Familiarity in the unlikeliest of places can be a delight. It evokes a sense of belonging; the memory of an invisible bond that connects individuals. The first sound of the nadaswaram in the single Yazhiha by Vidya Iyer AKA Vidya Vox hit this writer with such an evocation. The wind instrument pops up in the track that marks the finale of the singer’s latest EP Sundari; a product of ‘healing and self-discovery’ as she puts it.

The six-track EP that was released on April 10 marks a return for the Los Angeles-based singer after her last major collection, Mad Dreams in 2019. She is quick to point out that she has been busy with releases in Thalaivi (2020) and more recently, Shubha mangalyam (2023) and Kakarattan (2023), albeit singles.