No season evokes as many emotions and moods as the monsoon does in India. Some people believe the rains are the most romantic of the year, while others find them a melancholic time for reflection. Some take the drop in temperature as the perfect opportunity to enjoy lazy mornings lying in, others think a downpour warrants a joyous frolic in the outdoors. Whichever category you fit into, we’ve got five songs from India for you.
Alisha Pais – Like The Rain I Sofar Bombay
Singer-songwriter Alisha Pais finds power in pain on this guitar ballad, which has her dealing with feelings she doesn’t quite know how to process. It’s an outburst of raw emotion, presented quite appropriately on what appears to have been a particularly stormy evening in Mumbai.
Staccato – Saavan I Sofar Chennai
Chennai-based ‘contemporary classic’ ensemble Staccato pays tribute to many Indians’ favourite season on poetic Hindi pop original “Saavan”, the name of the rainiest month of the year. Elevated by Carnatic classical violin, the fusion tune bears the influence of the legendary A. R. Rahman whose canon includes a handful of hits dedicated to the monsoon.
Tajdar Junaid – What Colour Is Your Raindrop I Sofar Bombay
This extended live version of the title track from virtuosic composer and multi-instrumentalist Tajdar Junaid’s debut album adds a bit more blues-rock heart to the folky soulful original. Like all great instrumental music–and the monsoon, in fact–it can evoke diverse reactions, from wistful to hopeful, depending on your own personal state of mind.
The Anirudh Varma Collective – Megh I Sofar Delhi NCR
There are countless Hindustani classical-fusion interpretations of the monsoon raga Megh, but Delhi-residing composer, arranger and pianist Anirudh Varma’s version is among the most vibrant around. His collective’s jazz-rock take, with a brief but blazing electric guitar solo, will make you want to get up and go dance in the rain.
The Lost Cassette – Petrichor I Sofar Bangalore
“Petrichor” lingers in our memory much like, well, petrichor (a term that refers to the smell of the earth when it rains after a long, dry spell). The soothing strains of the guitar and the pitter-patter of the tabla make it ideal monsoon music, best enjoyed by the window with a cup of chai in one’s hands.
Ready to hear songs from India live, or explore more shows? See concerts near you.
Words by Amit Gurbaxani
Photo credit: Sofar Chennai, photo by Ashwath Nair
