Kotti Hamsa by Ali Akbar

Few songs from 2020 have held their ground as well as Kotti Hamsa, a track that keeps finding new audiences. Behind the melody is the work of T K Abu, whose composition choices give Kotti Hamsa its distinctive texture.

Ali Akbar brings a warmth to Kotti Hamsa that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Kotti Hamsa finds its musical expression here — Kotti Hamsa is where the film's heart beats loudest.

The song dates from 2020, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. Kotti Hamsa is the song for the end of a long day when you want music that understands something without being asked to explain it.

Running to 3:39, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. It is, at the end of it, a very good song — and sometimes that is the only explanation that matters.