10 Best Indian Albums Of 2020

This year saw the return of stalwart indie bands, representation in hip-hop, banging debuts and more

- Anurag Tagat, David Britto and Nirmika Singh

10. Protocol – Friar’s Lantern

Protocol delivered a smashing and spellbinding debut album

Mumbai prog-rock band Protocol delivered a smashing and spellbinding debut album with the eight-track Friar’s Lantern this year. The band – comprising guitarists Sandesh Rao and Desikan Gopalan, keyboardist Rahul Kannan, drummer Nachiket Karekar, vocalist Shweta Venkatramani and bassist Rajiv Menon (the group’s former bassist Vivian D’Souza played on the LP) – pull you into the record right from the dynamic opening track “An Honest Conversation.” As the album progresses the band juxtaposes hard-hitting sounds with delicate somberness on “Wait Until Tomorrow,” they unlock growls from Gopalan on “Gullible Child” featuring Mumbai guitarist Siddharth Shankar while “Dawn of Truth” also includes splendid dynamics. Friar’s Lantern offers gradual climaxes (“Swipe Left,” “Imaginary Fire”) as well as mathcore delight on “Goodnight, Swweet Dreams.” The full weight of the album, however, is felt on the melancholic record closer “Perfection.” – D.B.

9. Girish And The Chronicles – Rock the Highway

Bold, unflinching and unadulterated metal that’s fun