The north-east has always been a hotbed of good music and an incredible amount of raw talent; this we all know. Sometimes visibility is the only thing required to allow the artists of the region to get the exposure they should. Collaborative efforts and music released by a number of artists is a great way to do this (and is loosely reminiscent of the split EPs of old where two bands would take one side each of a CD or record); Gauhati-based musician Pratiksha Gogoi and a bunch of indie musicians have just put out ‘Zindagi’, a song that seems to be built to highlight its contributing members and give them space. That it does, and it’s a good listen too.

‘Zindagi’ is truly a team effort; Pratiksha is credited on vocals, Mrinmoy Kalita on composition, Rakesh Roshan with lyrics and Sudarshan Borkotoky on arrangement and production. There’s a strong sense of chemistry here and the simple pop songwriting is a good choice given how many minds are involved in this. The song itself is a relatively organic and cinematic piece of orchestral pop; the production with its pianos, snatches of sarod, epic strings and a strong rhythm section is a great advertisement for everyone involved. There are touches of flute and additional instrumentation that also do a great job helping the track along to its rock-influenced off-kilter last half (you don’t see it coming). All in all, as said earlier, ‘Zindagi’ does an awesome job of showcasing the talent and capabilities of the people that made it; these are people to watch out for.