Hun nai hatda seems like the most accessible start to the album, almost pop-style complete with catchy chorus and a superb Ranjhaa kardi interlude by Mukhtiyar Ali, all set to enchanting backgrounds. Saiyyon assi gets its piano and guitar combo brilliantly well! Vasundhara gorgeous vocals gel really well in the ambient, new-age style tune concocted [...]

Longing features thankfully minimal and accented vocals Naveen’s 15 year old son, Jean Naveen. What stays is Naveen’s spellbinding flute and Sree Sunderkumar’s kanjira, ensconced in fantastic production by Karsh Kale. Karsh’s second track – Space Out – opens with Jonita Gandhi’s vocals and builds on a hauntingly rhythmic tune. Levon Ichkhanian’s guitar plays peekaboo, [...]

The tribal voices in Viva Madikeri are minimal, while Rahul’s santoor takes the lead with an absorbingly off-note tune. Eric’s pulsating percussion and backgrounds add punch. With vocals from Sarmishta Chakravorty, Bihu is stereotypical Assamese folk with limited additions. Rajasthan too plays true to its global appeal – a Manganiyar folk song by Suguni Devi, [...]

Mauli Dave sounds atrocious in the reimagining of Khaike paan banaras wala; the droning music doesn’t help her either. But Shalmali Kholgade gets ample help from Mikey in Kabhi kabhi‘s languid reworking; her drawl-loaded rendition is addictive. Shalmali rocks Tum bhi chalo too, her stylishly playful singing salvages the staid Latino template. Inteha ho gayi [...]

Goher’s comparatively weak vocals are obvious in tracks like Dil haari, Udd jaana and Tanhai, but the band props them with impressive tune and excellent orchestration! Tanhai’s slow album and remix versions are good listens too! Tu muskura and Dil ki baat offer sappy, trite tunes, despite the neat guitar support, while in Ik arzu [...]

Farida is the pick of the album – it offers a fairly complex tune for Abhijeet to sink into and holds its guitar and keyboard-loaded backdrops really well, thanks to composer Harpreet Singh. The bridge between the antara and title hook is particularly lovely, as is the free-flowing tune! Harpreet’s other song, Aao morey piya [...]

Ali Ali is a strong opener – a really well-sung, foot-tapping prayer of sorts! Roya and Main tere paas hun are trademark Adnan Sami – mesmerizing ballads, fabulously arranged. Mere baap ka kya jaata hai is Kabhi Nahi 2.0 – street-smart and immediately catchy, but Kudi tight is Punju template gone awry. Karun na yaad [...]

How would you react if a man wearing a black robe with hood and just a hole in the place of face (with light streaming through the hole!) came to you and gave you a curious looking box? I’d personally freak out and swat that creature with anything that is handy. But kids in Rahman’s [...]

Aaiyo re is a lovely ‘rain song’ with Leslie’s guitar playing peekaboo with the gorgeous North Eastern flavor. Janabe ali sounds like new material from Wham! and is catchy in a quirky way. In Ma ma re, Hariharan flexes his vocal prowess while Leslie adds his awkward Indipop at inopportune points. Kaise samjhaye‘s highlight is [...]

Tere khayal, seemingly using Maand raga, sounds lovely in Kavita’s evocative voice, while the breezy Yun toh naadan takes cues from Pritam’s style. Chahe dard de and Iss tasavvur hold gorgeous tunes; Kavita’s tunes and choice of instruments work in their favor; the former’s Charukesi and saarangi base and the latter’s santoor base helps in [...]