Hear Shrae’s Debut Experimental Jazz/R&B Single ‘A Game For Two’

Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Shrea Suresh aka Shrae. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Like the many places she’s lived in, namely Kerala, Mangaluru, Chennai, Singapore, and now Mumbai, singer-songwriter Shrea Suresh aka Shrae’s taste in music is also quite diverse. From rock to pop and even jazz, the musician has exposed herself to all kinds of genres. She says, “I started exploring sub-genres of jazz. Neo-soul, jazz blues, soul, and funk. As I started performing in Bombay with different musicians, especially my band Jazzafools, I learned a lot and decided that this genre suited me the most and I wanted to pursue it more seriously.”

That’s exactly what Shrae has gone and done with the recent release of her effervescent debut single “A Game For Two.” The artist wrote the new song last year after having the track’s main vocal riff stuck in her head. “I had a whole melodic section and chords ready, heavily influenced by experimental jazz, artists such as Jorja Smith, Esperanza Spalding and Erykah Badu,” says Shrae. She adds, “Hence, I chose to write lyrics which I resonated the most to at that point in my life, having been in a complicated equation with someone romantically, and the song talks about this generation’s obsession with toxic, casual and complicated relationships and how I did not relate to it one bit. It’s more of a diss than a description of the situation.”

Sonically, “A Game For Two” draws plenty from jazz and R&B. The track includes elegant brass parts, vocal scats, scintillating guitar and keyboard work as well as rhythmic drum variations. The cherry on the cake, however, is the singer’s crisp and clear vocals that shine brightly across the song.

Shrae recorded the song at Ahmedabad’s Compas Box Studio and it was produced by Raag Sethi who also contributed guitar and bass parts for the track. “A Game For Two” also includes drummer Shivang Kapadia, saxophonist/flutist Harmish Joshi and keyboardist Nayan Kapadiya. Protyoy Chakraborty mixed and mastered the song. 

While a music video for the song is in the pipeline, Shrae plans on performing the track online as well as doing an acoustic version of it. Currently deciding on the university she should attend for her Master’s Education in Jazz, the singer-songwriter informs us that “A Game For Two” will be included as part of her forthcoming debut EP. Shrae says, “The EP again is experimental jazz and neo-soul-based.” 

Stream “A Game For Two” on Spotify below and on other platforms.