No Skip is Billboard India’s weekly roundup of the best new Indian music. Every Monday, we sift through last week’s crop of releases to put out the ultimate playlist – handpicked by the Billboard India team. Tracks from Indian artists across any genre (including the diaspora), released on any major streaming platform until Friday night are considered for editorial curation.
This week’s No Skip playlist features new songs from indie stalwarts like Paal Dabba and Rashmeet Kaur, punctuated by the established sounds of Armaan Malik and Vishal Mishra. Here’s the list.
- “ADADA” by Killa K, Paal Dabba, Urban Thoza
Rappers Killa K and Paal Dabba build the ultimate Tamil hustler anthem, pairing braggadocious bars about watches and women with the sobering reminder that money is their only way out. Anchored by thavil-style drums and nadaswaram, the track is relentlessly catchy, with the rappers’ declarations of “money is my only love” turning the song’s ambition into its central hook.
- “Chingariyaan” by Vishal Mishra, Jonita Gandhi, Raj Shekhar
From the Toxic soundtrack, “Chingariyaan” feels tailor-made for the cinemas. Vishal Mishra and Raj Shekhar build an almost operatic arrangement around swelling violins and horns, giving Jonita Gandhi plenty of space to deliver her signature soaring vocals.
- “feeling good” by Temsu Clover
Nagaland singer-songwriter Temsu Clover adds to her new, synth-led soundscape with her new single. Producer Vitz Zhimo punctuates her lush vocals with delicate, tinkling tones and soft synths reminiscent of Owl City’s sound, adding to her voice’s overall dreamy quality.
- “Mazhavillaye” by Jakes Bejoy, Armaan Malik, Sharfu
From the I’m Game soundtrack, “Mazhavillaye” sees Jakes Bejoy deliver another cinematic, ambient song, pairing sweeping textures with the unmistakable pulse of Kerala percussion and brass. Armaan Malik sounds right at home in the romantic setting, his smooth, tender vocals feeling almost tailor-made for a track this rich.
- “Parinda” by Rashmeet Kaur
Rashmeet Kaur returns to No Skip for the second consecutive week, this time with the titular track from her new album Parinda. As versatile as she is inventive, the Punjabi singer’s powerful, angsty vocals feel especially well-suited to the track’s traditional rock sound, driven by electric guitars and heavy drums.
- “Cold Showers” by Sanjith Hegde, Sunny M.R.
Sanjith Hegde brings his Hindustani classical training to the fore on “Cold Showers,” a modern love song built around little more than his excellent vocals and a simple tabla arrangement. His voice does most of the heavy lifting here, giving the track an intimate, effortless quality that lets its melody shine.
