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 [...]

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. [...]

Kadhal 2 Kalyanam is a perfectly balanced soundtrack in a way. On one hand, there are 3 songs that are high on zingy orchestration, but they also come with bland tunes that refuse to make a cut. This is the trio of Naan vetta pora aadu, Vellai kodi and Thedi varuven. But the soundtrack also [...]

With the air of an 80s Hindi song, Shreya Ghoshal’s Gaganave baagi is a pleasant, albeit dated listen. Nalle nalle is full-on techno and in Tippu’s pulsating vocals it does sound catchy, while the composer refurbishes his successful stock template for the umpteenth time in Raavana seethen kadda, again, in his own voice; it doesn’t [...]

The first thing that strikes you in a Raghu Dixit soundtrack is the eclectic nature of the sound – Marubhoomialli is a great example, fusing a distinctly Indian sounding Celtic feel over a lilting, sing-along’ish tune. The Rock-On styled stadium song, Ee kanninalli is extremely engaging, while Ello jinugiruva, despite the staid rhythm, makes up [...]

Bang bang India is silliness personified, intent on banging the country, while Maya bazaar quotes Shakira’s Ojos Asi and has direct bits from Cameron Cartio’s Henna, in a bizarre tune. Veteran SPB seems trapped in the juvenile Star star and Just bang bang has atrocious lyrics and is all noise! Sonu Kakkar and Gurukiran take [...]

Sudha Raghunathan replaces steady favorite, Bombay Jayashree in Anal mele – a soft, heavenly track who’s tune and focused vocals create a fabulously ambient concoction. The mild backgrounds reminiscent of old Telugu numbers, is incredible. The George Michael-Faith inspired Mundhinam and Nenjukkul are breezy – brings that spring in our feet as we sing along, [...]

With a childishly simple tune and silly lyrics it’s easy to dismiss Strawberry kenne, but composer Mano Murthy packs it with easy-on-the-ears arrangements while Rajesh and Supriya impress with their renditions. The Sonu-Jayanth-Mano combination works again in Maathinalli helalarenu, again with a mild, Latin melody – Shreya Ghoshal’s version too is very listenable, with different [...]