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.