“Once part of Pune prog/alt rock band Skylight Vision, frontman Gaurav Tophakhane has now turned to his eponymous solo project. His debut single “Na Jaane Main Na Jaane Tu” is a layered, buoyant love song that is breathy, cinematic and moves from gentle folk territory to an upbeat clap-along section and even a guitar solo to close things off.
While it’s his debut solo single, it’s fairly apparent that Gaurav Tophakhane can deliver a crowd-pleasing sound. ” He ranges his influences from Shawn Mendes, Travis, Mutemath, John Mayer and many more. He writes songs about incidents and people that shape his life which people can relate in their lives on a day to day basis. He is back with his latest track “Theher Ja” and that’s what we are reviewing here.
“There Ja” leans into a low-key groove accented by an array of percussive accents, forming a playfully mechanical backdrop against which Gaurav Topakhane delivers his soulful vocals.
The song moves at a steady pace, and its high melodic appeal helps its four and a half minutes slip by soon enough to encourage repeat listens.
In terms of its emotional identity, “Theher Ja” is characterized by a blend of beauty and darkness, its graceful melodies drifting across aggressive rhythm sections for a sound that is exhilarating but consistently underscored by a sense of melancholy. It’s the audio manifestation of what many of us dream about when we engage our visions of being in love in a neon-noir future: electronic elegance with slightly sad underpinnings. This is probably the song you will play while riding a Light Cycle in Tron’s Grid.
As far as synthwave goes, especially in India, “Theher Ja” is definitely one of the most immersive creations that we have heard so far. With “Theher Ja”, Gaurav Topakhane has held on to the traditional sounds of a genre while infusing it with his own unique style.
Come for the catchy synth melodies, beautiful ambiance, pounding beats and floating vocals, stay for multiple listens. Easily one of the best synthwave tracks in recent memory.
Verdict: Darkly melodic and imaginative.
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