Pardon the pun given this song’s title, but new artists often have a hard time finding their voice or their ‘lane’ when they’re thinking about their first commercial release. It’s a relatable experience for anyone in a field where their work is made directly available to consumers and instantly accessible for critics; what do you want the world to see you as for the first time (in this capacity)? Delhi musician Jason Robertson bucks this trend by having a very clear idea of his musical identity, or at least, that’s what his technically proficient debut ‘Voices’ would have you think. Featuring Santur Kundu, the song does a great job of telling you some concrete things about Jason’s ‘vibe’.

The vibe is a very studied one. Jason is an excellent guitarist; this is highlighted in the sharp playing and attention to detail. He goes for a version of jass-fusion-Hindustani that would be familiar to many fans of attempts at bridging the East and West, but his take on it is a very clean, almost quiet one. There’s a lovely solo, some really nice chord work and some great ambience for garnish. The listening experience makes one feel that there is nothing out of place here; when the vocals live behind the guitars, they’re very much meant to. When they accentuate the groove of the drums (acting like a displaced hat, almost), they’re meant to. And when Jason pulls the rug out from beneath us to reveal a quiet, atmospheric ending to the tune, it fits in the way that good product design makes something you use a delightful experience. ‘Voices’ is a song you can listen to any number of times depending on what your tastes are, but you can also have a great time picking little subtleties out of it. If that’s your jam, you are in for a treat.