Gulraj Singh sounds distinctly like Rahman in the short, ambient opener, Ganesh Mantra. Ehsaan brings his bluesy touch to cook a mighty unlikely, but highly enjoyable Ganaraj Adhiraj; that ‘Jai jai Ganapati’ chorus is a killer! Shankar Mahadevan’s son, Siddharth debuts in Tu hi hai, an addictive tune with wonderful interludes (featuring Hamsika Iyer in one) and a gorgeous ‘Mangal’ phrase. Jai Jagdish, featuring Salim Merchant and Hamsika Iyer offers an imaginatively mysterious sound! Shankar’s other son, Shivam, debuts with Bolo na bolo, as Akriti Kakar and Alyssa Mendosa take over the haunting melody; Ashwin Srinivasan’s flute variant, backed by some scintillating piano is an equally lovely listen! Gulraj’s tune skills are apparent in Deva ho deva; the multi-faceted flow of the antara and the use of chorus is spectacular! The acapella-like sound in Tum jeevan (Nishadh Chandra on additional beatboxing) offers a unique setting; that ‘Moriya’ phrase, in particular, is captivating! Jana Gana Bhaj Mana is lyricist Manoj Yadav’s show, plus Prajakta Shukre’s lovely vocals. The ending Ganesh Aarti, with 10 singers, is a perfectly rousing finish. For a God who inspires the most vibrant visual interpretations, a fabulously mod musical interpretation like Ganaraj Adhiraj is a brilliant ode!
Keywords: Gulraj Singh, Manoj Yadav, Ehsaan Noorani, Shon Pinto, Ashwin Srinivasan, Nishadh Chandra, Ganaraj Adhiraj, #200
Note: You could stream the songs here and buy the CD on Flipkart (affiliate link).
