Music Briefs: Big Brother, Chhapaak, Disco Raja, Entha Manchivaadavuraa, My Santa, Panga, Street Dancer 3D, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior & Uriyadi
New music from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Thaman, Deepak Dev, Vidyasagar, Tanishk Bagchi and more...
Chhapaak - The title song is a brooding stunner and it's as much a showcase of Arijit's vocal firepower as it's of Naveen's flute and Tapas Roy's use of rubab and oud. Siddharth Mahadevan sounds almost like his father (Shankar Mahadevan, that is, in case you missed the connection) in the breezy, warm Nok Jhok, with Sanjay Divecha's guitars lifting the melody to soaring heights. Khulne Do is by turns accompanied by thunderous strings and a gentle layer of tabla (Abhay Rumde), not to mention a heart-wrenching rendition from Arijit Singh. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy open 2020 with a soundtrack that's as soulful as it is invigorating.
Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior - Mehul Vyas, Ajay-Atul and Sachet-Parampara take turns composing the four-track soundtrack that for the most part coasts along expected lines, embracing a feverish Maratha aesthetic that's by now very familiar and predictable. Thankfully, the album has a smashing saviour in Tinak Tinak, a crushingly beautiful melody sung by Harshdeep Kaur that's straight out of ethereal, early A. R. Rahman material from the 90's.
Panga - Yet another Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy outing, and yet another album sans any remixes. I know, I know, I feel like I am asking for too much from Bollywood filmmakers these days, but it's finally refreshing to see some original music. If the title track is addictive rustic-flavoured melody, Dil Ne Kaha is ear-pleasing folk sung to perfection by Shahid Mallya and Asees Kaur. The soundtrack, ultimately, belongs to Jugnu, a hymnal fusion of Indian sounds that's right up SEL's alley and accentuated further Shankar Mahadevan's singing. Musically the song is stellar, a rhythmic mix of bhajan and sufi flourishes with a profusion of dholak, mridangam and tabla, and a virtuosic harmonium base to top it off.
Street Dancer 3D - In a mindless sea of remixes, stands apart Muqabla, a Tanishk Bagchi recreation of the infectious A. R. Rahman original from 1994 — which says more about the Rahman's musical wizardry with crafting tunes that sound oh-so-fresh even after all these years. To give credit where it's due, the best thing that can be said about Bagchi's mish-mash is that it's at least one of the least offensive remixes I've heard in recent years.
Disco Raja - Close on the heels of the blockbuster success of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Thaman follows up with another commercial outing that sees him deftly blend 80's disco (Freak Out) and his signature auto-tune ingredients for what's a catchy retro fare. It could have used more snaz and spiff, sure, but Nuvvu Naatho Emannavo is the real clincher, where the composer reworks Ilaiyaraaja's Valaiosai to fantastic effect, roping in a sterling S.P.B. to do the vocal honours.
Entha Manchivaadavuraa - A cookie cutter Gopi Sundar outing that hits a few notes but doesn't strike a chord, but one that's much better than the alarmingly bland Shylock. Shreya Ghoshal's saccharine coated vocals are the highlight of Avuno Teliyadu, but it's S.P.B., whose winsome rendition powers the euphonious Emo Emo Ye Gundello, a tune that brings back memories of C. Sathya's Chotta Chotta (Engeyum Eppodhum).
Big Brother - A soundtrack that leaves you wanting for more, but in Kando Kando, Deepak Dev has an easy winner. Amit Trivedi, who made his composing debut in Malayalam in 2008 (with a song called Aaja Aaja in the film Anthipponvettam), returns after more than a decade, singing the mesmerising acoustic melody alongside Gowry Lakshmi.
My Santa - Vidyasagar's comeback to Malayalam in a long time sees the composer revert to his melodic roots, adorning the tunes with his trademark textures and beats — particularly the dulcet harmonies Muthunee and Velli Panji. But for all the undeniable musical nuances, the stereotype shows, sometimes disappointingly so!
Uriyadi - Ellamini Neeye and Kaanuvan Kothicha Tharame wouldn't sound out of place in a Shaan Rahman soundtrack, but Ishaan Dev skilfully pulls off something equally good. It's unfortunate, then, the rest gets lost in a sea of flat tracks that are loaded with conventional elements.
Chhapaak - The title song is a brooding stunner and it's as much a showcase of Arijit's vocal firepower as it's of Naveen's flute and Tapas Roy's use of rubab and oud. Siddharth Mahadevan sounds almost like his father (Shankar Mahadevan, that is, in case you missed the connection) in the breezy, warm Nok Jhok, with Sanjay Divecha's guitars lifting the melody to soaring heights. Khulne Do is by turns accompanied by thunderous strings and a gentle layer of tabla (Abhay Rumde), not to mention a heart-wrenching rendition from Arijit Singh. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy open 2020 with a soundtrack that's as soulful as it is invigorating.
Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior - Mehul Vyas, Ajay-Atul and Sachet-Parampara take turns composing the four-track soundtrack that for the most part coasts along expected lines, embracing a feverish Maratha aesthetic that's by now very familiar and predictable. Thankfully, the album has a smashing saviour in Tinak Tinak, a crushingly beautiful melody sung by Harshdeep Kaur that's straight out of ethereal, early A. R. Rahman material from the 90's.
Panga - Yet another Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy outing, and yet another album sans any remixes. I know, I know, I feel like I am asking for too much from Bollywood filmmakers these days, but it's finally refreshing to see some original music. If the title track is addictive rustic-flavoured melody, Dil Ne Kaha is ear-pleasing folk sung to perfection by Shahid Mallya and Asees Kaur. The soundtrack, ultimately, belongs to Jugnu, a hymnal fusion of Indian sounds that's right up SEL's alley and accentuated further Shankar Mahadevan's singing. Musically the song is stellar, a rhythmic mix of bhajan and sufi flourishes with a profusion of dholak, mridangam and tabla, and a virtuosic harmonium base to top it off.
Street Dancer 3D - In a mindless sea of remixes, stands apart Muqabla, a Tanishk Bagchi recreation of the infectious A. R. Rahman original from 1994 — which says more about the Rahman's musical wizardry with crafting tunes that sound oh-so-fresh even after all these years. To give credit where it's due, the best thing that can be said about Bagchi's mish-mash is that it's at least one of the least offensive remixes I've heard in recent years.
Disco Raja - Close on the heels of the blockbuster success of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, Thaman follows up with another commercial outing that sees him deftly blend 80's disco (Freak Out) and his signature auto-tune ingredients for what's a catchy retro fare. It could have used more snaz and spiff, sure, but Nuvvu Naatho Emannavo is the real clincher, where the composer reworks Ilaiyaraaja's Valaiosai to fantastic effect, roping in a sterling S.P.B. to do the vocal honours.
Entha Manchivaadavuraa - A cookie cutter Gopi Sundar outing that hits a few notes but doesn't strike a chord, but one that's much better than the alarmingly bland Shylock. Shreya Ghoshal's saccharine coated vocals are the highlight of Avuno Teliyadu, but it's S.P.B., whose winsome rendition powers the euphonious Emo Emo Ye Gundello, a tune that brings back memories of C. Sathya's Chotta Chotta (Engeyum Eppodhum).
Big Brother - A soundtrack that leaves you wanting for more, but in Kando Kando, Deepak Dev has an easy winner. Amit Trivedi, who made his composing debut in Malayalam in 2008 (with a song called Aaja Aaja in the film Anthipponvettam), returns after more than a decade, singing the mesmerising acoustic melody alongside Gowry Lakshmi.
My Santa - Vidyasagar's comeback to Malayalam in a long time sees the composer revert to his melodic roots, adorning the tunes with his trademark textures and beats — particularly the dulcet harmonies Muthunee and Velli Panji. But for all the undeniable musical nuances, the stereotype shows, sometimes disappointingly so!
Uriyadi - Ellamini Neeye and Kaanuvan Kothicha Tharame wouldn't sound out of place in a Shaan Rahman soundtrack, but Ishaan Dev skilfully pulls off something equally good. It's unfortunate, then, the rest gets lost in a sea of flat tracks that are loaded with conventional elements.
Comments
Post a Comment