Dham dham rehashes that typical Lingusami-style family song with absolutely no extra effort, while Damma damma goes the same way – yet another Dhaavani potta deepavali. If Kattipudi enna works, albeit only minimally, it is only because of Vijay Prakash’s vocals – as a tune it is utterly predictable and stale. Thaiyath thakka is the [...]

RDB’s Sadi gali sounds as good as it sounded a few years ago – Lehmber Hussainpuri’s earthy vocals is one huge reason why this catchy tracks works almost immediately! Debutant composer Krsna opens his work with Mika’s Jugni, a perfect template for a techno-Punju dance track – still a great listen, hitting all the right [...]

Dhagudu dhattham‘s lyrics are typical Kamal Haasan, but the tune is a callow mélange. Andrea sounds fabulous even in the humdrum broadway’ish Who’s the hero, while Neela vaanam makes great use of Kamal’s vocals in a brooding melody. Oyyale is standard Devi-style folk; catchy, but also jaded. The theme offers a short jubilant sound, while [...]

Bachchan’s probability mumbo-jumbo sounds silly in an otherwise-enjoyable, Bond’ish Life is a game; fantastic vocals by Sonia Saigal and Anushka! Summertime (George Gershwin’s original used as-is) has corny lyrics, but the zingy pop works instantly, thanks to Joe Alvares’ vocals. The title song is likeable techno-pop with a psychedelic soundscape. Sunidhi is scintillating in the [...]

All izz well is no doubt funky and does a 2.0 version of Anu Malik’s pet sound (dhumpachikitha anyone?), but this one-hook-trick can only go so far. Zoobi doobi with its faux-retro-filmy sound is almost pedestrian with extraordinarily predictable sounds, while Shaan’s evocatively penned Behti hawa is perhaps the best this soundtrack has to offer. [...]

Manzaraat works solely due to Shilpa Rao’s vocals and not so much for Justin Uday’s music. The composing duo also give us the spritely Chaal apni and the deep but largely flat Allah hoo. Their serene version of Gulon mein, with Mohit Chauhan’s vocals is listenable, but pales in comparison to Sandesh Shandilya’s retuning of [...]

You have Shankar Ehsaan Loy, but the 13B’s makers think Indrajit ‘Tubby’ Sharma and Parikshit Parik can do a better instrumental theme? The theme is however clever – begins serenely, builds an eerily loud momentum, gets cheerful and ends on a mildly eerie note. But, it’s the trio that rocks. Karthik’s super smooth Bade se [...]

With a Middle Eastern tinge, Alai paayudhey pointlessly lays its cards right at the outset – the manic kuthu rhythm that the composer adores. Chellame has Udit eating Tamil for a three course meal in a bland tune while Kaadhal Kannadiyil merely rehashes Ek din aap from the film’s original, Yes Boss. Raqeeb’s Tamil qawali, [...]

Prasanna Shekhar’s Nee dooramaai ponalum echoes some of his Hindi tracks with limited nativity, but with adequate haunt-value, in tune with theme. Of the two GV Prakash composed songs – Vaa nila works thanks to Mahati’s confident vocals and a simply, hummable tune. Aagaayam irangiya, with husky vocals by Sunitha Sarathy is ambient but disjoint. [...]