Derived from her coronavirus lockdown The Green Room Sessions, Mumbai, India’s Kamakshi Khanna explores modern loneliness with her new EP Heartbreak 2020.

By Graeme Smith

Though new to us, Kamakshi has been lighting up the Indian indie music scene for some time. Connecting with her fans on a deeply personal level, she’s won support at home and around the world.

As you might guess from its title, her new EP Heartbreak 2020 is all about relationships, and the stories of each track draw from real-life situations in which Kamakshi has found herself. The title also plays on the idea of hindsight being “20/20” as Kamakshi looks back on mistakes and regrets.

I Blew It! introduces the concept perfectly, speaking of an awkward first impression with its lyrics, delivered delicately yet passionately by Kamakshi’s vocals. A driving and floating indie pop instrumental creates the perfect emotional backdrop, and it simply demands that you move along. It’s a vibrant start.

Love Is Not A Fucking Game takes things in an acoustic direction, and its stripped-back instrumental provides plenty of space for the heart-breaking story of its lyrics. Tourist continues in the same vein, combining strummed strings with lyrical longing before ramping up the emotion through a soul pop arrangement. Title track Heartbreak 2020 closes the EP with a lighter sound, an infectious groove, soaring vocals and plenty of catharsis.

Kamakshi’s new EP is pop perfection, showcasing a sound that goes from bright to devastating. The quality of her vocals are second to none, and her relatable and astute song-writing means she has tracks that are utterly irresistible. You’ll definitely be a fan after listening to this EP.

Heartbreak 2020 was produced by Kamakshi with Pranay Parti, Anhad Khanna and Raag Sethi. It was mixed by Keshav Dhar, Anhad Khanna and Protyay Chakraborty, and mastered by Shawn Hatfield and Mukul Jain. It’s out now and you can check it out below.