u/Humble_Reindeer_4479

Day 8 of this little series where I recommend Indian artists, songs and albums that I think deserve more attention. Some I've discovered through Reddit, some on my own.

Day 8

Artists: shauharty & pakeezah feat. Rounak Maiti, Lit Trust, Shantanu Pandit & David De Menezes
Song: Painted Dull (The Thousand-Yard Stare)
Project: Paint It, Dull
Genre: Alternative Hip Hop

Spotify: Painted Dull (The Thousand-Yard Stare)
YouTube: Painted Dull (The Thousand-Yard Stare)

This is one of those songs that gets me a little emotional by the end. The voice in the outro is apparently from Pakeezah's grandmother who had passed away, and if that's indeed the story behind it, I think it's such a beautiful way to end the song. The sample itself is brilliant too. I honestly don't know what the main sample is of, so if anyone knows, please let me know.

The features on this song are really engaging. Rounak Maiti and Shantanu Pandit's singing parts are especially interesting to me. Their voices bring completely different textures into the song and somehow fit the world of it really well.

I will say though, I personally don't think Lil Trust's verse fits the vibe of the song at all. I know some people might disagree, but every time I listen to it I'm just wishing I could skip to the next part. It breaks the atmosphere for me. He rapping on it as if its a trap beat or something completely off topic.

Apart from that, I think the way shauharty and pakeezah's production put this whole thing together is brilliant. It's melancholic, layered and feels very carefully constructed without losing its emotional weight.

And that ending. Man.

One of those songs that makes me tear up a little by the time it's over.

If you haven't listened to Paint It, Dull, definitely check out the whole EP. The features, arrangements and sonic world they built around it are really worth experiencing as a whole.

And if you're enjoying these recommendations, come hang out at r/IndianMusicNerds. We're building a space to discover Indian music, appreciate artists and actually talk about the music beyond just sharing links.

Drop an Indian artist, song or album you think deserves way more attention below.

Day 5 of this little series where I recommend Indian artists, songs and albums that I think deserve more attention. Some I've discovered through Reddit, some on my own.

Day 5

Artist: Run it's the Kid
Song: Hourglass
Genre: Indie Folk / Indie Rock

Spotify: Hourglass
Music Video (Must watch) : Hourglass

Run it's the Kid is a Delhi duo consisting of Shantanu Pandit and Dhruv Bhola, the latter you might also know as a member of Peter Cat Recording Co. They recently returned after nearly a decade with Hourglass.

I really love how well all the instruments sit together in this song. Everything feels simple but has so much texture to it. The harmonica is also such an interesting addition and fits the song beautifully.

And the vocals. The textures of both their voices together work SO well. There's something really warm about the way they blend.

The music video is also beautiful. It's so simple but still feels very artsy and intentional without trying too hard.

Definitely give this one a listen if you haven't heard it.

What are some Indian songs you've discovered recently that deserve way more attention?

Day 4 of this little series where I recommend Indian artists, songs and albums that I think deserve more attention. Some I've discovered through Reddit, some on my own.

Day 4

Artists: Sabu & Rounak Maiti
Song: Ahiste
Genre: Indie / Indie Folk
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/3frADB1ampJGVOcsq9lSka?si=5f23db90b8534208

I absolutely love this song. The acoustic guitar chord progression, the simple drums and those little acoustic guitar licks all sound so sweet. Their voices also go ridiculously well together and the whole thing feels so smooth.

The melody is catchy without feeling overdone, and it's one of those songs that just gets better the more you listen to it. The outro is also really beautiful how the strings and vocal melody and harmonica all merge together. really catchy.

Sabu and Rounak are also members of Excise Dept., although I think Ahiste came before the project.

If you haven't heard this one, definitely give it a listen.

And if you're enjoying these recommendations, come hang out at r/IndianMusicNerds. We're building a space to discover Indian music, appreciate artists and actually talk about the music beyond just sharing links.

Drop an Indian artist, song or album you think deserves way more attention below.

Day 3 of this little series where I recommend Indian artists, songs and albums that I think deserve more attention. Some I've discovered through Reddit, some on my own.

Day 3

Artist: Unkill Ji
Album: Stereotypical Mard
Genre: alternative rock, blues, indie, jazz aur ptani kya kya
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1mgCo92jI91r7oWTnPA5sl?si=b7WgV2GhTh2GLPCS7m6r8Q

This one is such an interesting listen. Stereotypical Mard has a really distinct personality to it, and I love how Unkill Ji plays around with ideas of masculinity without making the whole thing feel like a lecture.

The writing, production and overall character of the project really stand out, and it's got some great features too. Worth checking out if you're into Indian Indie scene. If you haven't heard it yet, give it a shot and let me know what you think.

And if you're enjoying these recommendations, we're also building r/IndianMusicNerds as a place to discover Indian music, share recommendations and actually discuss the scene beyond the usual mainstream names.

Drop an Indian artist, song or album you think deserves more attention below.

Day 2 of this little series where I recommend Indian artists, songs and albums that I think deserve more attention. Some I've discovered through Reddit, some on my own.

Day 2

Artist: Shashwat Bulusu
Album: Fitrat
Genre: Indie Rock / Indie Folk / Lo-fi
Spotify Link : https://open.spotify.com/album/5sGzSB1nJUvhZqpjZBPMkI?si=kruLx88xSb-SXvoXEn_qnQ

Shashwat's new album Pinocchio is also out now, but Fitrat is a little closer to my heart, so that's the one I wanted to share here.

It's such an intimate album, filled with beautiful textures and some genuinely amazing lyricism. There's something about the way everything comes together that makes it feel really personal and easy to sink into.

If you haven't heard Fitrat yet, give it a listen and let me know what you think.

Also, if you enjoy discovering Indian music and actually talking about it beyond just sharing links, come hang out at r/IndianMusicNerds. We're trying to build a space for Indian music nerds to share discoveries, have discussions and find artists that might otherwise fly under the radar.

And as always, drop an Indian artist, song or album you think deserves way more attention. I might feature it on a future post .

We all have that one massively popular artist where everyone seems to love their music, their songs have millions of streams, and yet you just... don't get the hype 😭

This isn't about hating on or calling anyone untalented. Sometimes an artist simply doesn't click with you, and you're left wondering what everyone else is hearing that you're not.

Personally, for me, it's Gini. I've tried getting into her music multiple times, but it just hasn't clicked for me.

Which Indian artist is that for you? Keep it respectful, of course.

Who knows, maybe someone in the comments will finally make you understand the hype.

After seeing some artists like Chaar Diwari, Encore/SM etc. being really vocal and involved in the recent CJP Students protest while others chose to stay completely silent, I was curious how much it actually matters to listeners.

Does an artist's stance on social or political issues affect how much you respect or support them?

Do you respect artists more when they use their platform to speak up? Do you lose respect when they stay silent? Or does it make no difference to you as long as the music is good?

Interested to hear where everyone stands and why.

Let's build a playlist of Indian artists doing something genuinely different.

Doesn't matter if they have 50 monthly listeners or 500k.

Looking for songs that made you stop and think,
"I can't believe an Indian artist made this." lol

Could be shoegaze, post-rock, electronic, math rock, folk, noise, ambient, experimental hip hop... anything.

Drop one song (preferably with a Spotify link) and tell me why you think its unique.

I'll compile everything into one community playlist and share it here once it's done.

It’s honestly unreal seeing how many massive international acts are finally coming to India now.

Gorillaz, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Travis Scott, The Strokes, 50 Cent, Deep Purple, Opeth… a few years ago this kind of lineup would’ve sounded completely made up.

The live music scene here is really changing.

For me, it would be Tool. A Tool show in India would be absolutely unreal.

So who’s still on your wishlist?

Which international artist or band would make you instantly book tickets if they announced an India show?

Music listening habits have changed a lot over the years, especially with streaming and reels.

Some people love sitting through a full album from start to finish, while others mostly shuffle playlists or just replay individual songs.

Do you still listen to albums in one go or has your listening become more playlist/singles driven now? And why?

Personally I am a bit old school still think nothing beats a great album experience when you’re fully immersed in it. An album is like a movie to me.

You know the type.

The kind of fanbase that acts like listening to that artist automatically makes them deeper, more evolved, emotionally superior, spiritually awakened, or musically elite compared to everyone else 😭

Which Indian artist do you think has the strongest “you probably wouldn’t get it” fanbase? And why do you think that happens around that artist specifically?

No hate towards the artists themselves btw, just observing fanbase behaviour and music culture.

The new Michael is finally out and seems to be getting a lot of attention worldwide.

For those who’ve watched it, what did you think?

Do you prefer songs that are clean, polished and well-produced, or ones that feel raw and emotional, even if they’re a bit rough around the edges?

Or does it depend on the mood and genre?

Curious to know what people here lean towards and why.