Gangtok singer-songwriter Abhibyanjana Rubhi Thatal is only 23, but she has a pedigree far beyond her years. An EP and a few singles down the line, her writing quality is not in doubt by any means, of course – she incorporates a chill, low-fi vibe into her music (at the very least as an influence) which is rather pleasant. This new single from her, ‘Shampoo Bottle’ has a sort of soul-r&b vibe coupled with this that, of course, fits the atmosphere like a glove. But more importantly, it’s outwardly nice and welcoming. That’s a nice thing to come across in times like this.

Abhibyanjana uses her strengths to great effect on this tune. Her vocals have personality and the clear delivery that only confidence brings. The instrumentation that supports her is also top-notch. Sure, to an extent, it takes elements straight out of the standard neo-soul playbook, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t do it justice. One still has to do it properly, and it is the case here. There’s a touch of the classic with the snaps and percussion. Some throwback synths quietly sidle into view around when the hook hits, and they provide some lovely colour. The real star here, as it usually is, is the bass; the groove is to die for. But the upshot of it all is the finished product, which is just a good time. It combines everything you’d want to hear while winding down from a long day or enjoying a cloudy weekend morning. So brew that tea and put this on. You won’t regret it.