Diamond by Gurnam Bhullar

Released as part of Diamond, Diamond announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. The arrangement here is the work of Ikwinder Singh, and it shows genuine craft in how it builds and releases.

Gurnam Bhullar delivers the lyrics with a nuance that turns an already strong song into something genuinely moving. For fans of a talented ensemble cast, Diamond is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

2018 was a strong year for Punjabi music, and Diamond was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Diamond differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The concision of Diamond — just 4:00 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. The track stands as evidence that Gurnam Bhullar and Ikwinder Singh, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.