Sree Shanka by Madhu Balakrishnan

Madhu Balakrishnan has delivered memorable performances before, but Sree Shanka sits comfortably among the very best. What makes Sree Shanka musically distinctive is the composition by Alleppy Ranganath, which balances simplicity with depth.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Sree Shanka, Madhu Balakrishnan clearly belongs in the second group. a talented ensemble cast gave the film its soul, and Sree Shanka is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Sree Shanka was among the reasons why. The song rewards full attention but also works as company in the background — a flexibility that most tracks never achieve.

The concision of Sree Shanka — just 5:25 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. The track stands as evidence that Madhu Balakrishnan and Alleppy Ranganath, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.