The most gratifying part of following 'modern post-prog' (which is not a real thing, but we're referring to the un-barrier-ification of the genre) has been its slow but steady entry into more mainstream sections of pop music. Artists like Polyphia and Plini made the excellent decision of bringing a high level of technicality to contemporary styles of writing, and the general listening public made the excellent decision of liking it. This has been a breath of fresh air in a niche that was once fiercely gate-kept; now, all of us get to enjoy a legit banger that just happens to be well written, well performed and showcases a level of technical proficiency. Chennai duo Mayank x Aaina tap into this aesthetic on their very catchy single ‘whirlpools’.  

Mayank Saini is responsible for the noodle-y and warm instrumental, and Aaina Padiath contributes some expressive and smooth vocals. This combination is much less jarring than it would have been 6 years ago; only because listeners of either side of it would have raised concerns of ‘loss of purity’ back then. But we live in a nice time, so we can focus on why this is a fun listen.

The only reason ‘whirlpools’ works at all has to do with the approach both musicians take. Aaina’s melodies are simple, contemporary and pretty fun. Sure, Mayank has put some effort into his playing, his production and this modern, clean sound, but he seems to have the right understanding of its context. It’s a song made for entertainment first, and this quality makes it non-pretentious, non-boring and non-serious all at the same time. Here is a single that has enough technicality to dive into while being accessible enough for any of us to have a casual, enjoyable listen. And maybe, just maybe, it’s the way forward.