Composer Harikrishna and Yogaraj Bhat seem to be having a great time crooning Budu buduke… a simple, street-smart song. Soundharya samara starts off with an uncredited lady’s classical Panthuvarali singing and continues in semi-classical format, with Sonu Nigam acing the rendition – it moves off Panthuvarali only later, very oddly. Shachina Heggar’s breezy Hedarabyadre is [...]

Tippu powers Take It Easy, a dancy track in his usual style; Shaan puts together an easy-on-the-ear package. Tippu and Vineeth Srinivasan are great together in the wonderfully rhythmic gaana-type song Sorry Please Thank You! Nalla nalla works up a charming retro-style tune with lovely use of violins and harmonium, while Shaan confidently croons Kanasige, [...]

Tippu is in solid form in Aru uruthu, breathing life into Joshua’s pleasant tune! Joshua appropriates his own Veppam track, Mazhai varum, in a slightly altered package to create Pala pala – it sounds considerably better in this funkier version! Veppam’s other song – the best – Kaatril eeram becomes Ura mandhi, and Haricharan and [...]

The title song works like a groovy adaptation of the classic Bond theme; Vishal Dadlani makes a superb Kannada debut too! Maleyali minda is absolutely gorgeous – feathery melody that also features a lovely Konkani interlude! Aase aase has a perky tune and also some spirited effects and guitar, while Shankar Mahadevan is the soul [...]

Arjun is in his elements in Baite baite, both in the cool, catchy tune and his own grungy vocals, ably supported by Anuradha Bhat. Yeno kane is the kind of melody that Kannada bestows upon Sonu Nigam, but here Vijay gets it and performs well; Arjun’s music too is punchier with the dash of guitar [...]

Mane tanka baare is the quintessential Arjun song – auto-tune all across, incredibly catchy and simple tune, and a pitch perfect hook. The remix is the extreme opposite; besides wasting Baba Sehgal in heavy-duty auto-tuning, is a painful listen. Jaya jaya jackettu is high on kuthu, but barring funky sounds, doesn’t really work. The title [...]

Belagedhu coffee is super fun; lyrics-wise and vocals too – by Ganesh, Sadhu Kokila, Arjun and Rangayana Raghu. Its twin, By-2 bedsheet is equally good with the female vocals spin. Arjun’s title song seems noisily bombastic, but he makes amends in Smilevasi, a wonderfully catchy track with pitch-perfect orchestration. Everybody rock cranks up the kuthu [...]

Ranga Rao’s popular yesteryear song from Bahaddur Gandu gets a funky, funny remix in Oorige nee (Muthinantha maatondu gottenamma); Upendra goes a good job in singing it in his usual style, along with Sunitha Boparaj. Ambika seems a lot like the popular MGR number from Idhayakkani, Inbame, but uses a typical 80s Hindi song background [...]

Maribeku is Karthik’s show all the way – Arjun’s tune and backgrounds are highly effective in letting the tune flow. Neeli neeli works up its tune slowly, with Javed Ali joining with his lilting portion – great listen! Nee modala sounds odd and showy, on the lines of mid-80s Telugu jungle songs, but with a [...]

Hoovina santhege is very, very Pritam’ish – basic, functional rhythm and a slow, catchy tune – and is a good listen. Baba Sehgal’s Chennagidiyalle is strictly perfunctory with nothing standing out – the tune or the hook. Mandyadinda has an addictive folk touch to it, at least in parts; Ravi Bansare’s earthy voice helps significantly. [...]