Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male by Arijit Singh

Not every song from Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male lingers, but Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male is the one that stays. The production by Indradeep Dasgupta is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

Arijit Singh brings a warmth to Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. The chemistry of a talented ensemble cast is embedded in every moment of Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male, making it as much a performance as a song.

2014 was a strong year for Bengali music, and Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Ei Bhalo Ei Kharap Male differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 4:22 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.