Manam Kalangeedumbol by Ansa Therese Mathew

Released as part of Manam Kalangeedumbol, Manam Kalangeedumbol announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. The production by Pavithran Amachal is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

The vocal on Manam Kalangeedumbol is among the better performances Ansa Therese Mathew has committed to record. The chemistry of a talented ensemble cast is embedded in every moment of Manam Kalangeedumbol, making it as much a performance as a song.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Manam Kalangeedumbol was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Manam Kalangeedumbol differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 5:28 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.