Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly, new music playlist.
Week 264: YouTube | Spotify
And we are back to regular programming! The first Weeklies of 2025. Only the ‘En Iniya Pon Nilave’ remix is not available on Spotify. So, I have also embedded it here, besides the YouTube playlist. It’s also separate in the YouTube upload – the rest of the songs from Aghathiyaa are on Divo (music label), while this one alone is on the production company (Vels International) page itself. Something to do with music rights/ownership, I guess.
Bhasad Macha – Deva (Vishal Mishra) – Hindi: Composer Vishal Mishra channels the energy and “South” style kuthu that worked so well for him in ‘Mast Malang Jhoom’ last year (Bade Miyan Chote Miyan) and concocts yet another floor stomper! Mika’s vocals add verve to the already rollicking masala in the tune!
Ajeeb O Gareeb, Birangay – Azaad (Amit Trivedi) – Hindi: In Ajeeb O Gareeb, Amit gets the retro Hindi filmy music style beautifully well while not going overboard with the ‘ghoda-ghadi’ sound (given the film’s theme built around the horse) and using it only incidentally. Birangay is Amit Trivedi-trademark in terms of the mix of that rhythm and the folk’ish tune. It flows well enough, barring the ennui the overall soundtrack produces, however.
Vaa Kannamma – Once More (Hesham Abdul Wahab) – Tamil: It’s a bit surprising to see the start of the song proclaim, ‘introducing Hesham Abdul Wahab to Tamil cinema’ when Miss Oruthi, the film’s first song came out as early as October 2024! One way to perhaps rationalize it is to note that this is the song that he has both composed and sung (while ‘Miss Oruthi’ was sung by Karthik and ‘Idhayam’ was sung by Vineet Srinivasan). But it’s a fitting announcement, even if it is overdue 🙂 And it is a gorgeous song too! The simplicity of the tune, the harmonious music in the backdrop took me to Rahman’s musical style in Kandukonden Kandukonden. Uthara Unnikrishnan makes a lovely addition to the song in the latter half.
En Iniya Pon Nilave, Kaatrin Viral – Aghathiyaa (Ilayaraja, Yuvan Shankar Raja) – Tamil: Oh. My. God! The son attempts to recreate/reuse two of his father’s most cherished songs. I was very, very worried before hearing the recreation of En Iniya Pon Nilave, but after hearing it, I’m both glad and relieved! Yuvan doesn’t tamper with the core music and even Vijay Yesudas is a great pick for the male singing parts. It’s only Priya Jearson’s seemingly forced anglicized diction that jars for me in the song even though I think I understand the reason for this – the lead actress in this section of the movie seems to be white, and that somehow justifies the singing style. But music-wise, Yuvan does remarkably well. Even in Kaatrin Viral, Yuvan imaginatively builds upon Ilayaraja’s iconic Punnagai Mannan theme and extends it into a very-Yuvan style song.
Nesippaya Eee Ennai – Nesippaya (Yuvan Shankar Raja) – Tamil: This is vintage Yuvan! A rich, deeply evocative melody, with music that just envelopes you! The choice of singers is where it falters – both Javed Ali and Bela Shende maul Tamil all over the song that it is very difficult fully enjoy the song.
Lavender Neramae – Kadhalikka Neramillai (A R Rahman) – Tamil: Now that the full soundtrack of the movie is out, I’m a bit disappointed with it. ‘Yennai Izhukkuthadi’ was very good, and Lavender Neramae, despite sounding like something built upon Weeknd’s repertoire, has a lush melody that keeps it consistently engaging, and is very well sung by both Adithya RK and Alexandra Joy. The other songs just didn’t register, sadly.
Paaraai Paaraai – Maanavan (Ghibran) – Tamil: A backlog from late-2024 that I did consider for the 2024 annual musical round-up but it was beyond the top 20 picks in Tamil. But I believe it worth at highlighting and this is the next Weeklies after the 2024 annual music round-up, so here goes! The song has the Ghibran signature from his earlier days when he was clearly on a considerably better form (than present-day Ghibran). The melody is novel and Chinmayi’s singing elevates everything, particularly the ‘Vega Vegamaai Vandhaane’ hook.
Kondrai Malar – Parari (Sean Roldan) – Tamil: The other song from Sean’s music in Parari (besides Saambava) that stands out, thanks to the very-Sean Roldan tune with a huanting, melancholic tinge that he aced in Jai Bheem. The interludes in this one is beautiful and very Ilayaraja’ish. Lalitha Sudha’s matter-of-factly singing style lifts the song’s impact considerably.
Aiyaiyo – Samuel Nicholas (Tamil/Indipop): When I first heard the song, I thought the tune and music had potential, but the singing (and diction) was poor. It was only later that I read that Samuel Nicholas is Harris Jayaraj’s son!! No wonder! For a debutant, Samuel does might well in terms of the melody – it has a nice ring to it and the transitions too, besides the background music, are very imaginative. His singing is flat and uninspiring, though, as if he is doing it at gunpoint.
Dabidi Dibidi – Daaku Maharaaj (Thaman S) – Telugu: Yes, the video/choreography is making more news than the song itself, but Thaman nails the racy masala genre yet again. The background African-style vocal hook that constantly plays int he background, mostly discordant to the actual tune, is thoroughly addictive!
Kodava Wedding Song – Bromance (Govind Vasantha) – Kannada/Malayalam: It’s so good to hear a Kodava song in a Malayalam song (written by Kannada lyricist Kiran Kaverappa)! Govind’s ebullient music ensures that you don’t get bogged down by you knowing the language or not – it is lively, instantly likeable!