Tunes

I believe music is the one thread that binds the whole world together, you break it and the whole world would crumble in no time. Music transcends time, existing before humanity and the very concept of art, and it will continue to endure long after we are all gone. In my opinion, it is the greatest of all art forms.

One of my greatest regrets in life is not having the privilege to learn this art form. However, I believe that art chooses its disciples in a divine sense - you are born with it, and I didn’t make the cut (ik, ik, it’s never too late to learn, I am just too lazy tbh). Still, any art form requires an audience (or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that artists —including myself— are the one’s who need the audience, and not the art itself since we are inherently attention-seekers to some degree, but that’s a topic for another time). The best way I can serve this great art form is as a devoted listener.

The music we choose to listen to reveals much about who we are as individuals. In sharing my playlists, I am offering a humble glimpse into my personal identity - a risk, but one I’m willing to take in service of this pious artistic tradition.

To whomever is reading this, my musical taste has been shaped by the numerous experiences that have defined my lifetime, and as such, it is a fundamental part of my identity - who I am as a person. Each of these songs is tied to a specific memory, transporting me back to a moment in time that I can relive every time I press play. I hope they have a similar effect on you. PS: These playlists are work in progress…

Personal Playlists

3rd Semester - It’s August of 2017, 3rd semester of my bachelors. A random afternoon, I come across this song called Empty on youtube from a guy named Ray Lamontagne. The 3rd semester was the worst semester of my whole undergrad life both personally and academically, but one thing that unknowingly kept me afloat, now that i look back, was this not so famous dude with a guitar, beard, and a chequered shirt. Me and my room mates spent the whole semester bursting “Empty”, “Jolene”, “Trouble”, etc on my junky old laptop that was counting its last breath. This playlist takes me back to those days where no problem was big enough to not be solved by an afternoon nap and a cup of chai with friends later. P.S. Our group chat is still named : “Ray LaMontage”, lol.
Mehfil - This playlist was curated with one of my closest friends, a former roommate from my undergrad, one of the people who I go to incase I need any kind of advice in life. In our university days, we had a cherished tradition in Hostel called “Mehfil”, where we would gather with a small group of friends, got “wasted” and then spend the whole night in the company of some deep music and deeper conversation. The playlist begins with the song “Hoshwalon ko khabar kya…”, which was always the first track that kicked off these Mehfils, transporting me back to those nights. This playlist is kinda my way of offering you a seat at the Mehfil.
Sukoon - It’s a lazy Sunday morning in 2012, there’s no school, you’ve woken up a little later than usual, the clock say’s 9:45 am. As you make your way to the living room, you reach for the remote and power on the TV. A familiar logo reading “9XM” appears in the corner of the screen, and with it comes a flood of songs that evokes a profound sensation of “Sukoon” validating all the changes going through the life of a 14 year old. This playlist is curated to transport you back to those blissful mornings, when the world seemed to move at a gentler pace and simple pleasures were all that mattered.
Cassette - It’s a May afternoon, your school is on a summer break, and you find yourself on a bumpy jeep ride from the railway station, traveling between a place you grew up pretending to be “Home” and the place your ancestors called “Home”, hundreds of kilometers away. The cassette player in the vehicle never quite works on the first try, but with a quick fiddle of the index finger and the tape coil by the driver, it springs to life, filling the air with melodies from the late 80s and 90s. Though you may have despised those songs in the moment, they now hold a secret, nostalgic allure. Perhaps the reason is that this music reminds you (atleast it reminds me) that you were born to be in constant motion, to experience the world rather than put anchor in a single place you can truly call “Home”. This playlist is curated to take you on those uncomfortable yet soothing journeys - whether by jeep, carts, bus, cars, tractor or truck - that have brought you to where you are in life, shaping you with each bumpy mile traveled and new vista discovered. I am still looking for an answer to the question “Where’s home for you?”, but till then, let’s listen to some good music…
Trip - It’s almost midnight, Your heartbeats and breath’s are out of sync for obvious reasons🌿, say no more. This playlist is to take you on a good trip ;) I hope. P.S. This playlist needs a lot more work, Suggestions are welcome”