Lo maan liya has all the earnestness of a nursery rhyme. Raaz aankhein teri is no different – a mildly Latino-tinged, cloyingly predictable melody. It’s other version Hummein tummein is...
Continue reading...Guppy (Music review), Malayalam – Vishnu Vijay
Antony Dasan is perfect for the street-brass-band sound of Gabrielinte that even adds a clever dash of RD Burman! Athiraliyum wears its melodic retro like a badge of honor, even...
Continue reading...Banjo (Music review), Hindi – Vishal-Shekhar
Bappa, in Vishal’s energetic vocals, works perfectly as a masala-pop bhajan. Om Ganapataye namaha is more pop than bhajan, but the stadium’ish grandness of the sound is impressive. The pulsating...
Continue reading...Hitman – August 20, 2016
Originally published in . Thalakaalu puriyalaye – Kidaari (Tamil – Darbuka Siva) When Anitha K opens the Thalakaalu puriyalaye, it is an amazingly misleading prelude that hardly indicates what is...
Continue reading...Akira (Music review), Hindi – Vishal-Shekhar
In Rajj rajj ke, while Sonakshi struggles hard, Nahid Afrin—the Indian Idol finalist from Assam—handles the angsty tune effortlessly in the other version. The remix evens out the angst to...
Continue reading...L 7 (Music review), Telugu – Aravind-Shankar
Hot coffee kappu is classic, time-tested mambo presented really well by Arvind-Shankar! Harshitha Krishnan’s sultry vocals adds to that, while Shudeep Chandrasekar offers her good company. Yazin Nizar is incredibly...
Continue reading...Janatha Garage (Music review), Telugu – Devi Sri Prasad
Pranaamam works as a simple, resonant and catchy pop-bhajan, in Shankar Mahadevan’s punchy vocals with clear diction. Rock on bro‘s rock/pop anthem ambitions are obvious and given Raghu Dixit’s excellent...
Continue reading...Yaanum Theeyavan (Music review), Tamil – Achu
Nenjukulle starts to sound like Nenjukkul peidhidum, but goes on to be a meandering tune that is well sung by Suchith Suresan. The Unplugged version has more interesting orchestration, but...
Continue reading...Aatadukundam Raa (Music review), Telugu – Anup Rubens
Round and round has a rousing tune and an even more rousing and thumping rhythm. Anuraag Kulkarni and the uncredited chorus handle it mighty well. Joomega is even better! The...
Continue reading...Hitman – August 13, 2016
Originally published in The Hindu. Halena – Iru Mugan (Tamil – Harris Jayaraj) “Halena Hale Hale na! Gasena Gase Gase na!” is the kind of lyrical combination that can only...
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