Most composers and musicians place the value of melody and rhythm over lyrics. For singer-composer Shalmali Kholgade words are key. The 32-year-old’s new seven-track album, 2X Side B has a groovy, up-tempo rhythm  driving a storyline that marks a shift in her compositional style.

The album that was released on October 31 is a follow-up to her earlier release, 2X Side A, which arrived in 2021. Also composed and produced during the lockdown, the second album has a more intense focus on the theme of love and its nuances. It is a journey that Kholgade is enjoying. “I have realised that my high is actually coming up with music.”