Back after a week’s break, and still not able to reconcile the news of SPB’s passing away 🙁 While these new songs deserve your time, please do seek out SPB’s music this weekend (there are tons being shared on social media and there are way too many jukeboxes on YouTube – I considered making a playlist but have absolutely no clue where to even start since there are SO MANY to choose from. So I dropped that effort) and then come to these songs.
Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly new music playlist.
Week 128: On JioSaavn | On YouTube
13 songs, this week. YouTube has all 10 and is missing the 3 songs from Saajan Bakery since they are inside a jukebox (embedded below). JioSaavn is missing just one – Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy’s Summertime Kaadhal.
Tehas Nehas & Shana Dil – Khaali Peeli (Vishal-Shekhar) – Hindi: If you ignore the controversial and pointlessly familiar song that was launched first from this film, it does have 2 other good songs! Tehas Nehas sounds like the 90s-style tapori song (Josh’s Apun Bola, for instance), though Vishal and Shekhar turn the tune away from tapori-rap to their brand of coolth. Shekhar’s unique voice is the song’s easy highlight, beyond the breezy melody. Shana Dil is on similar lines – slow, steady and builds on the sound gradually. Divya Kumar is right on top of the tune’s build-up.
Siyaahi & Nilaanjänā – Papon & Shashaa Tirupati (Indipop/Hindi): Papon has been really prolific in the last past 2 weeks, releasing as many as 3 songs – these 2 and another, Nirobota Dao Gaan. These 2, however, worked for me, for their pleasant rock-style tunes that Papon is known for. In Siyaahi’s the song’s unique rhythm props the melody, along with Shashaa Tirupati (who composes this song too, besides writing the lyrics) joining Papon mid-way after which it turns into a gorgeous duet. Nilaanjänā is a fantastic ballad in Papon’s familiar style (he composed this too, himself) where his wonderful singing joins Sanket Naik’s tabla and Paras Nath’s flute.
Shiv – Amit Trivedi (Indipop/Hindi): With its highly rhythmic percussion layer, Amit’s latest song from his Songs of Faith collection is a prayer for Lord Shiva. The song’s tune and some of the background sounds have a strong Middle Eastern flavor, but the base is very familiar and hypnotic Shiva bhajan style.
Summertime Kaadhal – Ashwin Vinayagamoorthy (Indipop/Tamil): The song, with its breezy and catchy musical hook, starts off with the hiphop style pace but adds a racy groove mid-way. Ashwin’s singing reminded me of Yuvan’s, but with proper Tamil diction.
Yedakemai Untunde – Kanabadutaledu (Madhu Ponnas) – Telugu: After the impressive first single (Mama Mama, in August), Madhu Ponnas gets the 2nd song right too! His use of either Phani Narayana’s veena and/or Sandilya Pisapati’s violin in the background to an unusual effect that makes it really alluring. Karthik’s singing and the song’s buildup is brilliant!
Kaana Dooram, Eeran Kannil & Kaalamere Poi Maikilum – Saajan Bakery Since 1962 (Prashant Pillai) – Malayalam: After the first 2 delightful songs, Prashant closes the soundtrack with 3 more songs that are highly listenable. Preeti Pillai involved vocals lift the beautifully serene melody in Kaana Dooram that also shines with Paulson’s sitar. In Eeran Kannil, Prashant has the dependably superb singing of K S Harisankar, and the tune’s really long, free-flowing pallavi gets a wonderful articulation thanks to that choice. Mid-way, the melody turns slower and that change in pace is a lovely touch, with steady support from Akash S Menon’s guitar! Kaalamere Poi Maikilum too has K S Harisankar’s vocals, but it has been made to seem more like a chorus, amidst the melody’s soft and hypnotic flow and background sound.
Kathiravan – Dhanush Harikumar (Indipop/Malayalam): Roping in Job Kurian as the singer is half the battle won, but even beyond that composer Dhanush Harikumar does have a lilting and enjoyable tune. Together with the music video showcasing the incredibly beautiful locations from Kerala and the theme harping on searching, this is a lovely watch and listen.
Uyarnnu Parannu – Vineeth Srinivasan and Divya Vineeth (Indipop/Malayalam): Actor/singer Vineeth Srinivasan makes his composing debut for his wife’s singing debut! It’s a simple, serene melody and Divya largely passes muster as a singer with only some rough edges. Sanjeev Thomas’ guitar too holds the song together.
Diamonds – Sam Smith: Even as the lyrics showcase a painful break-up and the life after, the song has a catchy electro-pop sound and is decidedly more for the dance-floor. If this 2nd single from Sam’s upcoming album Love Goes is any indication, it should be a good collection.
