Pandala by Naseeb Pathiriyal

Pandala is one of those rare Malayalam tracks that manages to feel both fresh and familiar the moment it begins. The production by Mikhdam Pathiriyal is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Pandala, Naseeb Pathiriyal clearly belongs in the second group. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Pandala a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

2020 marked the release of Pandala, and Pandala was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. Listeners have described the experience of Pandala differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 1:32 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. Songs like Pandala are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.