Udta Punjab Music Review

"Punjabi rap overload sans Honey Singh/Badshah"

Music: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Shellee, Varun Grover, Late Shri Shiv Kumar Batalvi
Ratings: ***1/2

1. Chitta Ve
Chitta Ve has strong hangover of Amit Trivedi's past works (I can particularly pinpoint Queen, Luv Shuv... and Shaandaar in this). But it seamlessly fits into this album's soundscape. Babu Haabi's grungy rap (who sounds like Suraj Jagan) and other trippy sounds grew to my liking after multiple listening.

2. Da Da Dasse
This one takes the rap and EDM sound of the album forward. Given the Punjabi terrain of the film and the soundtrack, Kanika Kapoor comes in as a right fit here. 

3. Ikk Kudi
Shiv Kumar Batalvi's nazm is re-imagined into an acoustic led contemporary composition, keeping the soul intact -- thanks to Shahid Mallya's heartfelt rendition. Though Rabbi Shergill has set a high standard for this one, Trivedi adapts it into a more hummable tune. 

4. Ud-daa Punjab
This one's an out-and-out winner, musically as well as lyrically. The energy is infectious. Trivedi and Dadlani keeps bouncing the ball to each other. While former grooves on a tuneful, latter raps and how! 

5. Hass Nach Le
Shahid Mallya gets another one in this album -- a sufi -- and he is equally brilliant here too. At times it feels too neat for its own good... loss of some rustic charm;  but it is infused with enough soul.

6. Vadiya
Vadiya tries to resonate with the psyche of a drug consumed, lyrically too. Trivedi sets his vocals on a lounge-ish tune, then takes the electronica to ear-bleeding levels. Wish Trivedi had done some more experimentation here and not restricted to the average length of four minutes. 

7. Ikk Kudi - Reprised Version
The guitar sounds more bluesy here but it eventually grows into a full rock. Daljit sucks the soul out of it. The track exists purely as a marketing vehicle just because they have roped in an actor who's also a singer.

Trivedi has been dangerously treading the line between 'having one's stamp over the album' and 'repeating oneself' for quite sometime now. His last Hindi film album this year -- Fitoor -- had one electronic track (Ranga Re) which I never warmed up to. Udta Punjab is largely electronic, yet it sounds different and unique to the album. So you know which side of the line Trivedi has fallen this time.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha Music Review

“Welcome back, Mr. Malik”  

Music: Anu Malik 

Lyrics: Varun Grover 

Ratings: *** ½ 

Anu Malik, ladies and gentleman, is back! And with an YRF album! My first reaction: this would be an interesting affair. I really like Anu Malik’s music (mostly original ones) because this man knows his music. He follows the grammar of music composition very carefully, does justice to the genre, and has a classical approach. All this is evident in this album too and it’s good to hear how he has adapted himself over the time with contemporary music. 

1. Moh Moh Ke Dhaage 

Malik creates a serene ambience with the arrangements- flute, shennai and strings. Papon antes up the beauty with his top notch rendition. The song has an intriguing tune and I love the way the melody flows.  

The exact same song remains for a female version too- sung by Monali Thakur who sounds a bit hasty but is sweet nonetheless. 

2. Dum Laga Ke Haisha 

The title track is composed to suit the production house’s trademark style and energy. Malik scores this one with his choice of singers: Nooran sisters complement Kailash Kher very well, but the song gets a bit messy in the way.  

3. Tu 

The protagonist of the film proclaims that Kumar Sanu’s songs move him to tears. And I’m sure, that’s the case with many small-town guys. The singing legend of the ‘90s makes an appearance here with this short solo track and takes us back to his time. Sweet throwback, but this one just remains for the sake of it.  

4. Sundar Susheel 

 Malini Awasthi’s “tana-na-na-tana, zana-na-na” hook sticks in your head from its first listen. The essence and ethos of middle-class India’s matrimonial aspirations is captured interestingly in its quirky lyrics with words like “grehdaksh” in it, and which also goes, “Suit me jo achha lage, shave karke bachha lage”. Its fun lyrics mouthed by interesting pair of singer, Rahul Ram and Malini Awasthi, will make you loop this one.  

5. Dard Karaara 

Another throwback to the era of Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam recreated spotlessly by Malik (Ah, those accordion and violins!) while being immensely careful of treading the borderline of spoof and tribute. Generous of him to keep it short and not to overkill it by being carried away. Must say the veteran singers haven’t aged a bit. 

6. Prem’s Theme 

Generally, the track that goes with the word “theme” in its name, is just an instrumental track or with humming. Papon gets to demonstrate his powerful vocal range here accompanied by an acoustic guitar.  

Anu Malik couldn’t have got a better album to comeback with. Here’s him showing that rust of time hasn’t caught his music and both can walk together! And what would complement better to this comeback music than a great set of singers and superb lyrics.  

Music of Wasseypur 2

A fan poster by Neeraj Ghaywan. 

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar

Lyrics: Varun Grover, Piyush Mishra

I am trying to do a similar post as I did on music of Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1. (Read here.) So, not (very) much of a review, again. Now you know my history and geography to reason why I could "connect" myself with this North Indian folksy album. But that didn't let soar my expectations sky high with the second part of album but left me us with desperation for the album to release. Finally, the album released last week. Listen songs and hum along: here. 

Music of Wasseypur

Not an official poster but a minimal based on trailer by Abhinav Bhatt.  

Music: Sneha Khanwalkar, Piyush Mishra
Lyrics: Varun Grover

Disclaimer: Not a review. Not very much, atleast.

If you are active on any social media platforms, by now you must have been bombarded with each song of this raving album. Yes, it's a rage. Ask why. Simply one reason: it's not a typical Bollywood music. I've said this before, Sneha Khanwalkar's music is not suitable for everyone's taste. You need maturity to understand or like her well researched music and arrangements. Fortunately, there's an increase in the number of such kind of audience.