Ei Manush by Bodhaditya Bandhopadhyay

Released as part of Ei Manush, Ei Manush announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. Anindya Sundar Chakraborty's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

The performance by Bodhaditya Bandhopadhyay is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. a talented ensemble cast are at the heart of Ei Manush, and Ei Manush captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

2016 was a strong year for Bengali music, and Ei Manush was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Ei Manush differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

At 3:39, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Bengali in recent memory — and the numbers agree.