Kodi kotti is a wonderful intro song; simple, catchy tune and appropriately grand backgrounds. Annanmar kathai starts off in typical folk fashion, but throws a scintillating googly as it progresses...
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Azhagarsaamiyin Kudhirai (Music review), Tamil – Ilayaraja
Poovakkelu sees Raja importing his usually brilliant streak in Malayalam, into Tamil, and this works very well. We get a superbly Raja’esque melody even though that annoying synth makes a...
Continue reading...Ayyan (Music review), Tamil – Ilayaraja
If you thought Ye sivagami was from some 90s Liyaqat Ali Khan/RK Selvamani film, featuring a guest dance by Prabhu Deva, you may not be alone. Unmaya naan has 3...
Continue reading...Gaayam 2 (Music review), Telugu – Ilayaraja
If you move past Raja’s withered vocals in the otherwise poignant Kalagane kannulo, you get two angry, impatient and filmy-revolutionary songs in Eluthundru kodukulu and Rama rajyam; similar tunes with...
Continue reading...Feasting on ‘Paniye’ from Thaman’s Ayyanar!
I have written about single songs rarely, but Ayyanar’s Paniye demands that honor. This is one song in recent times that I can truly call a homage to the Ilayaraja...
Continue reading...Music review: Kadha Thudarunnu (Malayalam – Ilayaraja)
The most captivating part of Aaro paadunnu dhoore is perhaps the most subtle – those almost-North African drums that accompany the lovely tune throughout, barring the final piano piece that...
Continue reading...Music review: Oum Shanti (Telugu – Ilayaraja)
Even though the distracting rhythms belie the usual Ilayaraja-standard, Ottesi chebutha is pretty street-smart and catchy. In the title song, even if the dated synth jars, Raja works his magic...
Continue reading...Music review: Suryakaanti (Kannada – Ilayaraja)
Chan chanare is embarassingly pedestrian – haven’t we heard these tunes already in the 90s more than adequately? Swalpa soundu too is in similar territory, barring the spunk in the...
Continue reading...Music review: Paa (Hindi – Ilayaraja)
Mudhi mudhi (and Udhi udhi) is one of the trendiest songs of the year; zingy, superbly sung by Shilpa Rao and exceptionally orchestrated! Gumm summ, after its various versions –...
Continue reading...Music review: Mathiya Chennai (Tamil – Ilayaraja)
If any other composer did so many insignificant, commercially unsuccessful films in any language, his career would have died a natural death, by now. But Raja, prods on, thanks to...
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