Junile Nilamazhayil by Sujatha Mohan, K.J. Yesudas

Few songs from 2020 have held their ground as well as Junile Nilamazhayil, a track that keeps finding new audiences. M. Jayachandran has a history of strong work, and the music on Junile Nilamazhayil is among the most memorable of it.

The vocal on Junile Nilamazhayil is among the better performances Sujatha Mohan, K.J. Yesudas has committed to record. a talented ensemble cast gave the film its soul, and Junile Nilamazhayil is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

In 2020, Malayalam produced many songs, but Junile Nilamazhayil was one of the handful that genuinely cut through. Listeners have described the experience of Junile Nilamazhayil differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 4:48, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Years from now, Junile Nilamazhayil will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.