Chamundikkavile by M.G. Suresh

There is an honesty to Chamundikkavile that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. Hari Ettumanoor sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

M.G. Suresh understood what this song required and delivered it without excess — the restraint itself becomes the emotion. For fans of a talented ensemble cast, Chamundikkavile is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Chamundikkavile was among the reasons why. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

The concision of Chamundikkavile — just 5:17 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Songs like Chamundikkavile are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.