Delhi artist Bharg released an album ‘Nikamma’ in late 2023, a fun exploration of pop music that jumps genres with an almost neurotic energy that’s great fun to listen to. However, the song we’re going to highlight is the wild and wonderful single from the album, ‘Roshni’, a collaboration with the always entertaining Chaar Diwaari. While the track might not be for everyone, it is so fundamentally inventive and playful that we think you should at least give it a try.

‘Roshni’ is some sort of semi-psychedelic indie pop tune with a groove straight out of elevator-core bossa nova and cheerful vocal melodies. You will find shades of dub influence in the synth and bass on the verses, and some sunshine in the pre-choruses, which is fun enough for a song as overtly quirky as this. Of course, the sound is more than enough to carry its four-minute runtime, but you as a listener might have an expectation of some kind of resolution when it cuts out about a minute before its conclusion. What you won’t expect at all is what the two choose to do next, which is a full-on nu-metal breakdown with heavy guitars, heavier vocals and a shred-fest guitar solo that is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. There is nothing remotely close to a sonic ‘connection’ between these two sections of the song; just sitting these two polar opposites next to each other with no hint of telegraphing or continuity is a refreshing example of two artists just having a blast working together.

That, then, is what Bharg and Nikamma are doing here; this is not something to be taken overly seriously or opinionated about strongly. It’s just a bit of fun, and if you’re into that, you’re going to enjoy ‘Roshni’.