No not the movie (which is very good). But the soundtrack. Not since Rang De Basanti has Rahman come up with an album of such quality. Sure there has been the odd great number here and there (Khwaja mere khwaja for example) but albums in their entirety have been a bit of a let down. Until now.
The introduction to Liquid dance makes u realize how entrancing surround sound can be. The chaotic beats, vocal rhythms and mixing of sound really make this one crazy number. No peace and quiet here. Madness at its best.
And then there is Mausam and Escape. The sitar is such a classical and peaceful instrument that listening to it automatically relaxes you. But this one makes you groove to the sitar (ofcourse Ravi Shankar and the likes have collaborated with George Harrison and co to create sitar fusion but at best they were always mixed with other instruments to make it more appealing to the west). For a second you forget that you are listening to the sitar coz it was never meant to be played this way. It then turns into a jugalbandi between violins, dominating beats and the sitar which culminates in a violent crescendo of all three. And its the sitar that triumphs. Imagine that! And just as it becomes a bit much to take, the whole thing quietens down and just echoes in the background a sample of the track so that we can digest what we've just experienced.
One of the things that I most look forward to in any Rahman album are his vocals. It has a unique quality and divinity that is unmatched. O Saya is an instant favorite. With its mesmerizing beats and youthful vocals of M.I.A (who I was quite surprised to find out was a british-bred western singer with sri lankan tamil roots), it makes you sit up and take notice immediately. and the way the song is used in the movie to lead into the credits, with a couple of pandus (mumbai cops) chasing a bunch of kids through the slums of Bombay is just magical. and that is true of all the songs in the movie. The way they are used really adds another dimension to the visuals and compliments it perfectly.
Jai ho is closer to a conventional Bollywood number and yet it rises above it. Sukhwinder is one of Rahman's favorite singers and I like the way he uses him (Wedding Qawwali is one of my all-time favorites). I think a song like this, since it appears in the credits with the whole cast and crew dancing to it, gives Rahman the freedom to do what he wants with it. Makes me wonder if the directors of recent movies that he has composed for have lost their ear. Especially Subhash Ghai. The same people that did Taal have also now done Yuvraaj..........baffling! Ghajini is quite mediocre, so much so that Harris Jeyaraj's music for the Tamil version was better (it pains me to say that but its true). Take Guru even. I think that is the weakest of all Rahman-Mani Ratnam collaborations. I think the other problem this year has been the deluge of albums (jodhaa akbar, ada, jaane tu, sakkarakatti, yuvraaj and ghajini). Naturally tends to dilute quality. I think he should stick to two albums a year, three at most.
The haunting trance of Millionaire, the purity of a humming vocal in Latika's theme, the rhythm of african beats in Riots, the soothing feel of Dreams on fire, and the reinvented Choli ke peeche which is as good as the original. All put together make this album liberating.
Rahman is back, about time!!
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