My Sorrowful Roots by Basil C.J.

My Sorrowful Roots is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. The music, composed by Basil C.J., carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

The performance by Basil C.J. is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. The chemistry of a talented ensemble cast is embedded in every moment of My Sorrowful Roots, making it as much a performance as a song.

2020 marked the release of My Sorrowful Roots, and My Sorrowful Roots was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. There is a quality to My Sorrowful Roots that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

At 3:45, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.