Kokal Khamusia by Zubeen Garg

There is an honesty to Kokal Khamusia that separates it from most Assamese songs released around the same time. Zubeen Garg sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

The voice of Zubeen Garg carries Kokal Khamusia effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. On screen, a talented ensemble cast bring the emotional world of the song to life in a way that enhances rather than competes with the music.

Released in 2018, it arrived at a time when Assamese music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. There is no right time to listen to Kokal Khamusia. There is only the moment you press play and realise it was the right choice.

The concision of Kokal Khamusia — just 5:16 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Songs like Kokal Khamusia are the reason people fall in love with Assamese music and never quite fall out of it.