Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly new music playlist. Week 57:
On | On
20 songs this week! The JioSaavn playlist is complete, while YouTube suffers (missing 5 songs) primarily due to three songs being inside playlists in case of Gully Boy (full playlist embedded here). Other missing songs – Modern Muniyamma from Vantha Rajavathaan Varuven and Tik Tik from Magizhchi.
A note on the songs in the playlist.
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Azadi, Jeene Mein Aye Maza & Goriye – Gully Boy (Dub Sharma & Divine, Ankur Tewari & Mikey McCleary, Prem & Hardeep)
Dub Sharma anthemic song he had made for the JNU protests spearheaded by Kanhaiya Kumar joins Divine’s searing rap! Together, the effect is even more powerful. Jeene Mein Aye Maza is straight out of Mikey McCleary’s vaudevillan sound and in Ankur Tewari’s brittle vocals, it gains a new charm. The catchy and heady Goriye is the soundtrack’s most mainstream, with an endearing Punjabi+retro sound that it wears quite obviously in its sleeve.
Good Morning – Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (Rochak Kohli) – Hindi: After 2 recreations, finally an original song by Rochak for the film. And, being it sung by Vishal Dadlani, the tune too sounds like Vishal-Shekhar’s – it’s ebullient, with a lovely spring in the step.
Vanga Machan Vanga & Modern Muniyamma – Vantha Rajavathaan Varuven (Hiphop Tamizha) – Tamil: After last week’s Red Cardu, the composer delivers the full soundtrack of which the other 2 songs that appealed to me are these two. Both are very Hiphop Tamizha in the way they get down to business of making you shake your feet almost immediately. The Vanga Machan Vanga remix cleverly uses the original to good effect, layered with some insanely raucous new rhythm, while Modern Muniyamma (where the composer uses his own ‘Dhaari Choodu’ from last year’s Telugu film, Krishnarjuna Yuddham) riffs on familiar Tamil folk melodies and remains consistently enjoyable, with a brilliant rendition by Anthakudi Ilayaraja and Srinisha Jayaseelan.
Kodi Aruvi, Veyil Mazhayae & Siragi Un Sirippaala – Mehandi Circus (Sean Roldan) – Tamil: See the .
Yei Kadavulae – Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum (Sam C.S) – Tamil: That’s Vijay Sethupathi opening the song!! Harish Kalyan, the song’s singer sounds pretty good too. The tune reminded me of Rahman’s Vennilave from Minsara Kanavu, since the melody and the prominent stringed-instrument combo sounds vaguely similar – similar raaga, I’m assuming. There are 3 more songs in the soundtrack (and Kannamma, sung by Anirudh that I had listed in Weeklies earlier). Surprisingly the other 3 songs just pass muster.
Tik Tik – Magizhchi (The Casteless Collective) – Tamil: Riffing on the well-known children’s vocal game from Tamil Nadu (Biscuit biscuit, jam biscuit, enna jam…), this is my pick of the album that, musically, is underwhelming. This one song, though, comes alive with a good combination of vibrant lyrics, a superb guitar layer and excellent chorus’ish singing featuring Isaivanu and The Casteless Collective.
Omal Thingalo – Puzhayamma (Kilimanoor Ramavarma) – Malayalam: An almost-Vidyasagar’ish throwback to the past! The tune, the rhythm… everything takes you back to Vidyasagar’s style and is instantly pleasing. Sreya Jayadeep’s sweet vocals adds to the charm.
Naa Kallu Chusedhi – Prema Katha Chitram 2 (J.B) – Telugu: Jeevan Babu strikes again, after the first single. The tune here reminded me of Thanga Changili Minnum Paingili from Ilayaraja’s Thooral ninnu pochu. That song was Keeravani raaga as far as I know. Very nice melody from J.B and very well sung by Satya Yamini as well.
Tholi Tholi – Nee Kosam (Srinivas Sharma) – Telugu: I hope, and I’m assuming this Srinivas Sharma is the same Srinivasa Sarma, of Andhra Super Star and Super Singer fame, and who debuted with the decent music of Ala last year. This song seems like his work, going by how efficient it is, in its melody construction. Good one.
Rondhre Rondhre Paap – Shah Jahan Regency (Anupam Roy) – Bengali: Anupam Roy’s song from his 2012 album, Durbine Chokh Rakhbo Na, is used for the film. It’s a tremendously engaging song, with superb guitar by Rajkumar Sengupta’s blues guitar and Anupam’s own drawl’y singing.
Meri Jaan – Baccha Shoshur (Maharshi Dutta) – Bengali: The 2nd Bengali song this week sung by Anupam Roy! But this one’s not composed by Anupam – the composer is Maharshi Dutta, who makes apt use of Anupam’s range for this breezy and easily likeable sing-along’ish melody.
Con Calma (Daddy Yankee featuring Snow): Whoa… Daddy Yankee produces a reggaeton version of Snow’s 1992 cult hit Informer! It’s obviously, and insanely catchy, as much as the original!
Do You Remember Me – Carlos Santa: The lead single from Santana’s new EP, this one’s trademark Santana! The Latino touch, the Afro-Cuban groove and Santana’s solo… all are stupendously good, harking back to Santana’s earlier song, Smooth, featuring Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty fame. The vocals in this song are by Andy Vargas and Ray Greene.
Boom – X Ambassadors: Foot-tapping, with some groovy bass riffs! When lead vocalist Sam Harris sings ‘My feet go boom boom boom’ you may be moving at least your head, if not your feet too. And then the guitar kicks in!
Harmony Hall – Vampire Weekend: Six years after their last album, and now having weathered the leaving of producer Rostam Batmanglij, the band is back! The acoustic guitar sounds joyously trippy, with a very pleasant tune to boot. Batmanglij was indeed the producer of the song, however, and this new single is from the band’s upcoming album Father of the Bride.
