Both Kamakshi Khanna and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya are some of the most popular names when it comes to recent indie-pop releases. The former, an ex-contestant on India’s first English singing reality series The Stage, has had a stellar run with singles like Qareeb and Duur (a collaboration with OAFF that even got placed in the new Netflix series The Fame Game). As for Bhattacharya, she has been steadily rising in popularity following her 2020 release Watercolor. 

Their newest collaboration Swimming is arguably one of their most personal and ambient tracks. Produced against a mellow piano arrangement, the song is a celebration of female friendships as Khanna and Bhattacharya yearn to swim freely in their emotions without facing any judgment. 

As the piano gives way to a slightly optimistic fingerstyle guitar portion, the atmospheric richness of the track increases further. Towards the final minute, the production transcends the tones to a more hopeful sound. Basically, Swimming is that sort of song that will suit any mood, regardless of whether you’re melancholic or merry. 

Given the fact that both the singers have been dropping hugely viral Hindi singles in recent years, it is interesting to find them singing in English. Be it Khanna’s performances of covers on The Stage or Bhattacharya’s pandemic-era single Watercolor and its follow-up singles Everything’s Fine and Red, the artists have definitely built a strong base with English vocals. 

But with no sense of pretense whatsoever and carrying their own original sound, the duo comes off with a bold and self-confident proclamation of a song. In the end, the contrast from a sad, bluesy vibe to a more hopeful one, works as the best element. 

Verdict: Melancholic and merry at the same time.