Kanunnu Njan by Justin Philipos

There is an honesty to Kanunnu Njan that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. The production by Justin Philipos, Goutham Vincent is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

Justin Philipos's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. Hearing Kanunnu Njan without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Kanunnu Njan.

Released in 2020, it arrived at a time when Malayalam music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. There is no right time to listen to Kanunnu Njan. There is only the moment you press play and realise it was the right choice.

At 3:50, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. Years from now, Kanunnu Njan will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.