Right from its opening seconds, Kush Upadhyay‘s single Comatose sets up a nostalgic soft-rock sonic aesthetic. The percussion (courtesy of Jai Row Kavi), in particular, is bound to induce nostalgia within people who grew up listening to rock in the early 2000s.
Whether this style is intentional or just a matter of coincidence, we don’t know but it still serves as a fresh detour from an otherwise cliched and largely stagnant rock and indie-pop scene.
As for featured vocalist Anubha Kaul, the songstress weaves fluid, drawly lines that perfectly gels well with the atmospheric production. Upadhyay’s guitars come off as another highlight of the track and his electric and acoustic solos and licks are ambient enough to stand out.
The Bombay-based composer’s USP has always been his guitaring skills as is evident from his previous discography and his Instagram posts. In Comatose, he bears testimony to this fact yet again. Be it an early morning run or a late-night drive, Upadhyay’s guitaring skills are bound to make you all roused-up and energetic. It might not sound like the most unique indie release in recent times but it is most definitely a fresh and original effort.
Verdict: Comatose benefits greatly from Kush Upadhyay’s guitaring wizardry and Anubha Kaul’s breezy vocal prowess.
