Alif Se - Mr. X by Ankit Tiwari, Neeti Mohan

There is an honesty to Alif Se - Mr. X that separates it from most Hindi songs released around the same time. Ankit Tiwari built the instrumental foundation carefully here — every element earns its place in the mix.

Every line Ankit Tiwari, Neeti Mohan sings feels considered, as though the performance was thought through long before recording began. Emraan Hashmi, Amyra Dastur are at the heart of Mr. X, and Alif Se - Mr. X captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

2015 was a strong year for Hindi music, and Alif Se - Mr. X was among the reasons why. There is a quality to Alif Se - Mr. X that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

The 4:37 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. Years from now, Alif Se - Mr. X will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.