Music Review: Maalai Pozhudhin Mayakathilaey

Not even two months have passed, and already I am overwhelmed by the quality of music this year. Composer Achu's Maalai Pozhudhin Mayakathilaey is one phenomenal soundtrack that you definitely wouldn't want to miss. With so much auto-tuning, Oh Baby Girl could easily pass off for a G. V. Prakash or Yuvan Shankar Raja song, but it's undeniably catchy and Hemachandra's sprightly vocals add a zingy twist to it. Haricharan sinks his teeth into Yaaro Ivalo, an immensely tuneful melody, while the mellifluous Yen Uyirey, appearing in three versions, is the OST's centrepiece.

The first, sung by the ever dependable Karthik, resorts to a lovely blend of veena and flute to create an absolute bliss of a tune; the second Unplugged too works very well, thanks to its minimalist piano/saxophone instrumentation and Bombay Jayashri's fantastic vocals. The guitar'y Reprise sung by K. S. Chithra proves to be equally good, giving the track a new dimension. The three versions themselves couldn't have been better if not for the first-class lyrics by actor Rohini.

Backed by a wonderful tune and an impressive guitar work, the composer reserves himself the best with Yaen Indha Dhideer. Nerathin Neram Yellam is nicely arranged, alongside a voice-over from Narayan Nagendra Rao (who also happens to be the director of the movie), as Chinmayi hums away in the background. Sriram Parthasarathy aids the melodious Kadal Karayiley big time and the sparsely arranged MPM Theme makes for an exceptional listen, with the pauses adding a great effect. Maalai Pozhudhin Mayakathilaey is a spellbinding soundtrack that works very well as a wholesome package; a ground-breaking, standout debut by Achu.