The best of Bangalorean music in 2023

The best Bengaluru‘s music in 2023

The years of the lockdown may have become a distant memory at this point, given how much music is thriving from our systems and stages alike in the city. True to its nature, some of the best releases this year still carried the wisdom and learnings from the pandemic about life and the nature of the world around us. Here are just some of our favorites from city-based musicians. 

Brodha V – ‘Basti Bounce’ 

One of Indian hip-hop’s favourites, Brodha V does not miss on ‘Basti Bounce,’ which served up another distinctive reminder of the rapper’s roots and his place in this fast-evolving scene. It helps that it came with a funny music video featuring his friends in JordIndian and a returning cameo from Aishwarya Suresh Bindra. It is a sort of spiritual successor to Brodha V’s equally playful song ‘Vainko’, sort of creating a Brodha-verse, if you will. 

Sharath Narayan – ‘Anthinilavin’

While rock band Black Letters had their own world-wise song ‘Simpler Times’ come out this year, their vocalist-guitarist and producer Sharath Narayan took a step into a new solo dominion with songs in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi. Among the most notable remained the January release ‘Anthinilavin’ for its funky guitars, bright electronic elements and sublime vocals. 

Aditi Ramesh – ‘Filter Coffee’

Aditi Ramesh started off the year with a song that plays to her strengths as an artist who strives to make timeless music. ‘Filter Coffee’ with his buoyant, dance floor-friendly sound was a way for Ramesh to revel in the joys of filter coffee, a beverage that perhaps signifies comfort and familiarity to her, as it would for many of us. Along with that, comes the advise of how to live in the moment, something that was reinforced after the lockdowns.