Music review: Azhagarmalai (Tamil – Ilayaraja)

Azhagarmalai is a revelation! You get to hear the Raja of yore across various stages of his spectacular career, that too with minimal synth that plagues his recent works. Bhavatharini’s Unnai enakku is the only mild causality of the later part of Raja’s form, but even here, his tune and dazzling interludes help significantly! Evoking the mid-90s, ‘last known good configuration’ feeling is Raja’s own vocals in the dulcet Ulagam ippo, reminiscent of his work on films like Kalaignan and Aatma. It’s the Avathaaram/ Azhagi mid-90s sound in the beautiful duet, Karuga mani – totally melodious and breezy! Muthamma goes a few more years back, to early 90s, while maintaining the authentic, rustic, but mildly spruced up sound that Raja pioneered – one catchy track. Kezhakku velukkudhu is an interesting concoction – the rhythms that occupy for most part of the song is ideally late 80s, but the composer fuses some of his later sound fascinatingly. It’s the same feel, only a bit more uncontaminated and Ramarajan-styled in Enna senjaalum, with Raja’s trademark rhythms and an astounding anupallavi, sung by Tippu and Ponni. Despite the B-gradism surrounding Azhagarmalai, composer Ilayaraja shocks the listener with a mesmerizing return to form…sheer joy!

Keywords: Ilayaraja, Banu, RK, Vadivelu, Azhakarmalai, Alagarmalai, 200, #200

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