Songs at the end of the review.

Aa Oruthi Aavaloruthi evokes fond memories of Vineeth Sreenivasan’s playback debut way back in 2002, a maappilappaattu titled Kasavinte Thattamittu also with Vidyasagar, at a time when the genre was considered the singer’s speciality. And he proves that he still hasn’t lost his flair with the genre, doing a fine rendition here along with Manjari. And just like Kasavinte, this one too has a pleasant tune with a touch of melancholy that rides atop an engaging arrangement featuring some very Vidyasagar-esque moments, but is highlighted by the percussion (tablas mainly). Ee Thanutha Manchurangal is higher up on the familiarity scale, but that is not to say it doesn’t impress – the haunting tune and the composer’s oft-used tropes still carry enough impact in them. Also helping is the singing by Karthik and Shweta Mohan.

Sahibaa Innethumegha gets off to a promising frenetic start before adopting a calmer ghazal-like disposition, one that is right down Hariharan’s alley. And it is indeed the singer’s performance that is the highlight here, while Vidyasagar takes the arrangement through strings-led highs off and on. After the force-fitting of Raanjhanaas and Saahibaas in the previous songs, Mohabbat Mein goes the whole hog with completely Hindi lyrics written by Manoj Muntashir (other songs are penned by the movie’s producer Rajeev Nair), also marking the Malayalam movie debut of talented singer Shadab Faridi. Despite the presence of him and Shreya Ghoshal behind the mic though, the qawwali-esque song ends up sounding rather average. The soundtrack’s best, however, goes to K S Harishankar (who incidentally bagged the top song in the composer’s last soundtrack as well). Vaanam Chaayum – a pensive melody that is undeniably of the composer’s make, but of the kind where those characteristic elements only make the song more endearing. Beautiful tune with an ethereal, goosebump-inducing arrangement (the synth, the bass line, the violins, the sitar..) and Harishankar just breezing through the rendition – this one is vintage Vidyasagar!

Anarkali. Replete with familiar sounds, but engaging soundtrack from Vidyasagar. That’s three good soundtracks from the composer this year by the way.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Top Recos: Vaanam Chaayum, Sahibaa Innethu Megha, Aa Oruthi Avaloruthi

Songs and credits at the end.

Ente Janalarikil is another entry to the fast growing list of songs paying a nod to the 90s sound of Malayalam music. Simple, Malayali tune, and a rich orchestration that is marked by the characteristic domination of violins and flute (Rajesh Cherthala), the naadaswaram-ish cameo from O K Gopi on shehnai is a nice touch. On vocals, P Jayachandran does his job well. Kayampoo Niramayi is more Carnatic in its melody, starting off with a very classical prelude from Thrippunithura Girija Varma (not sure if an actual composition or something written by lyricist Santhosh Varma) before moving onto a lighter but still very abhogi raga-oriented tune delivered beautifully by Swetha Mohan. In the background the percussive exchange between mridangam, ghatam and kanjira is quite engaging. Composer Bijibal’s best offering in the three song soundtrack is the pensive Raavinte. That touch of longing in the raga (not sure which, the mood is sort of akin to such ragas as bhoopaalam and vaasanthi in places, though it is not either) that is conveyed well by Ganesh Sundaram but it is the harmonies from Santhi and Sangeetha that really haunt you. That and the guitar work by Sandeep Mohan.

Su Su Sudhi Vathmeekam. Another short but effective soundtrack from Bijibal.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Full Credits

Ente Janalarikil :
Singer – P Jayachandran
Key Board – Justin Varghese, Strings – Francis Xavier, Herald, Josekutty, Francis, Mariadas,Tabla – Anand, Flute – Rajesh Cherthala ,Shehnai – O K Gopi
Mixed and Mastered by Kiranlal @ N H Q

Kayamboo :
Singers – Shwetha Mohan, Thripunithura Girija Varma.
Keyboard – Justin Varghese, Flute -Rajesh Cherthala, Mridangam – Balakrishna Kammath.
Mixed and Mastered By Bijibal @ Bodhi

Raavinte :
Singer – Ganesh Sundaram
Harmony – Santhi and Sangeetha
Key board – Jibin Gopal, Guitar – Sandeep Mohan
Mixed and Mastered by Shreeshankar @ Muzik Ministry.
Label – Muzik 247

Songs and full credits at the end of the review.

Most of the songs of Rajamma @ Yahoo are set to a dance-y, celebratory mood. In Meghamani, composer Bijibal follows a maappilappaattu type format that engages, courtesy also Najeem Arshad and co’s singing and Santhosh Varma’s nicely worded lines that make a couple of well-placed references to Calicut’s famous landmarks. Ullathu Chonnal works better, despite a definite familiarity in the sound, the liveliness of the arrangement (Manoj Sasi’s naadaswaram in the second interlude, one of my favourite elements) and the superb singing by Vineeth Sreenivasan and Sangeetha Sreekanth make up sufficiently for that.

Bijibal gets Alphonse Joseph to lead the qawwali-ish Maanaanivalude and the man aces it with some good support from the chorus. The arrangement is entertaining as such songs come by, highlighted unsurprisingly by the percussion and harmonium (in this case on keyboard by Vipin Lal). It is the final fast track that doesn’t quite hit the mark; Olivile Kalikal is average in its tune and even the arrangement is just occasionally interesting. The composer himself handles the vocals on this one. It is on digressing from the dance-orientation that Bijibal creates the song of the soundtrack though, in Ottathooval. The tune is dark, haunting (panthuvarali raga-based, I think) and beautifully sung by Ganesh Sundaram and Roopa Revathi. Roopa also doubles up as solo violinist for the song.

Bijibal’s fine run in 2015 continues with Rajamma @ Yahoo.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Top Recos: Ottathooval, Maanaanivalude, Ullathu Chonnal

Full Credits

1.Meghamani
Lyrics – Santhosh Varma
Singer – Najeem Arshad
Keyboard-Justin Varghese
Shehnai-O K Gopi

2. Ullathu Chonnal :
Lyrics – Anil Panachooran
Singers-Vineeth Sreenivasan, Sangeetha Sreekanth
Keyboard-Sarathchandran
Nadaswaram-Manoj Sasi

3.Ottathooval :
Lyrics-Ajith Kumar
Singers-Ganesh Sundaram, Roopa Revathi
Keyboard-Jibin Gopal
Solo Violin-Roopa Revathi

4.Maanaanivalude :
Lyrics-Rafeeq Ahammed
Singer-Alphons Joseph
Keyboard-Vipinlal

5.Olivile kalikal:
Lyrics-Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma
Singer-Bijibal
Keyboard-Vysakh Bejoy

Additional Vocals-
Jibin Gopal and Vysakh Bejoy
All songs mixed and mastered by Bijibal @ BODHI

Songs at the end of the review (link via Vino Varghese).

Chenthengin is a decent track, relying majorly on Najeem Arshad’s singing to keep it engaging amidst the largely familiar tropes. The arrangement does get interesting around the interludes though. In Veluveluthoru too the vocal efforts are key – Afsal in this case, and a well-employed chorus – though the melody is relatively more engaging and even the arrangement is adequately spruced up by the European-ish sounds. Thanne Thanne is where Gopi Sunder gets everything right. The tune is eminently hummable, the arrangement groovy (some trademark use of claps there) and the singing by Karthik and Abhaya Hiranmayi excellent.

Two Countries. Short, engaging soundtrack from Gopi Sunder.

Music Aloud Rating: 6.5/10

You can listen to the songs at the end of the review (link via @vivekranjit).

Puthumazhayai (quite a few songs with that title now) is sweet – a nice melody set to a waltz-like rhythm, nothing very fresh, but one that works perfectly for Shreya Ghoshal’s honeyed voice. An alternate version of the song has Divya S Menon who does a fine rendition too, but between the two Shreya’s version wins. Rajalakshmi gets to sing the serene prayer song Sneham Nee Naadha, one that is set to a minimal ambient arrangement by composer Gopi Sunder. The tune has a heard-before feel to it, but the treatment of the track (some beautiful violin) and the wonderful singing make it a compelling listen. Though it has on vocals the man from Gopi’s recent superhit Mukkathe Penne, Mohammad Maqbool Mansoor (along with Shaktisree Gopalan) and though both the singers do their part well, the composer doesn’t recreate the same magic with Pularikalo. It does however make for an engaging piece with its Muslim-flavoured arrangement, highlight of which is the long saxophone prelude from Jossy.

It is in the remaining two songs that the composer scores a whopper though. Oru Kari Mukilinu somehow took me back to Kanninima, not for any similarity in tune, rather the comparable haunting feel. The melody is beautiful, the arrangement sounds exotic (excellent employment of guitars and violins, and that ethereal humming) and Vijay Prakash is impeccable behind the mic. And finally Akale – a song along the lines of what Rex Vijayan did in Lord Livingstone 7000 Kandi, or Neha Nair/Yakzon Pereira in Iyobinte Pusthakam – Gopi deftly incorporating world music elements around a folk-based track sung to an engaging guitar base. Jossy’s birdcall-like flute is a brilliant touch, even as Malgudi Shubha carries off the singing with finesse.

In a year that has seen the composer a little off-colour compared to the last couple of years (Mukkathe Penne was a glorious exception of course), Charlie is the best soundtrack I have heard from Gopi Sunder.

Music Aloud Rating: 8/10

Top Recos: Akale, Oru Kari Mukilinu, Pularikalo

Songs at the end (full credits in the video description on youtube).

Neeyen Kaattaai is peppy in a rather heard-before way, but it still hits the mark thanks to a fab job on vocals by Kavya Ajith. It is in the other tracks that Rahul Subramanian makes a better impression as a composer. And the most impressive of those is Ponveyil Veezhave (wonder why the official title spells it as “ponvail”), a beautifully crafted tune that is ensconced in an equally beautiful strings-dominated arrangement (seasoned with some excellent use of guitars and flute in the second verse). And Haricharan never had a problem acing such songs; he does that here too. Adivaram is a nice track, the melody is quite hummable and Sayanora Philip’s rendition is on point. The only problem with the song is that there seems to be a lot of humming happening throughout the song, most of it built around the same core tune so it gets quite monotonous.

Pinjomal too rides on a charming tune and an atmospheric backdrop that lends the song an inspirational tone. This too faces the same issue as the previous song though, dwelling too much upon the humming bit in an attempt to add to that anthemic feel. Good singing by Arun Alat, though. In keeping with the recent (worrying) trend of getting the movie’s lead actors to sing, composer gets Manju Warrier and Sanoop Santhosh to sing Do Do Do (though it isn’t a first time for Manju, having sung in one of her last movies before the long hiatus, Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu). A song that in its violin-based start and kids’ chorus took me back to MM Keeravaani’s Karuka Naambum from Neelagiri. The average lyrics aside, the song encapsulates the kids’ song feel quite nicely, helped on its way by some beautiful violin solos.

Jo and the Boy. Nice, feel-good soundtrack from Rahul Subramaniam, much like his debut soundtrack which was also for the same director. Wonder what’s with the movie titles though, they come off sounding like British pubs!

Music Aloud Rating: 7/10

Top Recos: Ponveyil Veezhave, Pinjomal, Do Do Do

Songs at the end.

Singing possibly his first mainstream song of the year, Vidhu Prathap is nevertheless in top form (kind of begs the question why he doesn’t sing more often any longer) in the fun, dance-y Ullasagayike. Vidhu is also joined by Ramya Nambeeshan and composer Shaan Rahman himself, who also does a fine job at providing an engaging backdrop highlighted by the harmonium (live percussion by Anand). Ente Maavum Poothe is a groovy techno concoction, that title hook is sure to catch on. Wonder if the Shari Mary Rajeshwari reference has to do with the fact that Mukesh is starring in the movie. Vineeth Sreenivasan, Arun Alat and Shaan lead the vocals, but it is Rzee who steals the show with his Malayalam rap! The fun element is up a few more notches in the Adi Kapyare Koottamani’s final track Maruda that the composer smartly builds over a brass band base playing that immensely addictive hook. Arun Alat really shines in this one, with Shaan for support. Using Arun’s voice in a lower register for the Dhum Tana hook towards the end is a really nice move.

Adi Kapyare Koottamani. Short, fun soundtrack from Shaan Rahman for what appears to be a pretty light-spirited movie.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Songs at the end.

The soundtrack of Monsoon Mangoes starts off quite promisingly with Mangoes, a breezy retro-ish piece that conveys pretty much the same vibes as the movie’s trailer did. Excellent arrangement (guitars and horns) and Rakesh Kishore’s lead vocals are backed very neatly by composer Jakes Bejoy and Udith. Rosie continues on that retro vein, taking a more disco-oriented route. Not as effective as the first one, though it does go really well with the video (at the end of the review), propped up by some super vocals from Shreya Ghoshal, supported again by the composer. And there is one kickass bass-led interlude you need to watch out for!

Asha is an attempt to recreate an old Hindi film song setting, clearly drawing on O P Nayyar’s style of arrangement. Jakes manages to sincerely reproduce the characteristic elements (the horse-cart rhythm!), and the singers Jagdish and Muhammed Aslam too try to remain true to the yesteryear style, though the overall effect is nowhere close to the classics. There is a second Hindi song in the album too, the ghazal-styled Beete Din (possibly jog or tilang raaga), also penned by Raqeeb Alam. Nicely and rather conventionally done track, given extra teeth by the choice of Mame Khan Mangniyar’s earthy folky voice for rendition. Vijay Yesudas leads the feel-good prayer song Naadinu, with splendid support from the Elfa Choir. While the tune is regular, what makes the song really click is the arrangement where European elements abound, the interlude led by the choir and accordion is my favourite.

Monsoon Mangoes. Simple, feel-good soundtrack from Jakes Bejoy. Not quite there in terms of the promise indicated by the trailer and music videos, but somewhere in the ball park.

Music Aloud Rating: 6.5/10

Top Recos: Mangoes, Beete Din, Naadinu

Songs at the end.

Kandu Kothiche is composed by Deepankuran. The man who once showed immense promise as a singer even as a child, but went on to have a patchy singing career despite having a famed lyricist for father. He did end up debuting as composer in 2013 with Jayaraj’s Camel Safari (incidentally his father and uncle both debuted as composers for the same director!) and gave a couple of good songs in an otherwise ho-hum affair. And after a largely quiet couple of years (he seems to have composed for one unremarkable movie in between) the musician returns to compose one song here in Hello Namasthe, Kandu Kothiche that I would rate better than his songs from Camel Safari. A nice familiar-ish melody (shades of bageshri raga perhaps?) that works more for the guitar-led arrangement in which Deepankuran deftly infuses folk elements. And the in-form Vijay Yesudas handles the vocals neatly. The lyrics, like with most of his songs, are by his father Kaithapram. Title song marks Masala Coffee’s film debut as composers. A song that carries the band’s definitive sound, and that the band crams with all instruments at their disposal, from bouzouki to morsing to kazoo. The song is entertaining too; Sooraj Santhosh and Varun Sunil leading the proceedings with their rendition of a very Malayali tune (loosely Kharaharapriya raga-based, I think) atop the rich arrangement that also features Dilshad Khan’s esraj; always get fascinated by that inclusion in the band’s Malayali folk-heavy songs. The only awkward bit is the title Hello Namasthe itself, but then to be fair I don’t see that kind of a title making for a good musical fit in any form!

Very short soundtrack (that probably didn’t warrant this long a review, apologies about the Deepankuran-based digression!) from Deepankuran and Masala Coffee but an entertaining one all the same.

Music Aloud Rating: 6.5/10

Songs at the end.

Maanasam has a passable melody that is made to work more by Najeem Arshad’s singing, but the nursery rhyme-ish Merry Christmas verse sounds jarring. Paambum Koneem fares better, built around that earworm-ish jeevitham hook. In the composer’s characteristic style, the song features some neat guitars, and Gopi Sunder himself handles the vocals. Gopi delivers the soundtrack’s best track as well, whose only drawbacks are the singing flaws. He is on point with the melody and its haunting arrangement though (brilliant use of guitars again).

Ma Chu Ka (no clue what the name is supposed to imply). Short and middling soundtrack from Gopi Sunder.

Music Aloud Rating: 6/10

Songs at the end.

Vettah’s soundtrack is all of two songs. Composer Shaan Rahman takes up vocal duties for the moody, intense Ee Koda Manjin. The dramatic arrangement is quite formulaic – frenzied violins (Cochin Strings), the general atmospheric feel et al – but is quite effective all the same. Good singing too by Shaan. As is his wont though, the composer scores his real winner with a melodic piece, the second track called Raavu Maayave. The winsome tune is beautifully handled by Rinu Razak with Shaan and Hesham Abdul Wahab for support. The arrangement carries a qawwali-ish feel (Anand’s tabla and the harmonium being prominent features) that lends to the song’s charm very well.

Vettah. Short, engaging soundtrack from Shaan Rahman that features another of the composer’s signature melody pieces.

Music Aloud Rating: 7/10

Songs and full credits at the end (have also included the video of Idukki separately, because that *must* be watched)

Theliveyil starts with a kids’ chorus (Devadutt, Surya, Rohith, Harikiran), before getting taken over by Sangeetha Srikanth and Sudeep Kumar in a waltz-y setting. The tune is simple, likeable, and is delivered and treated very well; star of the arrangement being the violin (Roopa Revathi). Mounangal is even better, the melody and arrangement are both more intricate – while the former is handled by Vijay Yesudas and Aparna Balamurali to a tee, the arrangement provides a different cynosure at different points, flitting from sax to sitar to violins to clarinet (brass by Rajesh Cherthala, sitar by KJ Paulson).

Another melodic piece follows with Cherupunjiri, this time of a more pensive nature. Once again, excellently constructed tune that Nikhil Mathew delivers with finesse. Composer Bijibal does some splendid work in the backdrop, the interludes especially. The soundtrack’s towering highlight however is the makers’ ode to one of Kerala’s most picturesque districts, Idukki. While the music video beautifully captures the scenery and everyday life in the region, Bijibal manages to bring a rain-soaked, highland-ish feel in his soundscape too, building around Rafeeq Ahammed’s finely written verse. Composer himself leads the vocals, with some excellent harmonic backing from Soumya Ramakrishnan, Santhi and Sangeetha Prabhu.

Maheshinte Prathikaram. Don’t know about director Dileesh Pothan’s movie-making skills (the videos thus far have definitely been promising) but he definitely seems to have acquired Aashiq Abu’s musical sense, working as his associate! He even uses the composer with whom Abu has had some fine soundtracks. And Bijibal seems unstoppable at the moment, continuing on the top form he was in last year!

Music Aloud Rating: 8/10

Top Recos: Idukki, Cherupunjiri, Mounangal

Full Credits

MALAMELE THIRIVACHU (IDUKKI) : LYRICS – Rafeeq Ahammed.
SINGER – Bijibal.  CHORUS – Santhi, Soumya, Sangeetha.
Keyboard Programming – Vipin Lal.
Flute – Rajesh Cherthala.
Mixed and mastered by Bijibal @ bOdhi.

THELIVEYIL :  LYRICS – Rafeeq Ahammed.
SINGERS – Sudeep Kumar, Sangeetha Sreekanth.
Kids Chorus – Devadutt, Surya, Rohith, Harikiran.
Keyboard Programming – Jibin Gopal. Guitar – Sandeep Mohan.
Violin Solo – Roopa Revathi.
Strings – Francis Xavier, Josekutty, Herald, Francis, Chacko.
Mixed by Shreeshanker @ Muzik Ministry.
Mastered by Bijibal @ bOdhi.

MOUNANGAL : LYRICS -Rafeeq Ahammed.
SINGERS – Vijay Yesudas, Aparna Balamurali.
Keyboard Programming – Vijay P Jacob
Guitar – Sandeep Mohan.
Brass – Rajesh Cherthala.
Strings – Francis Xavier, Josekutty, Herald, Francis, Chacko.
Sitar – K J Paulson.
Mixed and Mastered by Bijibal @ bOdhi.

CHERUPUNJIRI : LYRICS – Santhosh Varma.
SINGER – Nikhil Mathew.
Keyboard Programming – Vysakh Bejoy.
Guitar – Santhosh Chandran.
Strings –  Francis Xavier, Josekutty, Herald, Francis, Chacko.
Vocal Humming – Bijibal
Mixed and Mastered by Bijibal @ bOdhi.

Songs and credits at the end.

After bringing together P Jayachandran and Vani Jayaram in 1983, director Abrid Shine goes one up in Action Hero Biju, getting Yesudas and Vani Jayaram to sing a duet, and a composition from another veteran Jerry Amaldev! Returning to film-composing after 13 years (his last one was Saudamini in 2003), the man takes you back to his prime with the gorgeous melody that is Pookkal Panineer Pookkal. The retro arrangement features a profusion of violins, especially in the interludes. More yesteryear feels follow with Chinmayi’s solo act Oonjaalilaadi Vanna, composer going for a ghazal flavour here. The tune has mild heard-before quality to it though that doesn’t particularly affect the song’s appeal, thanks to Chinmayi’s brilliant singing and the orchestration (conducted by yet another old-timer, C Rajamani) once again dominated by violins (Chennai Strings), and tabla (Prasadh), with the occasional cameo by Saroja’s dilruba.

The first half of Chiriyo Chiri evokes a mild O P Nayyar feel, what with the horse-cart rhythm and all (that first interlude sounds straight out of old timey Bollywood), but is engaging all the same. Behind the mic are Vaikom Vijayalakshmi and Vineeth Sreenivasan, the latter not quite sounding his best. Amaldev’s final song is the only one that lands off the mark. Hari Narayanan’s lyrics seem to imply an ode to the police (or it could just be to the protagonist), but the whole composition comes off rather average, even Suchith Suresan’s energy doesn’t help much. The final song is composer, written and sung by V Suresh Thampanoor – a very simplistic song titled Muthe Ponne Pinangalle that lasts all of a minute and forty seconds, but will win you over with just that. It also helps that the song came out as a video, has a really joyful vibe about it.

Action Hero Biju. Kudos to Abrid Shine for bringing back Jerry Amaldev. The man proves that he is far from done, hope to hear more from him. This would seem a good time to have made a return in fact, given the increasing love in the industry for the bygone era.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Top Recos: Panineer Pookkal, Oonjaalilaadi Vanna, Muthe Ponne Pinangalle

Credits

Panineer Pookkal

Music – JERRY AMAL DEV
Conducted by – C.RAJAMANI
Singers – K.J.YESUDAS & VANI JAYARAM
Lyrics – SANTHOSH VARMA
Flute – KAMALAKAR
Mandlin & Guitar – BABU
Bass Guitar – CHITTY
Tabla & Dholak – SHRUTHY RAJ & RENJITH VASUDEV
Drums – DERIK
Mix & Mastering – RENJITH.C.RAJAN
Musician Co-ordinator – K.D.VINCENT
Recorded @ Muzik Lounge Studio – RAGESH SWAMINATHAN & BIBIN SABU

Oonjaalilaadi Vanna

Music – JERRY AMALDEV
Conducted by – C.RAJAMANI
Singer – CHINMAYI
Lyrics – SANTHOSH VARMA
Mandlin & Guitar – BABU
Strings – Chennai Strings
Drum – DERIK
Bass Guitar – CHITTY
Tabla – PRASADH (BIG)
Side Rhythm – VEDHA
Dilruba – SAROJA
Musician Co-ordinator – K.D.VINCENT
Mix & Mastering – RENJITH.C.RAJAN
Recorded @ Muzik Lounge Studio – RAGESH SWAMINATHAN & BIBIN SABU

Chiriyo Chiri

Music – JERRY AMALDEV
Conducted by – C.RAJAMANI
Singers – VINEETH SREENIVASAN & VAIKKOM VIJAYALAKSHMI
Lyrics – HARI NARAYANAN
Flute – KAMALAKAR
Mandlin & Guitar – BABU
Bass Guitar – CHITTY
Tabla & Dollak – SHRUTHY RAJ & RENJITH VASUDEV
Side Rhythm – VEDHA
Shehnai – BALISH
Dilruba – SAROJA
Mix & Mastering – RENJITH.C.RAJAN
Musician Co-ordinator – K.D.VINCENT
Recorded @ Muzik Lounge Studio – RAGESH SWAMINATHAN & BIBIN SABU

Hara Hara

Music – JERRY AMALDEV
Conducted by – C.RAJAMANI
Singer – SUCHITH SURESAN
Lyrics – HARI NARAYANAN
Guitar – STEVE & BABU
Trumpet – BABU
Strings – Chennai Strings
Key Board – GEO
Drum – DERIK
Bass Guitar – CHITTY
Musician Co-ordinator – K.D.VINCENT
Mix & Mastering – RENJITH.C.RAJAN
Recorded @ Muzik Lounge Studio – RAGESH SWAMINATHAN & BIBIN SABU

Songs at the end (don’t be fooled by the length, it is just two songs repeated twice over).

Singer/composer Job Kurian records his first song for Gopi Sunder in Kali, the laid back piece called Chillu Ranthal. The singing is unsurprisingly ace, and Gopi’s arrangement, although bearing faint shades of his past works, is really nicely done. A jazzy/latino rhythm base topped with some fab guitaring and some surprise entries like the shehnai and the Carnatic bit (shanmukhapriya raga?) on violin. Vaarthinkale follows a pop-ish route, riding on a charming melody that is rendered very well by Divya S Menon. The arrangement sticks to the norms, guitars leading the way. The accordion adds a nice touch however. Well written lyrics too, by B K Harinarayanan.

Kali. Lovely, but very short soundtrack from Gopi Sunder. Surprisingly light-hearted songs though, for a movie titled Kali (anger)!

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

PS: Also, just noticing the musical consistency in Dulquer Salmaan movies. There isn’t one that featured a bad soundtrack, if memory serves right. 

You can listen to the songs here. Couple of youtube links and full musician credits at the end.

Vaathe Poothe is a lot like Neram’s Pistah (that is once again in the news for its IPL campaign association) – an ambient techno backdrop with heavy folk percussion, lyrics that don’t make a lot of sense and an immensely addictive end product (incidentally quite similar to this song too, as @youdontknowwho_ pointed out). Special props to the super energetic job from Vidhu Prathap and composer/lyricist Sooraj S Kurup behind the mic. Sooraj does a more imaginative fusing of folk and electronic elements in the uncharacteristically dark pooram song titled Pooram Kaanaan. The singing by Vijay Yesudas and Sithara Krishnakumar is on point, but the arrangement is king here. Sooraj does vocal honours for yet another brilliantly orchestrated piece, Kannukal Kaalidari. Lyrically a romantic track, but the composer opts for a punchy packaging, gradually building the song up to a tumultuous crescendo of electric guitars (Sumesh Parameshwar) and heavy percussion. Adding to the allure is the use of backing vocals and the rare touch of softness that features Sumesh doing Carnatic style guitaring.

Guest lyricist BK Harinarayanan pens Pularkaalam Pole, one that Haricharan and Madonna Sebastian totally rule with their singing. Composer chooses Carnatic flavour for this one, punctuating the atmospheric soundscape with a delectable combination of naadaswaram (OK Gopi), violin (Francis Xavier) and carnatic/folk percussion (Sreenivasan R). Are Tu Chakkarr features a dark, Middle Eastern-tinged sound, once again with some infusion of Kerala folk elements. Not particularly fresh, but it works for its frenetic pacing and the passionate rendition by Sachin Warrier and Hesham Abdul Wahab. Vineeth Sreenivasan heads the final song of Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti, the poignant, slow-burning Enno Kaathil (reminded me at times of Insaaf from Talvar). Vineeth is fab, and the arrangement nicely – albeit in a familiar fashion – builds up to that rousing finale.

His lyrical props may not be top drawer, but Sooraj S Kurup adds himself to the line of promising new generation composers of Malayalam with this terrific debut. All vallis and pullis are in the right place for this soundtrack of Valleem Thetti Pulleem Thetti.

Music Aloud Rating: 8.5/10

Top Recos: Kannukal Kaalidari, Pularkaalam Pole, Vaathe Poothe

Vaathe Poothe

Sung by: Vidhu Prathap & Sooraj S Kurup

Lyrics by: Sooraj S Kurup

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Pularkaalam Pole

Sung by: Haricharan & Madonna Sebastian

Backing Vocals – Aswathy Krishnakumar

Nadaswaram – OK Gopi

Violin – Francis Xavier

Mridangam & Ghatam – Sreenivasan R

Lyrics by: Harinarayanan B.K.

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Pooram Kaanan

Sung by: Vijay Yesudas & Sithara

Backing Vocals – Sooraj S Kurup

Lyrics by: Sooraj S Kurup

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Kannukal Kaalidari

Sung by: Sooraj S Kurup

Guitars & Mandolin – Sumesh Parameshwar

Lyrics by: Sooraj S Kurup

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Enno Kaathil

Sung by: Vineeth Sreenivasan

Backing vocals – Aswathy Krishnakumar, Sooraj S Kurup

Lyrics by: Sooraj S Kurup

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Are Thu Chakkarr

Sung by: Sachin Warrier, Hesham Abdul Wahab, Sooraj S Kurup & Ashwathy Krishnakumar

Lyrics by: Sooraj S Kurup

Music by: Sooraj S Kurup

Songs and full credits at the end.

Dubai, composer Shaan Rahman and lyricist Manu Manjith’s ode to the Malayali El Dorado is short, sweet and extremely heart-warming. The arrangement is kept simple, riding largely on the mandolin/banjo hook and Liya Varghese’s vocal harmonies. Suchith Suresan and Vineeth Sreenivasan deliver the lead vocals equally well. Composer Shaan Rahman also gives Vineeth Sreenivasan a second melody Ee Shishirakaalam, one where he is joined by another competent singer Kavya Ajit. The melody is excellent, as is the composer’s wont, and the background features some brilliant violins from Cochin Strings. Thiruvaavaniraavu, as evident from the title, is an Onappaattu, and is made adequately Malayali-sounding both lyrically and musically (a touch of arabhi raga perhaps), albeit with a smattering of synth elements. Sithara Krishnakumar does a fine job behind the mic along with another voice rarely heard these days, Unni Menon (and additional vocals by Meera Scharma).

It could be the presence of the leading men from Kochi band When Chai Met Toast – singer Ashwin Gopakumar (who is also lyricist here) and guitarist Achyuth Jaigopal – that lends Home a pronounced indie sound. A fab movie debut for the twosome; Ashwin’s words and singing convey the nostalgic feel to a tee, while Achyuth provides splendid support from his end. Ennilerinju is the only track that digresses from the soft melody format which dominates Jacobinte Swargarajyam’s soundtrack. Of course, here too Shaan lays a melodic base through Cochin Strings, but what hooks you to the song is the well-executed rap-carnatic jamming between Rzee and Sithara Krishnakumar.

Jacobinte Swargarajyam. A melody-heavy soundtrack and Shaan Rahman delivers, as he always has – in the genre, and particularly for Vineeth Sreenivasan.

Music Aloud Rating: 7.5/10

Top Recos: Dubai, Home, Ee Shishirakaalam

 

 
Song Credits

Ee Shishirakaalam
Singer: Vineeth Sreenivasan, Kavya Ajit
Lyrics: Harinarayanan B.K.

Thiruvaavaniraavu
Singer: Unni Menon, Sithara Krishnakumar
(Additional Vocals: Meera Scharma)
Lyrics: Manu Manjith

Dubai
Singer: Vineeth Sreenivasan, Suchith Suresan, Liya Verghese
Lyrics: Manu Manjith

Ennilerinju
Singer: Rzee, Sithara Krishnakumar
Lyrics: Rzee

Home
Singer: Ashwin Gopakumar
Lyrics: Ashwin Gopakumar

Guitars : Sumesh Parameshwar and Achyuth Jaigopal
Strings : Cochin Strings
Solo Violin : Roopa
Flute : Rison

All Songs and Background Music Composed, Programmed and Arranged by Shaan Rahman.

All Songs recorded at ‘Shaanz Eternal Ray’, Cochin and ‘Freddy’s AVG’, Cochin.

All Songs and Background Music Mixed and Mastered by Biju James at VGP Studios, Chennai

Songs and full credits at the end.

Singer Sayanora Philip sounds fabulous in both the songs she sings for Gopi Sunder in James and Alice. Udanjuvo has a pensive melody, set to a slow-burning, ambient arrangement. Gets monotonous after a while, especially owing to its length, but there is a brief but nice sax segment from Josy Alappuzha towards the end. The more melancholic Nenjin works better, it has a lot more going on in the background (particularly the violins) as Sayanora negotiates the song’s softer portions and the more intense moments with equal ease. The song most identifiable as a Gopi Sunder product is also the soundtrack’s best. The guitar-led arrangement (excellent work from Sumesh Parameshwar) is all too familiar, and yet you will find yourself grooving to Mazhaye Mazhaye. A lot of it is also owing to the vocal department being headed by Karthik. Abhaya Hiranmayi’s voice that joins at the end sounds too processed, but it is nicely layered with the whistle.

Music Aloud Rating: 6.5/10

Song Credits:
1) Mazhaye
Singers : Karthik & Abhaya Hiranmayi
Lyrics : Harinarayanan B K
Music Director: Gopi Sundar

2) Nenjin
Singer: Sayanora Philip
Lyrics : Mochitha
Music Director: Gopi Sundar

3) Udanjuvo
Singer: Sayanora Philip
Lyrics : Harinarayanan B K
Music Director: Gopi Sundar

ALL SONGS ARRANGED AND PROGRAMMED BY : GOPI SUNDAR
BACKING VOCALS : KRISHNALAL B.S , MIDHUN ANAND
GUITARS, BASS : SUMESH PARAMESWAR
FLUTE & SAX : JOSY ALAPUZHA
SOLO VIOLIN : CAROL GEORGE
STRINGS : FRANCIS XAVIER, HERALD, FRANCIS T.S, JOSEKUTTY. CAROL GEORGE
MUSIC PRODUCTION MANAGER : BABU V.K
SONGS RECORDED @ SUNSA DIGITAL WORKSTATION, CHENNAI & COCHIN
ENGINEERED BY : MIDHUN ANAND, KRISHNALAL.BS, NIKHIL MATHEWS, GOPI SUNDAR
ALL SONGS MIXED & MASTERED BY MIDHUN ANAND @ SUNSA DIGITAL WORKSTATION,CHENNAI & COCHIN.

You can listen to the songs here. Full credits at the end.

Vijay Yesudas delivers the pensive Eriyumoru Venalil well, even as composer Rahul Raj matches the mood with a guitar-laden backdrop. It is singer Shweta Mohan who gets the better deal out of the short soundtrack though. Premardramee Lokam features a similarly rock-flavoured arrangement, but the usage of guitars is more imaginative here. The melody too is more engaging, more so because Shweta is brilliant with her rendition. Oru Vela is even better, a pleasant melody that is beautifully orchestrated by Rahul (even features a smattering of reethigowla raga flavour, something of a favourite for the composer it would seem judging by the past occurrences) and exquisitely sung by Shweta.

White. Another short soundtrack from composer Rahul Raj, but an engaging one all the same.

Music Aloud Rating: 7/10

Songs and full credits at the end.

A nice hummable melody and sprightly guitar-led backing – Thoominnal is composer Rahul Raj delivering on home turf with ample help from the impeccable Haricharan. The first interlude is particularly well done (once again a mildest hint of reethigowla that I sensed) with Josy Alappuzha’s flute solo. Composer does even better in Rambo, doing a wonderful nod to the disco-style yesteryear film music, layering the arrangement with all the definitive elements (some excellent guitars from Sandeep Mohan). Vijay Yesudas does well delivering the vocals, with support from Rahul Raj. In an equally impressive instrumental version of the song, Francis Xavier takes the lead with his violin. The tone of the violin lends beautifully to the grooviness of the track! Halli Sreehalli is the only track that doesn’t quite hit the mark. As any Malayali would derive from the song’s title, Manu Manjith’s lyrics here carry references to the classic sequence from Thenmaavin Kombathu including the movie’s title Muddugauv (the alternate title of the song is Umma paattu). That trivia aside though, the song comes off as average. Not entirely devoid of interesting moments though – OK Gopi’s naadaswaram and Chinmayi’s singing (joined here too by Rahul) deserve mention.

Muddugauv. Same number of tunes as Rahul Raj’s other soundtrack that also came out last week, and equally entertaining.

Music Aloud Rating: 7/10

Full Credits

1 – Rambo Rambo

—————-

Music Composed, Arranged & Produced by – Rahul Raj

Lyrics – Manu Manjith

Vocals – Vijay Yesudas

Addnl Vocals – Rahul Raj

Keyboard & Rhythm Programming – Rahul Raj

Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitars – Sandeep Mohan

Strings Performed by – The Cochin Strings

2 – Halli Sreehalli – Umma paattu

———————————

Music Composed, Arranged & Produced by – Rahul Raj

Lyrics – Manu Manjith

Vocals – Chinmayi Sripada & Rahul Raj

Keyboard Programming & Rhythm Programming – Rahul Raj

Nadaswaram – O.K Gopi

3 – Thoominnal Thooval

———————-

Music Composed, Arranged & Produced by – Rahul Raj

Lyrics – Manu Manjith

Vocals – Haricharan

Keyboard & Rhythm Programming – Rahul Raj

Acoustic & Electric Guitars – Sandeep Mohan

Flute – Josy Alappuzha

4 – Rambo Rambo – Solo Violin

—————————–

Music Composed, Arranged & Produced by – Rahul Raj

Keyboard & Rhythm Programming – Rahul Raj

Solo Violin – Francis Xavier

Addnl Vocals – Rahul Raj

Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitars – Sandeep Mohan

Strings Performed by – The Cochin Strings

Engineers

———-

Rahul Raj @ IndiaSoundZ Productions

Nikhil Kakkochan @ Freddys AVG ,Cochin

Hari Shankar @ My Studio ,Cochin

Mixed & Mastered by – Balu Thankachan @ 20dbSoundstudios,Chennai

Assisted by – Avinash Satish/Sethu Thankachan

Special Thanks – Sethu Thankachan, Michael Kottayam