Apache Indian may be singing Run Run, but Devi’s tune is no different from the one he usually reserves for say, Baba Sehgal – passably catchy. The DSP mix version is no better. Mano aces the carnatic-spoof in Shankarabharanamtho, even as the tune traverses multiple genres in the interludes. For something called Violin Song, the [...]

Chinna Ponnu’s Mirchi is high on the typically-Devi folk mix. Mika’s Yahoon yahoon is functionally catchy, while Devi’s effort in Kailash Kher’s Pandagala shows in the interestingly mounted rhythms. Barbie girl is lively – striking Middle Eastern and Latino base, and wonderfully sung by Suchitra and Jaspreet Jasz! Darlingey is the only track that seems [...]

Onnam class and Bad boy are extremely standard DSP templates – high-on-energy, foot-tapping rhythms, tunes that merely limp along the dominating sound and a repetitive hook. Thaka thayya‘s combination of thavil/urumi melam sound and heart-warming lyrics harping on relationships is a surprisingly effective listen! Nalu pakkam has DSP shouting to his heart’s content, but in [...]

Omkaram srusthi, Pancha graha kootam and Dheemtana are background’ish and functional. Shiva shiva shankara and Bhoonabhontaalake are more filmy, and largely templatized. Nesthama is more like good old Devi; catchy, hummable melody, while Sakku bhai is as mindless an item song can get. Kanyakumari‘s uptempo tune seems tailor-made for Baba Sehgal, but Devi gets Jaspreet [...]

Hey chakkani bike undi and Pakado are good examples – nothing works in these songs. The title song fares marginally better, thanks to the catchy hook, while, Mee intiki mundhu works only for its accordion and horns usage. Jassie Gift’s Osey osey is horrendously y iterative at multiple levels. It takes Adnan Sami to salvage [...]

Dekho dekho is the usual Baba Sehgal-DSP combo and follows a pattern that has become stake by now. Mandu baabulam has a nice, coarse folk touch to it, thanks to Kota Srinivas’ vocals, while Pillaa is way too templatized and staid to even start commenting. Munni badnaam’s Telugu equivalent, Kevvu keka is atrociously bad, to [...]

Devi sings the Brathakali fabulously; the rock’ish track is mighty punchy! Ditto with Sri Anjaneyam and the title song – captivating sound in both, very well sung by MLR Karthikeyan and Ujjayinee Roy, respectively. If it’s Adnan’s vocals that work in Nenante, Neha Bhasin and Vijay Prakash lift Niharika immensely, while Love ante is the [...]

Bhoome gundramga and Godava are every bit the kind of dancy tracks one expects from Devi, and the man sure knows how to push the right buttons even amidst the mundane. Neeraj Shridhar’s Telugu Bengali and Jaspreet Jasz’s (and Suchitra) Ye pilla are heady and instantly catchy masala numbers. Hello hello and Diwali deepaanni are [...]

Dhenam dhenam‘s action-packed tune is surprisingly enjoyable; it is perhaps the nonchalant attitude towards all that violence that makes this song endearing – Benny Dayal rocks this one! Kaalangathale too is a great listen…simple, instantly likeable melody and superb vocals by Karthik. Yenna solla is fabulously foot-tapping, with a great hook by MLR Karthikeyan. It’s [...]

Mix Mika and Devi Sri Prasad’s already iconic Telugu front-bencher pleaser, Ringa ringa…and you get Dhinka Chika; easily this year’s Munni badnaam. The rest of the 3 original tracks by Pritam pale in comparison, quite surprisingly! While Meri ada bhi regurgitates Jassi’s Jaidev Kumar composed Dil le gayi kudi, Humko pyar hua apes Pritam’s own [...]