Whether together or solo, singer-composer Kavita Seth and her son, vocalist, composer and producer Kanishk Seth have always been drawn to ancient poetry forms like nazms and ghazals. Their first album as a duo, for instance, was 2014’s pioneering fusion LP Trance with Khusrow, which paired the energy of Qawwali music with elevated electronic production. By that point, Kavita Seth had already become an established voice across multiple film soundtracks and carved out a name for herself as a performer who drew from Qawwali, Sufi poetry and other classical forms. Kanishk Seth, on the other hand, was only just beginning his journey, and that 2014 record set him off on a path that ultimately led to his popularity today. It’s usually a magical moment when the mother-and-son team get back together for a collaborative offering—in fact, they’ve done so several times since Trance, both on stage and in the studio. However, Dil Safar is arguably their most tenderly elevating creation yet. Where previous songs like 2020’s “Rangi Saari” and 2022’s “Saacha Sahib” have been energising and moving, the quartet of tracks on this EP are gentle and reflective—true to ghazal and nazm forms as they sing about devotion, unity and the different stages of love. Aided by unhurried guitars, dreamy sound design and relaxed rhythms, the songs on Dil Safar—each composed by Kavita and produced by Kanishk—take the listener on a hypnotic journey. There are words of longing, attraction, loss and rebellious love inspired by poets and lyricists both modern and timeless, including Kunwar Ranjeet Singh Chauhan (“Uss Dilnashi”), Dipti Misra (“Hai Toh Hai”), Faiz Ahmed Faiz (“Kab Thehrega”) and Jagdish Prakash (“Dard”). “We’ve chosen to work on some truly beautiful and powerful writing—and wholeheartedly created music that doesn't overpower the words but walks alongside them,” the duo tell Apple Music. Below, they take us through the songs of Dil Safar, track by track. “Uss Dilnashi” Kavita: “I first heard this ghazal by Kunwar Ranjeet Singh Chauhan at a mushaira [poetry gathering] almost a decade ago and it’s stayed with me ever since. When I eventually composed it, it didn’t feel planned at all—it just came to me. It’s one of those compositions that’s very close to my heart. I’ve realised that this often happens with me: Whenever I read poetry that really moves me, a melody starts forming on its own. And somehow, those are the melodies that linger the longest.” Kanishk: “I’d been listening to this ghazal for quite some time but it was during Covid—when [my mother] was doing unplugged sessions—that I heard her sing it. Something about the way she sang those lines just stirred something deep within me. After a while, I felt this strong urge to produce it myself. I wanted to explore it further, to give it a new space using interesting orchestral choices while still honouring its soul. My idea was to keep the sound ambient and expansive, yet firmly rooted in its essence.” “Hai Toh Hai” Kavita: “This is one of Dipti ji’s finest ghazals, from her book of the same name. For me, this ghazal says so much about what a woman feels—and honestly, it echoed exactly what I felt the first time I heard it. While working on it, I was very clear about one thing: Even though it’s a romantic song, it couldn’t sound delicate or apologetic. I wanted there to be a quiet rebellion in it—for love and for choice—almost like saying, ‘This is how I want to live and this is how I want to love: on my own terms.’” “Kab Thehrega” Kavita: “I composed this ghazal almost three decades ago when I was living in New Delhi. I’ve always loved performing it on stage—really sinking into that sense of longing that Faiz saab wrote so beautifully. Somehow, though, I never managed to record it back then. It just kept waiting—like the song! So it feels really special now, finally seeing this song take on a life of its own.” Kanishk: “When I was at Berklee Valencia, it really dawned on me that I was surrounded by some incredible musicians from all around the globe, and I needed to make the most of that. That’s when I decided to produce one of my favourite songs, something I’d practically grown up listening to. From there, it became a very careful process—thinking about every instrument, where it sits and how it could best support that feeling of longing in the song. It felt personal, almost like revisiting a piece of music that had been with me for a long time and giving it new life.” “Dard” Kavita: “My relationship with Jagdish Prakash has always been very special—he’s been like a father figure to me. That bond makes this nazm even more meaningful for me. What he’s written speaks about a kind of pain that’s universal—something we all go through at some point. The way he describes pain so intricately, using such deep metaphors, gives me goosebumps every time I sing or listen to it. I always choose this as the last song in my concerts because its weight stays with you. It’s one of those feelings that doesn’t fade quickly; it lingers long after the music ends.” Kanishk: “This is my favourite song from the EP. I clearly remember working on it and feeling quite certain, even at that stage, that the heart of the song had to be the guitar. I wanted the guitar motif to stay constant from start to finish, almost like a quiet companion that never leaves. Everything else came later. The violin, the strings, all of it was arranged very carefully, not to overpower anything, but to gently lift the poetry and give the vocals the space they needed to breathe. For me, it was always about letting the words and the emotion lead, and building the music around that feeling.”