Homegrown Handpicked: A Playlist Of Our Favourite Releases From June 2026

As we enter this era of "extreme feminism", like some people like to call it, I'd like to point out a section of culture that is still left largely unchecked. Rap and hip-hop have maintained a unique cultural immunity where misogyny is not only excused but frequently celebrated, provided it is delivered over a catchy beat. While there has been some pushback — most famously in the 1990s when legendary singer Dionne Warwick called an early morning meeting with artists like Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur to confront them, demanding they say the word 'bitch' to her face — there is still a lot of objectification that is allowed to exist is a rap song to this day in 'good fun'.

Fans never had a problem with all the sex in hip-hop until women started doing it and suddenly it became "too much". But I am quite proud of this genre I have come to call as 'ratchet rap' — where women talk about being fucked — unapologetic and seen in both their desires and being desired by men. It's filthy, graphic, and often outrageous. I, personally, have a lot of fun objectifying men the way they did women all this while. I see how it can and make one feel powerful.

I also see how it can finally make fans question the kind of shit we listen to. Artists like Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, KenTheMan, and Yung Miami among others are here to give the mighty old machismo a taste of its own medicine, while being downright hilarious. Although there is an argument to be had about the 'artistic' nature of such music, (also rooted in class btw), I still think it redeems itself in its subversion of gendered expectations. Ratchet rap to me is the same as the 'hooker with the heart of gold' archetype that might be garish in appearance but is driven by a more political and noble purpose.

Here's our playlist of handpicked releases from the month of June:

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of his landmark album 'Duniya Kya Hai,' Lapgan is bringing together a group of producer collaborators for a remix EP that reimagines some of the album's standout tracks. For the 'Rodeo' remix, the first release from the EP, Arushi Jain reworks the original bassline on her synthesizers, reshapes the saxophone and Hindi vocals into layered melodic textures, and builds an entirely new drum palette from synthesized sounds."I was chasing a more feverish, wanting version of the song — one that channels the same feeling of epic love, but turned alllll the way up," shares Arushi. The track comes with a visualizer by polymath and frequent Lapgan collaborator, Daku.

Bangalore-based six-piece band Space Is All We Have has built its sound around alternative, post-rock, and electro influences, blending delayed clean guitars, orchestral strings, and electronic breakdowns into immersive, cinematic songs. Their latest album, Kill Konscience, continues that journey with 12-track record, among which 'Mafia' leans on the more melodic side with its electro-heavy production and a plea to dive deeper into your truth that what appears on the surface.

Peekay’s new track explores the friction of maintaining a chaotic double life, framing internal duality as both an emotional breakdown and a pathway to spiritual transformation. Visually anchored by the stark contrast between a dark gothic aesthetic and a pink e-girl persona, the song captures the exhausting fragmentation that comes from navigating polarized identities. Ultimately, this destruction of artificial personas allows the singer to transcend the internal conflict, trading the chaos of a divided self for a humbled, unified, and authentic existence.

Paal Dabba's new single 'Cheese' comes from a place of personal growth after years of dealing with criticism, expectations, and the constant scrutiny that comes with being in the public eye. Produced by Tony James, the track took shape the moment Dabba heard the beat, giving him the perfect space to express a new mindset. Over a funky production, the track captures the freedom of letting go of other people's opinions, speaking your truth without looking for validation, and embracing whatever feels honest in the moment.

Ravana is a prolific New Delhi-based artist who's been producing and performing for 15+ years. His music shows us new modes of distortion, drum n bass and Indian percussion through a dubby and politically charged audio cannon. In his latest album, '808 Mutiny,' the artist draws upon the dreams of India's political leaders through a deep, medititave and ambient industrial bass. The opening track, 'A tryst with destiny' uses the sample of Jawaharlal Nehru's iconic speech from the eve of India's independence.

Misfits Inc.'s 'Not Dead Yet: it's aLive! The Compilation Vol. 1' brings together 22 live recordings from artists who have been part of the Not Dead Yet gig series at antiSOCIAL, Mumbai, over the past four years. Featuring everyone from indie veterans to emerging names, the compilation captures the energy of live performance across rock, hip-hop, folk, electronica, pop, and more, serving as a snapshot of India's independent music scene and a tribute to the artists, audiences, and venue that helped shape it. Mumbai pop-rock band The Colour Compound's track 'Unbecome' is among my favourites in the album.

Taking its name from the Urdu word faarigh, which can mean idle, free, unhurried, unfinished, or at leisure, Ankur Tewari's upcoming album reflects on the pressure to get things right, the fear of beginning, and the distractions people lean on to postpone looking inward. Opening the record is '1:15 AM (After Hours),' a late-night portrait of Bandra that follows the familiar rhythm of friends, music, crowded streets, rooftop conversations, and the comfort of staying out until dawn. Carried by a warm, contemporary sound, the track captures the feeling of getting swept up in the city's energy as a way of holding difficult thoughts at bay for just a little while.

Cartel Madras return with 'EVIDENT 2 ME', their first release since 2021's The Serpent & The Tiger and the first glimpse of a new album due in 2027. Produced by Toronto's Jide, the track brings together intelligent DnB, jungle influences, industrial textures, and the duo's signature rap flows to create a cinematic sound that feels constantly in motion. Described by Eboshi and Contra as a manifesto for their new sound and creative universe, 'EVIDENT 2 ME' arrives after four years of reshaping their music and serves as their 'protest against the inane' and a statement of where they're headed next.

In his upcoming album, 'Pinocchio,' Vadodara-based musician Shashwat Bulusu weaves a bittersweet autobiography disguised as a fairy tale, using the story of Pinocchio to explore what it takes to become human through themes of illusion, survival, shame, love, and acceptance. Blending shoegaze, art rock, electronica, and poetic songwriting, the album's title track, 'Life and Times of Pinocchio', follows a boy who hides behind lies until they become his way of surviving, before finally surrendering to the sea in a moment of acceptance, transformation, and rebirth.

Shipperman's new single 'Guli' — named after the Konkani word for 'pill' —is a reworking of the band's very first song, and offers a glimpse of the direction their music is taking. Moving away from their indie folk beginnings, the track leans into post-rock with layers of guitars, synths, bass, and horns. It pairs soaring melodies with darker instrumentation before building towards the repeated line, "These pills don't lie. This must be true.", capturing the emotional highs, doubts, and revelations at the heart of the song.

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