Anurag Mishra is one of those indie singer-songwriters in the scene who seem to heavily rely on lyrical themes of love and life. So, it isn’t much of a surprise to find that his upcoming album LIFAFE again consists of six songs exploring different notions of romance.
The first single off the album is the ambient Khwaab. The song’s narrative deals with a lover who has lost their partner. Even though the two partners cannot be together, the lover still reminisces about their beloved in every dream (or khwaab as the singer puts it).
The overall sound is a mix of acoustic indiepop-like style blended with the elements of a typical melancholic Bollywood track. Maybe, Mishra’s collaborations with artists such as Salim-Sulaiman may have influenced the latter.
Khwaab kicks on a familiar if promising note. But it is when Mishra starts vocalising a series of “ooh” sounds, that is when the song starts peaking. But the only drawback in the singer’s new single might be the length. Even though it clocks at a little more than three minutes, the length can be felt towards the latter half and might play out as stretched for some impatient listeners.
The duration aside, the song treads familiar ground and maybe, that is why it does make for a comforting listen. Not everyone might enjoy it but the few ones who would would seem to get an atmospheric high out of Mishra’s vocalisations.
It is yet to be seen how the rest of Mishra’s album would turn out to be. One can hope that he crosses paths with a more unique narrative. Otherwise, though, he continues to entertain with his effortless charm.
Verdict: Calming night-time listening session.
