Saahil Bhargava was last heard with the powerful anthem Kohima, a tribute to the brave warriors of the Battle of Kohima. What was interesting about this track was the sheer storytelling it relied on.

At a time when every artist is trying to acquire an autobiographical tone in their lyrics, they might also end up being generic at times in their exploration of themes such as heartbreak or coming-of-age.

Now, the generic nature would obviously pop up at times given how these themes are so universal and relatable. Bhargava’s songs, on the other hand, seem to draw on others’ stories rather than his own. And while this formula does end up being pretentious if not executed well, Bhargava’s effort is definitely noteworthy.

Kohima is a part of his newly-released EP Ronin, an amusing amalgamation of different stories and moods. For instance, the titular track dwells on the morality of violence and the difference between what is right and wrong from the perspective of a Japanese samurai. At times, these warriors could serve feudal lords and take their orders.

A samurai would be an ideal candidate if he followed these orders but are these orders always morally correct? And if they weren’t, would a samurai be going against his duty if he defied such orders? These are the questions that Ronin seems to unravel.

The track is preceded by an instrumental intro called Overture that makes good use of an Oriental production, that suits the Japanese context. This is then followed by the aforementioned Ronin which then gives way for Mama, a fast-paced rock number that is told from the perspective of a self-destructive woman.

Once emotionally abused by her own mother, she goes on to walk in the same footsteps leaving a negative impact on her own family in the future. The track is an important reminder of how the toxic traits of parents can pass on to children in such unhealthy households.

This pace is then contrasted with Wind that is written from a more ambient perspective. Wind features the final thoughts of a dying man who is coming to terms with his fate. Wind’s peaceful notions of death are again flipped drastically with Kohima closing the EP. As mentioned earlier, Kohima is heavy on energy and captures the intensity of the Second World War on the soldiers who took part in it.

Such analysis of each track tells us that Sahil Bhargava’s EP is quite a mixed back or rather an anthology of different emotions and experiences. Even though these aren’t his own lived experiences, it’s good to hear an artist who is trying to pursue serious storytelling in indie music. The multi-instrumental arrangement for every track is definitely atmospheric enough but it is Bhargava’s concept and vision that takes center stage.

Verdict: A well-assorted set of songs that showcase Sahil Bhargava’s storytelling skills.

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