Manikanda Namam by Vaikkam Vijayalakshmi

Manikanda Namam is one of those rare Malayalam tracks that manages to feel both fresh and familiar the moment it begins. Behind the melody is the work of Punalur Shyamnadh, whose composition choices give Manikanda Namam its distinctive texture.

The vocal on Manikanda Namam is among the better performances Vaikkam Vijayalakshmi has committed to record. a talented ensemble cast are at the heart of Manikanda Namam, and Manikanda Namam captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

By the end of 2020, Manikanda Namam had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

The concision of Manikanda Namam — just 4:57 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.