Chanthamerum by Akmal

Chanthamerum is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Hussain Cheroor sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

Akmal brings a warmth to Chanthamerum that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Hearing Chanthamerum without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Chanthamerum.

2020 marked the release of Chanthamerum, and Chanthamerum was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. It fits the playlist for almost any occasion, which is rare — most songs have a narrow emotional window. This one does not.

The 3:53 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. It is, at the end of it, a very good song — and sometimes that is the only explanation that matters.