Music Briefs: Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban, LUDO, Maa Vintha Gaadha Vinuma, Middle Class Melodies, Soorarai Pottru & Waah Zindagi

New music from Pritam Chakraborty, Sricharan Pakala, Sweekar Agasthi, G. V. Prakash Kumar, and Parag Chhabra...

LUDO - Pritam calls on Arijit Singh and Shilpa Rao to croon the breathy tunes Aabaad Barbaad and Hardum Humdum that ride on melange of groovy electronic flourishes. Elsewhere, Darshan Raval leads on folky, rhythm-led Dil Julaha, while Jubin Nautiyal and Ash King are poignant on gentle acoustic Meri Tum Ho. In all, a competent Pritam soundtrack that checks all the requisite checkboxes whose stylistic turns sound like brand expansions than bold creative experiments, bridging the familiar with new synthetic sheen.

Maa Vintha Gaadha Vinuma - Joy Rayarala's Jaana has a lilting soundbed and is a showcase for Ayaan's vocals as it's for experimental violinist Parsa Dattasai, who infuses the gentle melody with classical strains that makes it absolutely delectable. Sricharan Pakala, for his part, ropes in Sahithi Chaganti and Poojan Kohli for Dooramuga, an ethereal track that relies on languorous guitar and sparse electronic elements for an absolute ripper of an euphonious dream-pop.

Middle Class Melodies - In The Guntur song, Sweekar Agasthi has fun assembling a rollicking folk piece that has Anurag Kulkarni for company. Chowraasta vocalist Ram Miryala brings a dash of soulful folk to Sambasiva, even as Vijay Yesudas is dependably fantastic in the airy melody Manchido Cheddadho. Some parts of the record float by without registering much of an impression, but Agasthi's tasteful instrumentation remains a highpoint.

Soorarai Pottru - Agam's Harish Sivaramakrishnan fits like a glove for the smashing folk-rocker that's Veyyon Silli (I couldn't help but wonder how the song is right up Shankar Mahadevan's alley!), with sterling backing from G. V. Prakash Kumar, who cooks up a practically explosive tune that boasts of big power chords, high-pitched harmonies and buoyant string arrangements. Naalu Nimisham evokes vintage Rahman charm, its dreamy and languid balladry met with swells of strings and Krishnaraj's pensive rendition. The other highlight is Aagasam, which repurposes Thaikkudam Bridge's Urumbu for a relentlessly driving and raging track that bristles with energy.

Waah Zindagi - Parag Chhabra's Bhaari Bhaari is a gorgeous collision of folk sounds, with singer Mohan Kanan's impeccable vocals layered over a sonic maelstrom that's at once exquisite and lilting. Patanga is deceptively simple and hooky, and Suvarna Tiwari and Gulraj Singh pull off a fabulous job singing it, even as Chhabra undergirds the song with a beautiful sprinkle of banjo, strings, and a soaring outro that punches into lockstep with the drums. Naino is folk suffused with electronic overtones, and a good dose of brass elements thrown in, and lying beneath it all is a sweet, melodic tune with stacked harmonies led by Jonita Gandhi and Devender Pal Singh. Parag Chhabra delivers a drift of beautiful music with Waah Zindagi.

Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban - Is there only one song in this film? But for what it's worth, debutant composer-duo Adithyha and Soorya, following a stint in A. R. Rahman's KM Music Conservatory, deliver a delightfully pleasant melody in Rani Theni that layers breezy strings against Haricharan's pitch-perfect vocals.