INDIE
SHREYA BOSE
REVIE
Lean On Love (Ady Manral):
Imagine you have had a hard
day. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
Especially if you live in the concrete
labyrinth that is a city. Your boss
gave you the cold shoulder, the office
coffee machine was broken, and the
cute girl on Tinder did not respond
to your right swipe. Your cooking
isn’t that great, and you’re too tired
to stay up for the 45 minutes it will
take for takeout to reach you.
Now retreat to your room. Lean
against the wall in your favourite
corner, try to brew a cup of tea
and take the first uninterrupted
breath of your day. Now press
play on Lean on Love.
And, there it is. Acoustic flourish
rushes in on you, and you can almost
see it. Mountains rising into a
glistening summer sky. An unhurried
chai at a roadside tapri. Unrecognised,
beautiful wildflowers in your path.
Playful dogs and children bundled
under layers of fur and woollens. The
air smells of budding foliage, and you
spot green as far as the eye can see.
22
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
Ady Manral sings of his own life,
nestled in the idyllic Landour
community that defines, for him,
home. It is emblematic of comfort and
familiarity, of the simple liberties
we take with the small worlds that
we grow up in. The point of the
song is equally uncomplicated -
value love where you can find it.
While not stylistically or
thematically groundbreaking, the
song is an emphatic happymaker.
Give yourself the space to reward
yourself with some reassurance
that love does exist for you to take
recourse to after that bad day.
Saansein (The Mallroad Project):
Whatever takes your breath away
is worthy of art. The sentiment of
having your breath stolen is also
equally worthy, and possibly a
challenge to represent. The Mallroad
Project, a Delhi-born rock outfit
does attempt something similar,
but manages to accomplish a
somewhat half-edges execution.
Immediately striking is the monotone
that marks the vocal intonation. The
words suggest the appearance of
an individual akin to an epiphany,
who cuts through loneliness, ennui
and despondence but the idea is
not matched by the a tumbling,
predictable soundscape. While one
cannot point a finger at the melodic
structuring and extract some
massive gaffe, one is not driven to
recall it too often either. Seeking
to represent a life event that shifts
your existential tectonics, the band
manages to measurably underwhelm.