Milliblog Weeklies, Week 148 – Apr.18, 2021

Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly new music playlist.
Week 148: On Spotify | On YouTube
14 songs this week. Both YouTube and Spotify are missing one song each, though not the same song! YouTube is missing the 2nd song from Sithara Krishnakumar’s Project Malabaricus (Pilleranu), while Spotify is missing Ilayaraja’s new song from Madurai Manikkuravan that is exclusively available only on his YouTube channel.

PS: Given the precariously rising second wave, I do expect a break in new releases. So, I may need to take a break like last year, in that case. The last 2 weeks’ break was owing to my own COVID-like symptoms that ended up as COVID-negative but kept me bedridden nonetheless!

Uttradheenga Yeppov – Karnan (Santhosh Narayanan) – Tamil: Uttradheenga Yeppov reminded me, thematically and sound-wise, of Pariyerum Perumal’s Naan Yaar. Both songs are very, very deeply meaningful within the context of the narrative arcs of the respective films, but both are also treated with a lightness that makes them very easy-on-the-ear first – like a pop song you cannot not like! That contrast, of a lighter sound to make them accessible, while conveying something so deep, seems like Mari Selvaraj’s touch, executed well by Santhosh across 2 films.

Unnale Unarndhene & Kavi Solla – Sarbath (Ajesh) – Tamil: After releasing 2 singles WAY BACK in 2019 (Karichaan Kuyile, Theera Theera), the makers of Sarbath got reminded that they have a movie to release, that too during the worst second wave, far removed from the now-seemingly-mild first wave of 2020! I do feel good for Ajesh though – he showed genuine promise also as a composer and these 2 new singles offer a great deal more of his composing mind. Unnale Unardhene is a light, racy melody that gains from Haricharan’s lead vocals and remains persistently engaging, right up to the very apt anupallavi! Kavi Solla is the opposite! A slower, more expansive ballad of a melody that Ajesh sings himself by thoroughly enjoying it. His singing and tune is a fantastic mix!

Kalyanam Senju – Madurai Manikkuravan (Ilayaraja) – Tamil: Ilayaraja has produced numerous songs based on Mayamalavagowlai raaga that another may not really make a difference… or so I thought. But the man produces yet another whopper in the raaga! The interlude is to die for, and unusually energetic coming inside this sober a raaga! Singer Karthik’s entry, in particular, is a lovely touch, while Vibhavari holds fort overall.

Thattiputta – Maamanithan (Ilaiyaraja and Yuvan Shankar Raja) – Tamil: This is a huge surprise! A new song co-composed by the father-son duo! Because Raja sings it, the simple, catchy tune does remind me of his own style. But Yuvan’s touch is all too evident in the interludes and the background rhythm, even though the violin in the first interlude is a vintage Raja touch all the way!

Kooda Vaa – Ghibran (Tamil/Indipop): Ghibran has been really busy with tons of non-film music. Beyond the many religious and folk songs he has been composing, this one stood the most for me – a very pleasant melody that’s not actually that complex (based on Ghibran’s own lofty standards) and is far simpler and easier to like!

Vaan Megam – Vasantha Mullai (Rajesh Murugesan) – Tamil: I had very mixed feelings about ‘Avalo Avalo’ from this film, earlier. But Rajesh scores far better in Vaan Megam – this is a fairly more conventionally likeable melody, and his singers (Shakthisree Gopalan, Vijay Yesudas) hold the tune effortlessly, particularly Vijay. And there are shades of Premam’s ‘Malare’ in the second interlude too!

Ayyayyayyo – Aakasa Veedhullo (Judah Sandhy) – Telugu: Good to hear Judah’s music after quite some time, and that too in Telugu! He has Sid Sriram for company, to deliver an effortless earworm!

Innale Mellane – Nizhal (Sooraj S Kurup) – Malayalam: Sooraj is perhaps the most consistently interesting new music composer from the South capable of producing within the template of large, showy film songs. His song from The Great Indian Kitchen (the final dance show song) did not work for me despite the grandness involved there, but here, in another film that perhaps doesn’t even demand anything big, his output is fantastic! The tune has an urgent edge and is constantly flipping ideas, while also being instantly catchy! Superb singing by Haricharan Sheshadri.

Kannil Minnum – Meppadiyan (Rahul Subrahmanian) – Malayalam: What starts off a predictable melody by Rahul takes off very impressively at 2 places – first at the ‘Neela veyil thaazhamidum’ phrase and then immediately, again, in the ‘oLimarantha manju kaalamo’ phrase! Singer Karthik lifts the songs considerably with this impressive singing.

Arutharuthu & Pilleranu – Sithara’s Project Malabaricus (Malayalam/Indipop): Two pulsating, powerful songs by Sithara Krishnakumar’s band, Project Malabaricus, from their new album Rithu (featuring only 3 songs). The sound is quite borders Thaikkudam Bridge’s (or even Agam, to some extent), and Sithara’s lead singing is a fantastic direction!

Chiri Paatu – Varkey (Malayalam/Indipop): Yet another Malayalam pop song in this week’s list that riffs off Thaikkudam Bridge to a large extent. The boost in the rhythm at the 1-minute mark spins a very different song from where it started! The song progressively gets more psychedelic!

Pyar Naiyon Mileya – Next Level (Bally Sagoo) – Punjabi/Indipop: THE Bally Sagoo has a new album! The album isn’t really ‘Next Level’ though, and pales in front of the man’s stellar past. The one song that stood out for me was Pyar Naiyon Mileya, with its snappy hook and brilliantly sung by Naaz Aulakh.

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