BARFI! Music

Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire, Ashish Pandit, Sayeed Qadri, Neelesh Misra

Barfi! (05:18)

Singer: Mohit Chauhan

A very pleasant whistle invites you to enter the drama Mohit Chauhan has staged with his playful Kishore-da style singing. Pritam does a similar treatment to Mohit's vocals as we've heard him in A. R. Rahman's Hawaa Hawaa (Rockstar). A pahadi folk-ish piece midway the track purifies the air around. Be engrossed in the soulful lyrics by Swanand Kirkire that mentions Murphy ka radio and Ceylon wala station, you are sure to have a gulp in the throat when Mohit deliciously sings munna mute hi aansoon bahaye! As you end, you'll have a smile stuck on your face.

Ala Barfi (05:41)

Singer: Swanand Kirkire

With extended instruments and inclusion of percussion to blend Kirkire's strong voice in the cheerful mood, this is another version of the Barfi title track. The tune just after the whistle in the beginning reminds me of some other track (Please add in the comment below if you can recollect). Kirkire's extreme treatment in singing "utpaat" and "nonstop" may prick your ear in irritation.

Main Kya Karoon (04:28)

Singer: Nikhil Paul George

 Lyricist Ashish Pandit's only song in the album has Nikhil Paul George doing the crooning who has a voice recognisable with what many singers of this generation are delivering. A very new love ballad from Pritam with nothing much recycled from his earlier songs of similar genre. Humming and a capella like vocals in the background adds a layer to the strings dominated arrangement. This is sheer love at first listen! 

Kyon (04:26)

Singer: Papon, Sunidhi Chauhan

A Pritam-Papon collaboration hardly disappoints. This has Neelesh Misra on board for lyrics. This very vintage track flows smoothly into you and a beautiful ball-room dance is picturised in front of you as you listen to it. Though its not new to hear Sunidhi on such genre, she merely adds a retro-ish charm.

Phir Le Aaya Dil (04:45)

Singer: Rekha Bhardwaj

Legendary Rekha Bhardwaj teams up with Pritam for the first time. This ambient song lies completely in Rekhaji's comfort zone. It is lovable with its Urdu lyrics by Sayeed Qadri despite of the fact we miss the classical arrangements. Good that there's not because we would have then tagged Pritam trying to attempt Vishal Bhardwaj. And this is where I see Pritam very original. 

Phir Le Aaya Dil - Reprise (05:05)

Singer: Arjit Singh

The male version of Phir Le Aaya Dil with soothing Arjit Singh in the mehfil. The transitions lacks cohesiveness which is where it fails to develop a hook. This would have worked better with minimal arrangement, I feel.

Sawaali Si Raat (05:08)

Singer: Arjit Singh

Arjit Singh is behind the microphone again for a very aromatic lullaby in his hushed voice. Pritam has done enough justice to Singh's soft, crisp vocal chord with a simple yet layered arrangement. And you are swayed away by Swanand's magical words: "Barfi ke tukde sa chaand dekho aadha hai, dheere dheere chakhna zara"

Aashiyan (03:56)

Singers: Shreya Ghoshal, Nikhil Paul George

A Capriccio kind of start. Then enters melodious Shreya and Nikhil into this whimsical track. Technically, a very good song but passable after few hearings.

For a period film like BARFI!, Pritam had to look beyond what he has been giving in. And he has outdone himself. He really did have good albums this year: Ferrari Ki Sawaari, Cocktail. But this one tops all and easily accounts into his career's best. The only complaint stays that the entire album on the whole somewhere misses the mark to keep you abuzz and hooked throughout. This may vary personally, you shouldn't miss to hear this. 

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