.

While India’s musicians take the show online, the unsung heroes of live shows—technicians, backstage coordinators, tentwallahs and more struggle to make their ends meet since the lockdown. Some in the events industry have united to give back. - by Barkha Kumari

Nagaland-based singer-songwriter Abdon Mech discusses his lockdown-inspired single “Again”, his song writing process, future plans, and more.- by Ady Manral

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 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.

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.

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.

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.