Rang De Basanti’s left-over Makhna and let-us-obviously-fuse-Punjabi-and-rap Million Dollar Dream are intermittently engaging, thanks to the vocalists – Sukhwinder and Iggy Azalea, respectively. KT Tunstall and Rahman’s We Could Be Kings is however coherent and rhythmic, with fantastic vocals by both. Ditto with Taa taa tai – frenetic sitar complementing Rahman’s energetic call-out. Keep The Hustle, featuring Wale and Raghav Mathur, is Disney-style exotica fusion, with good techno elements. Rahman’s London 2012 Olympic song featuring Jaspreet Jasz, Nimma nimma, gets another variant, and it continues to be middling. Unborn Children, Thirakkaadha Kaattukkulle renamed, is a stark reminder of how much more layered and intricate his music was in the 90s. Gaayatri Kaundinya’s uncomfortably raw vocals mar the otherwise captivating Bobbleheads. Never Give Up is a lovely listen, with its serene build-up, while the semi-classical Lucknow gets a neat guitar base to go with harmonium. Prasanna’s pensive guitar is the highlight of Desi Thoughts. Farewell and First Tryout pass background’ish muster, but Calling Scouts Again and Welcome To India have appealingly unique textures. The Final Pitch builds its momentum in true movie-inspirational style. The stereotypical-India sound is disappointing coming from Rahman, but there’s a lot to like in the overall range.
Keywords: Million Dollar Arm, A R Rahman, KT Tunstall, Wale, Iggy Azalea, Prasanna, 200, #200
