Volume One starts off with “No Hero”, a mellow heartfelt ballad that showcases Meera’s distinctive vocals that displays her South Asian roots. Built over rich cinematic pads, Sitar plucks and rumbling percussions, the record sees Meera sharing her disappointment with someone whom she looked up to. Armed with her laidback melodic drawl, she delivers a commanding performance ripe with admonishing lyrics like “You’re so shallow
Your mind is narrow/ All your promises Ring hollow”. This is followed by “There was a Time”, a bubbly feel-good record that is made up of layered harmonies and solemn guitar plucks with soft percussions underpinned by Meera’s commanding vocals. Here, Meera displays her bi-linguality as she sings in both English and Bengali which adds an extra layer of versatility. The song dwells on love, nostalgia and the power to heal after enduring heartbreak and pain. Most of the song sees her reflecting on the good times she had but at the time she found the resolve to start the healing process as she asserts with the lines “Your shattered dreams, My broken heart, But this will never, Tear us apart/ You can be my armor/ I will be your anchor, aaa/ We can heal together, aaa, Birds of a feather”.
On “Truth is”, Meeraz takes us into a dreamy state of being stuck in a cycle after a heartbreak and not being able to move on. The production really sets the tone with its ethereal pads, and rich South Asian-infused elements that range from percussions, guitar plucks and melancholic strings. Her vocals sure sound different here and she employs a laidback, lilting melodic style to convey her thoughts and feelings of sadness. Lines like “Obsessed and heartbroken,say what you want/ This love will eviscerate/ My peace of mind” fully encapsulate her emotions and she gives listeners a heart-wrenching performance with relatable elements. The project closes out with the Instrumental version of “No Hero” which is quite pleasant and perfect for one’s meditative playlist.
Overall with just 3 tracks and one instrumental track, Volume One is brief, concise and does what it sets out to do. Meera knows her strengths and stays in her pocket with her commanding melodic vocals and the use of layered production techniques, she was able to draw from her Bengali background and use it extensively with contemporary elements without sounding forced or hackneyed.
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