A lush vocal harmony. A volley of slightly electrified strings. Simple beats that slide into focus on a whimsical rhythm. This is “#2020,” the new single from part-time pop group and full-time family Avni Vir Vineet, and to say that it’s an aesthetically amalgamative track would be simply too big an understatement for any credible critic to make. Here, we find shades of reggae, R&B as well as contemporary Indian and American pop music mixed into a singular cocktail as intoxicating as a summer’s setting sun, but despite the contrasting tones and components within the construction of this song, there’s scarcely a moment where everything from the instrumentation to the vocals and the sheer quality of the production itself sounds even slightly non-cohesive. Avni Vir Vineet exploit all of their unique attributes for everything they’re worth in this release, and although “#2020” comes in at a modest three and a half minutes in total running time, its extended swing and massive melodicism tends to linger in the air long after its percussive pulse has ceased to beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG7BnEHmzqk
As far as its master mix is concerned, “#2020” has one of the more sublimely well-produced stylizations of any indie studio cut I’ve heard this season. There’s a little bit of separation between the layers in the vocal harmony, which creates the illusion of space in the backend of the track without ever robbing the bassline of its presence (a key element in making the chorus as powerful as it ultimately is in this instance). Avni Vir Vineet steer clear of any over the top synthetic parts here, and I appreciate their doing so; after all, with singing as soft and sweet as what they’ve included in this song, there really doesn’t need to by any augmented portions of the instrumental melody. Instead of cluttering this single with a lot of excesses that would have best been kept on the sidelines, they’re staying with the simple, tried and true recipe for success that laid the foundation for the modern pop model over a generation ago – and still managing to put a one of a kind spin on things.
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With a chemistry as strong as their family bond is, Avni Vir Vineet deliver an exceptional introduction to the New Year in their stunning new single, and I have a feeling it’s going to get a lot of everyone – from critics to fans and stalwarts within the industry – talking as 2020 begins to take shape. Littered with a surreally-styled set of vocals and some rigid grooves that almost anyone can bust a move to, “#2020” is an exciting track from a very intriguing trio of musicians well on their way to making a significant impact this year and beyond, and if it manages to get into steady rotation anywhere on the dial between India and the United States, I think it will likely influence the direction of their career together significantly. It’s a thrilling time to be a fan of contemporary pop, and bands like this one are precisely the reason why.
Jodi Marxbury