Given the proliferation of singles over full soundtracks and considering the fact that I make playlists for myself every week consisting of new music (both singles and songs part of fully released soundtracks), I have decided to share those playlists as well without being constrained by the full soundtrack release or reviewing that first. I intend it to be the kind of playlists I have always made and enjoyed for myself – multilingual and runs for about an hour.
Here’s the first Weeklies playlist, on Saavn and Apple Music. Below the links, you’d find a Tweet-style (since I share it on Twitter first as a Milliblog-Twitter-Exclusive; do follow me on Twitter at @milliblog) commentary on each of the songs.
On Saavn:
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Bewajah (Anirudh, Hindi): Technically, his 3rd Hindi song, after ‘Yun hi re’ (David, 2013), and the Kolaveri-redux Sachin Anthem (featuring Dhanush, 2012). This one’s a total earworm – has an incredibly catchy hook and an eye-popping vertical video!
Rafu (Tumhari Sulu, Hindi): The soundtrack’s best, easily, with Santanu Ghatak, making his Hindi debut after after the Bangla album Hingtingchhot. Delightfully mellow, featuring involved vocals by Ronkini Gupta.
Silk Song – Armaan Malik, Shirley Setia: Composed by Clinton Cerejo, the memorable ad jingle now has a slighty longer version feat. Armaan & Shirley. The song is cloyingly sweet, just like the chocolate, but it’s likeable because of the innate familiarity.
Tanha begum (Qarib Qarib Singlle, Hindi): Hussain Haidry aces lines like “Saari saari raatiya charkhe atariya; bijli vali racket se maru macchariya”. Antara Mitra does a pitch perfect retro-style rendition aided wonderfully by Rochak’s spiffy tune.
Ban ja rani (Tumhari Sulu, Hindi): Guru Randhawa spruces up his Tu meri rani (2016), with help from the former’s mixer Rajat Nagpal; this is a significantly better version that smoothens out some of the earlier version’s quirks. A cutesy Punjabi ballad.
Kukkotti kunaatti (Aruvi, Tamil): Moves seamlessly from child’s pov—Praniti’s delightfully innocent & sweet singing—to the duo singing about the child herself. Wonderfully imaginative vocal harmonies and sparkling orchestration by Bindhumalini & Vedanth.
Asaindhadum mayil (Aruvi, Tamil): Oothakkaadu Venkata Subbaiyer and Ray Charles go to a bar and order something potent! The Simhendramadhyamam-raaga original morphs into a bewildering pastiche featuring Bindhumalini’s freestyle scatting!
Hawa Hawai 2.0 (Tumhari Sulu, Hindi): Tanishk Bagchi, Hindi film music’s undisputed recreation-master thankfully uses Kavita’s original vocals in Hawa Hawai 2.0 (like Badrinath’s Tamma tamma where he used Bappi Lahiri and Anuradha Paudwal’s vocals) and hits another remix jackpot.
Jaane de (Qarib Qarib Singlle, Hindi): A serene melody by composer Vishal Mishra, befitting Atif’s dreamy voice. That “aadatan toh sochenge… hota yun toh kya hota” detour in the melody is a lovely touch!
Oru veettil (Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, Tamil): Good old Ghibran, with a multi-layered sound, splendid chorus and strings, and excellent singing by Shashaa Tirupati and Inno Genga.
Kulebaa vaa (Ippadai Vellum, Tamil): The soundtrack’s best, with its exotic and immensely catchy sound that Imman has mastered as a template by now. Malaysian singer Kumaresh Kamalakannan and Nalini Krishnan deliver the song wonderfully.
Iraiva (Velaikkaran, Tamil): Anirudh first literally begs and prays, but soon loses patience and delivers an angry, vocal chord busting missive to God! And then Jonita joins and they both sing about each other, forgetting all about God! Thoroughly engaging tune, though!
Sevatha pulla (Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, Tamil): Ranjith holds the song in great stead with his singing, and Ghibran’s reggae-ish sway and a particularly neat anupallavi makes the song work easily.
Baitikochi Chuste (PSPK25, Telugu): The 3rd Anirudh song in this week’s playlist, in the 3rd language! He sings this one himself and the tune is typical of his music – breezy and easy to get hooked on to.
Hasi bisi (College Kumar, Kannada): Arjun Janya usually pulls a lot of Harris Jayaraj’ish elements in his music. As soon as the energetic rhythm kicks in, you’d know what I’m talking about 🙂 Shweta Mohan handles the lush melody beautifully.