Neelaponmaane by Vineeth Sreenivasan, Swetha Mohan, Shaan

There is an honesty to Neelaponmaane that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. Shaan's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

Vineeth Sreenivasan, Swetha Mohan, Shaan brings a warmth to Neelaponmaane that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Suresh Gopi, Bala, Megha Nair, Sandhya gave the film its soul, and Neelaponmaane is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

2010 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Neelaponmaane was among the reasons why. There is a quality to Neelaponmaane that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

In 4:47 minutes, Neelaponmaane builds, opens up, and resolves in a way that feels complete rather than truncated. For anyone yet to hear Neelaponmaane, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.