TFword Spotlight: New Music Releases from Runt, Varun Nimbolkar, KIMKID
We take a peek at Varun Nimbolkar’s sitar skills, Mr. GnG’s explosive rock album, a single inspired by day-to-day observations on digital culture, and more!
We take a peek at Varun Nimbolkar’s sitar skills, Mr. GnG’s explosive rock album, a single inspired by day-to-day observations on digital culture, and more!
KIMKID – ‘Jab Woh Aayi’
‘Jab Woh Aayi’ sees New Delhi-based singer-songwriter KIMKID put forward the highs and lows of a long-distance relationship onto a shining indie-pop melody. One of the artists’ earliest projects from three years ago, it is co-written with Dipyaman Chakrabarti and produced by guitarist/composer Vedanta Razz.
Looking back to the ’90s era of pop music while pouring in a fresh indie feel, the song delivers a breezy, floor-tapping melody marked by its strummy acoustic guitar, sturdy drum patterns, and bluesy electric guitar riff. Its simplistic and detailed music video animated by Archisman Kundu grabs the POV of a traveler aboard a railway train journeying through various terrains (or situations in this case) to finally reunite with their partner.
Find KIMKID on Spotify | Instagram
papabear – ‘Lamhe’
In his first Hindi-language offering, musician Samarth Bahl, popularly known as papabear, grapples with feeling optimistic about the future and nostalgic about the times gone by.
Samarth revisited and reworked a piece from storage titled ‘New Beginnings’ with the assistance of hip-hop staple Enkore, who helped rewrite the tune in Hindi and consequently spring ‘Lamhe’ into life. The music is outlined by bright string sections and tapping percussions, all flavored with rich vocal harmonies.
“The song began as ‘New Beginnings,’ written during a transitional phase in my life, carrying the bittersweet realization that new chapters often feel like endings,” said papabear about this release. “I’ve also painted the artwork for Lamhe—a visual representation of my school gate, symbolizing the return to where it all began. It’s a nod to nostalgia, change, and the strange way past and future collide.”
Find papabear on Spotify | Instagram
Varun Nimbolkar – ‘Amrita’
From the innovative mind of Pune/Mumbai-based composer and sitar player Varun Nimbolkar arrives his latest release, ‘Amrita,’ which also serves as the lead single for his impending multi-genre 5-track EP. Self-described as a black sheep on various fronts, Varun rallies together the vocal prowess of singer Sai Shreya and also enlists guitarist Dhruv Trikannad into this undertaking.
Opening with flickering bass plucks and sublime vocal sections, Varun’s crisp work on the sitar soothingly ensues, ladled over rhythmic percussion patterns. A stunning minute-long blues-rock guitar riff shapes the outro of the tune.
Varun spoke of the song as “a story of chemistry between two lovers that eventually ends,” going on to further describe it as “a nostalgic feeling of longing and intimacy.”
Find Varun Nimbolkar on Spotify | Instagram
Mr. GnG – ‘After Us, the Flood’
India/Belgium-based rock band Mr. GnG, composed of multi-instrumentalist Abhilash Sreekumar and singer/guitarist Ishan Dave, have unshackled their first full-length studio album, ‘After Us, the Flood,’ titled after the age-old French phrase “après nous, le déluge.”
The 12-track album tackles themes of personal struggles, resilience, and emotional growth and is meticulously forged with collaborators guitarist Aatrey Bhatt (tracks ‘Cognitive Haze’ and ‘A Call Away’) and musician Rudy Ayoub (‘Paralyse’).
An out-and-out rock adventure, ‘After Us, the Flood’ is deliciously steeped in pulpy rock, heavy metal, and progressive rock motifs, showcasing the band’s mastery and grit within these genres. The opening song, ‘Cognitive Haze,’ adapts a heavier hard rock theme; ‘Shimona’ dishes out a no-frills rock single; while ‘Paralyse’ throws down a speed/power metal ballad seasoned with a melodic touch.
Lyrically, the album runs through nuances of fear, abandonment, and loneliness, coated with moments of self-acceptance, gratitude, and healing, all gripped by dastardly drum action, roaring guitars, and strong vocal performances.
“This album is our most personal work to date. Songwriting was both a battleground and a lifeline for us. Through these tracks, we’ve confronted our struggles and celebrated our growth,” the band stated via a press note.
Find Mr.GnG on Spotify | Instagram
Runt – ‘Racecar’
A trustworthy hitman when it comes to music production in the indie space, Mumbai-based musician Siddharth Basrur‘s rock outfit Runt has lashed out ‘Racecar,’ the second single from their eagerly awaited debut album. ‘Racecar’ cheekily minces influencer culture, rampant on social media and often witnessed in real life, charged with tongue-in-cheek lyricism and a gritty swirl of wit and intensity.
Probing into the extent individuals will scramble toward for digital validation, Basrur whips up an alternate/punk rock sound with pounding drums, raging guitars, throbbing bass lines, and fiery vocal arrangements. Recorded, engineered, and produced by Basrur himself, ‘Racecar’ was worked on between gigs on the road and studio sessions.
Find Runt on Spotify | Instagram
For more new music releases, keep up with TFword on: Instagram | Facebook | X
Listen to all of these songs and more on TFword’s official playlist –
Featured Images courtesy of the artists, Siddharth Basrur via Mr. Abhishek Gupta
You May Also Like:
TFword Spotlight: New Music Releases From Vaani Bhasin, Saroj Kashyap, The Besharams
