Kanno Nilakayal by Najim Arshad, B.K. Harinarayanan, Nadhirshah

Some songs are made for a single moment. Kanno Nilakayal is made for all of them. Nadhirshah, Najim Arshad, B.K. Harinarayanan has a history of strong work, and the music on Kanno Nilakayal is among the most memorable of it.

Najim Arshad, B.K. Harinarayanan, Nadhirshah inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. Featuring a talented ensemble cast, the song carries the weight of the film's emotional arc and delivers it with conviction.

2019 marked the release of Oru Yamandan Premakadha, and Kanno Nilakayal was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. There is a quality to Kanno Nilakayal that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

Running to 3:42, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Songs like Kanno Nilakayal are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.