Homegrown Handpicked: A Playlist Of Our Favourite Tracks From July 2025

I’ve been listening to The Velvet Sundown, Yes the AI band that started making the rounds on the internet. And to be honest, they (or it) wasn't bad. It checks all the boxes: a hallucinatory blend of psychedelic rock, folk‑rock, indie, and alt‑pop, with shimmering textures that somehow feel familiar. And yet despite giving it a fair chance, I couldn't help but notice how empty it felt. In the end it was just an echo; a far removed copy of something that existed long ago. It didn't have the wild, untamed magic of Pink Floyd or the wiry cool of The Velvet Underground — it just borrows their outlines without the raw imagination or intent that made them unforgettable.

And that's the one thing it will always lack — the spark that comes from lived experience. Björk once spoke against the critics of electronic music saying that if it lacks soul, it's because no one put it there — and the same holds true for AI. It might replicate sound patterns, but the soul isn't in the code; it's in the hand that guides it. And it will always be limited to a tool unable to be complete without significant human touch.

Meanwhile, here are our favourite releases from the month that's passed. This is a playlist of (real) artists who are carving out their own sonic language across genres, from lovesick R&B to rage-fueled post-hardcore.

Yelhomie’s 'We Outside' is a hard-hitting track that confronts state violence, media erasure, and cultural marginalisation in conflict-torn Manipur. Produced by Seej, it fuses the grit of hip-hop with tribal war cries, log drums, and Indigenous chants to create a sound that’s both militant and ceremonial. The track’s themes of identity, ancestral memory, and political resistance come through especially in its haunting outro — a spiritual call in Ancient Meitei-lon that urges the people of Manipur to awaken and raise up against injustice.

Marking a major milestone, Dynamite Disco Club’s 50th release comes in the form of Dynamite Cuts Vol. 1 — a four-track sampler that reflects the label’s dancefloor-first ethos and its evolving sonic identity. From deep house cuts to Afro disco pulses, the compilation celebrates groove in all its forms. Closing out the release is 'Dancin’ by SourFunk, a standout track that channels the golden era of disco with Chic-inspired guitar licks, buoyant basslines, and sweeping string arrangements.

Peekay’s latest single explores dissociation, escape, and the emotional toll of feeling unseen. Led by frontwoman Pranati Khanna, the track blends melodic vocals with heavy guitars, crashing drums, and guttural screams to capture the volatility of mental disconnection. Opening with stacked harmonies and grunge-tinged guitar, it builds into an explosive chorus and a guttural breakdown that channels desperation and defiance in equal measure.

The title track from Catatonic's newly released EP 'Metanoia' delivers a dose of melodic post‑hardcore grounded in resilience and transformation. Blending influences from bands like Title Fight and Touche Amore with touches of indie‑rock reminiscent of The Cure and Interpol, the track balances jagged guitars with more refined songwriting and moody atmospherics. Metanoia grapples with themes of loss, existential conflict, and emotional upheaval, turning personal and collective crisis into anthemic catharsis.

The latest single by the masked New Delhi artist CZAR HAZAR, is a searing meditation on the tension between fame and authenticity. Shot against the dunes of Pushkar, the video features choreography by movement artist Mishka Garg and draws on Homer’s 'Odyssey' to explore themes of escapism, identity, and transformation. Sonically, the track fuses industrial sounds with electronic textures and dissonant grooves, echoing the chaotic pulse of urban life. As CZAR HAZAR sheds old selves in search of something real, 'LOTUS EATER' becomes both personal reckoning and cultural commentary, setting the tone for his upcoming 'EP EL GRECO', a genre-defying exploration of return, exile, and rebirth.

Nida Siddiqui’s 'Glimpses' unfolds as an introspective blend of acoustic warmth, soft harmonies, and delicate piano, with Nida’s gentle yet emotionally rich vocals. Co-written and performed with Derric D’souza, the track reflects on the restlessness of constant movement and dislocation. It's rooted in Nida’s own shifting upbringing and is, as she calls it, “one of the truest songs I have ever written.”

Kjo’s 'Oh!' is a club-ready banger that blends sharp lyricism with a slick production and an infectious, carefree vibe. Recorded at the legendary Powerstation at Berklee NYC, the track pulses with a bouncing rhythm that’s built for dancefloors, car rides, and everything in between. With a background in songwriting and music production from Berklee College of Music, Kjo draws from a global palette, navigating contemporary culture with flair while staying rooted in the streets that shaped him.

Kitanu, Delhi’s genre-bending sarod rock band, returns with a new track , melding the ferocity of hard rock and a brooding riff born from the band’s early jams, with intricate fingerpicked sarod lines. 'Carcasses' delves into emotional fragmentation and existential chaos, examining what it means to shed one's former self — physically, and emotionally. The lyrics are sharp and spare, loaded with meaning, while the soundscape is aggressive, meditative, and unapologetically strange.

Pinkshift’s new single, 'Vacant', hits like a cheeky punk-rock snapshot of disillusionment, anchored by groove-heavy instrumentation and an urgency. Drawing on their punk roots, the track features a breakdown inspired by grunge jam aesthetics rather than hardcore or metalcore. The sound is immediate: pounding drums, gritty guitar riffs, and tight hooks, giving it both nostalgia and freshness, while the video is a lighthearted late-night dance party that lets their individual personalities shine through.

Rivu’s 'Dinosaurs' is a shape-shifting sonic meditation on grief, structured around the five stages of the Kübler-Ross model. Weaving through progressive rock, alt-pop, jazz, and ambient electronica, the EP reflects on the emotional murkiness of loss with a cinematic quality. It’s a deeply personal work that departs from the artist’s earlier synthwave narratives, instead channeling lived experiences through genre experiments that mirror the disorientation of mourning. The opener, 'You’re Not Lazy', sets the tone with a soft, dreamy pop sound that captures the hazy denial of early grief.

Powered by warm melodies and conversational vocals that mix Bengali and English, 'TOMARI JONNE' is a compact, emotionally-charged alternative hip-hop track. Its production leans into hooky, synth-laced textures and a groove-driven beat that supports lyrics soaked in longing — questioning connection, desire, and unrequited love. The vocal interplay on the track captures the frustration and affection we often show towards a loved one.

Mary Ann Alexander’s latest bright and bittersweet pop track captures the emotional whiplash of modern situationships. Anchored by bouncy rhythms, clean hooks, and a chorus that sticks instantly, the track balances emotional honesty with sonic playfulness. The lyrics cut through the confusion with wit and self-awareness, tracing the loop of desire, doubt, and bad decisions.

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