Music Review Coke Studio S9 Episode 5: A Mixed Bag of Surprises!

I would put down episode 5 as a mixed bag of surprises. I must confess that it did take some time for me to sink in some of these compositions, but gradually I have developed a liking for most of the tracks now. I would call this an 'overdose syndrome'! With so much overdose of good music, one is in a mental dilemma on hearing more of such compositions whether to like it to the same degree or not! Perhaps if I had listened to some of these compositions independently I would have developed an instant liking. But with superlative precedents such as Afreen in case of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Man Kunto Maula in case of Javed Bashir, one is reluctant and cautious to cede any more superlative adulations! However the more you listen and dissolve into these compositions, the more you appreciate the effort and the quality of outcome! So perhaps this post is for the ones sitting on the fence to delve a little more into these compositions and appreciate the creativity. In general most of the compositions in this episode have an interesting vocal melody! There is a good experimentation in terms of raag and fusion of contrasting vocal textures.

Jhalliya

Composed by Faakhir Mehmood, Sung by Javed Bashir Masooma Anwar & Shahzad Nawaz

Link to lyrics here

One can be rest assured of some high quality melody rendition when a classical virtuoso like Javed Bashir has his stamp on it. Same is true of Jhalliya! Javed Bashir again comes up with a masterly vocal performance displaying his range, singing style, soulfulness and effortless variations all packaged in a single performance.

While a superlative performance from Javed is not really unexpected, what did come as a pleasant surprise is Masooma Anwar's vocals! Open and bold sounding with a sufiana touch, she managed to give Javed good competition in terms of listeners attention span! Also loved the poetry recitation part. Somehow this concept goes quite well with songs of this genre( remember Mori Araj Suno by Tina Saini?). And Shahzad Nawaz's heavy, bass-filled voice goes so well with the music!

Coming to the arrangement, this composition has a soft rock-sufi feel to it with good fusion of instruments. Faakhir Mehmood has done a great job in putting together this arrangement. The base foundation of the arrangement is on the creative bass line and electric guitars giving the rock-ish feel, while the dholak all throughout and banjo at places bring the classical feel. The Banjo interlude at 04:31 is an interesting addition in between the vocals. Strings section add a beautiful dimension at places especially at the latter half of the composition. (For example the beautiful filler at 02:31 that carries forward the melody from where Javed left). The backing vocalists too do a wonderful job overall. At places they accompany the main vocalist and at another instance they sing in an off-scale harmonising with the main melody subtly.

The composition climaxes beautifully with Masuma and the backing vocalists singing the chorus while Javed does the flawless sargam to end on a high. Overall a very pleasant composition inviting you to listen repeatedly and cherish the various layers Faakhir has very creatively put together!

Shamaan Pai Gayaan/ Kee Dam Da

Composed by Shiraz Uppal, Sung by Kashif Ali & Rachel Viccaji

Link to lyrics here

One thing Coke Studio quite easily manages to do is to bring together vocalists who contrast and complement each other very well. Be it Ali Azmat-Javed Bashir, Rahat-Momina, Ahmed Jahanzeb-Umair Jaswal and the list goes on! Same is true of this composition too! Kashif Ali brings soulfulness while Rachel Viccaji brings power. And Shiraz Uppal with his beautiful arrangement is able to stitch together a musical delight!

Kashif actually reminds me of Mulaazim from last season who too had a husky texture and conveyed emotions (especially the pain) of the composition beautifully thorough his vocals. On the other hand Rachel, the relatively shorter one among the backing vocalist trio, stands tall here with her power packed performance! Her amazing stability and texture at lower notes and energetic throw at the higher pitch sections is indeed a goosebumps-inducing performance!  She also brings in a naughty feel with her western style falsetto vocals at places.

The composition clearly has two distinct arrangements - one for the soulful Kashif's part and the other for rock-ish Rachel's part which alternates beautifully in this wonderfully concocted fusion. Kashif's part is primarily on keys and acoustic guitar which sets the chord structure. Flute interludes every now and then creating a beautiful feel, while the strings and choral section fill the air beautifully. Rachel's part is completely driven my the electric guitars and the bass line aided by the drums and shifts the genre to a rock number. There are many instrumental improvisations in the whole track - the bass-hammering by  at 04:40, the electric guitar intro riff before Rachel's part at 03:25 and the beautiful buildup in end where all instruments come together - flute, strings, guitars and drums.

The melody is incredibly beautiful. Co-incidentally both the tracks have been previously sung by Naseebo Lal. There is slight convergence in the melodic patterns between the two compositions which the composer used to stitch the two pieces cleverly! The first part is primarily on the major scale, but has used 'komal dha' and 'komal ni' beautifully at the end of chorus parts giving a totally different feel which coincides with the second song thus enabling the fusion. Second song uses the komal dha and ni notes beautifully making me guess that it's on raag Charukesi (Would love to know your thoughts on this).

Overall this one is a smart fusion at various levels - melody, genre, instrumentation, vocalist style and energy levels! Rachel is a pleasant revelation in this one and Kashif, a great introduction to this platform. Hope that we see more of them in the coming times. Would definitely advise you to take multiple hearings to digest this fusion!

Sadaa

Composed by Shani Arshad, Sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

Link to lyrics here

Sadaa is a delight to classical aficionados and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan makes sure he displays all the text-book classical nuances in a single performance! Be it sargams, taans, a tarana, subtle harkats, alaaps and a beautiful jugal-bandi with the dhol throughout as he synchs to its beat!

The arrangement is quite contemporary with the use of bass, guitars and drums throughout along with the dhol. Strings section show up during interludes and during the antara. There is also a brief sitar portion towards the end. So overall a diverse arrangement which needs to be appreciated carefully underneath Rahat's powerful rendition!

Melodically the composition (originally created by Rahat himself) has beautifully used 'komal ga' and 'komal ni' throughout making me guess that it's from Kaafi thaat in terms of the raag. What is also noteworthy in the arrangement is the creative use of of percussions and nice experimentation with beat time-signatures (Shani Arshad, the composer also mentions this in the BTS video).

Maybe not the kind of song that I can listen on loop anytime of the day, but this will definitely go into my classical-fusion playlist for frequent hearings :-)

Main Raasta

Composed by Noori, Sung by Momina Mustehsan & Junaid Khan

Link to lyrics here

When variety, fusion and experimentation is more the rule than an exception, a one-off attempt to get through with a clichéd pop-rock composition perhaps doesn't seem enough for this platform! That seems to be the problem with Main Raasta. The composition is indeed quite catchy but not the kind you have not heard before. It's on your typical major-scale-four-chord combination. Use of bass-line is quite creative and something I loved instantly. There is also your customary lead guitar interlude which is brilliantly done! I think the brief cameo by Momina appearing to play the lead guitar was unnecessary! :) Personally I felt the composition got somewhat chaotic in the end with many voices making the chorus (reminded me of With or Without You at 04:12! Anyone else?). The starting guitar patch clearly reminded me of Michael Jackson's Black and White (which Ali Noor actually acknowledges in the BTS video). The scale transposition is quite interesting but I would rate the one in 'Jaane Na Tu' higher than this.

Overall a number that'll definitely grow on you if you like this genre. But definitely an average number in relative terms  compared to the other tracks in this episode.

So overall not a disappointing episode for sure and mind you, achieving that is no small feat given some of the masterpieces that have emerged this season! The musical dose should definitely last for a week I hope. Else you can always go back to Afreen or Paar Chanaa De! :)

- Prabhu

musicdilseblog@gmail.com

Coke Studio Season 8 Review - Part 4 | Hare Hare Baans feat. Shazia Manzoor | Khalis Makhan feat. Bakshi Bros | Sammi Meri Waar feat. Umair Jaswal & QB

And here's a last ditch effort to slip in a few more of the remaining gems from Coke Studio Season 8 before Season 9 begins today! Feels like I am playing a 20-20 match here trying to slog it out in the last over!  Before we continue with the last over proceedings, here is a quick look at the highlights of the match so far! So It was Nabeel Shaukat Ali (Blog 1) who opened with a first-ball-six with Bewajah! Then Ali Sethi (Blog 2) joined him for a steady partnership culminating in a classical climax with Umran Langiyaan. It was then the other Ali (Zafar) who romanced with Sara Haider in Ae Dil to add some naughtiness to the innings. It then took a grounded Mulazim Hussain (Blog 3) to steady the ship with a couple of soulful performances. As the match enters its final lap, there are quite a few gems left to uncover which I'll try to bring forth today.

Hare Hare Baans

Vocalists: Shazia Manzoor, Rizwan & Muazzam

To view the lyrics click here

First up is Hare Hare Baans. This one is a Hazrat Amir Khusro written kalam (poetry)! Some quick googling revealed that this is quite a rare poetry and one would see a lot of online debate on what's the exact lyrics and origin of the song. But there is a general consensus on this having an Awadhi (Lucknowi) influence. The literal translation of the lyrics depicts the marriage of one's daughter and all the festivities around it. It narrates the plight of a father who is bidding farewell to his daughter with a heavy heart and this is reflected in the mixed emotions the composition evokes in the listener. Metaphorically this is to be understood as one's soul departing one's body towards the almighty.

Coming to the composition, Strings have conceptualised it beautifully to bring forth the pain of departure with Shazia Manzoor's singing while keeping the liveliness of the composition by concocting a beautiful Qawwali piece of the same song by smart use of instruments and powerful voice of Rizwan & Muazzam duo. The song is primarily on raag Khamaaj and at places you would find similarity with many familiar songs on the same raag. Especially at 5.25 there is an uncanny resemblance to 'Piya tose naina laage re' from Guide. The arrangement is beautifully done by Strings! I urge you to watch the behind-the-scenes video of this composition. The sheer sight of the team coming together on one of their jam sessions and experimenting, disagreeing and coming out with something brilliant is great to see. Definitely made me envious of the life these brilliant musicians lead! Especially loved the part at 0.33, when they discuss the chord structure and trying different patterns to reflect the sad mood of the song. The choice of instruments in this whole season has been fantastic and same holds true of this composition. Baans(uri) is beautifully used throughout the song. Also they used the low-frequency flute which goes with the mood of the song. The composition has two distinct arrangements - one for Shazia Manzoor's soulful part where the music is toned down to let Shazia's deep voice spray all the emotions so beautifully into the air, while the second part is the Qawwali by Rizwan & Muazzam and the music is a tad louder with use of harmonium and dholak (instead of tabla earlier!)

The soul of the song definitely is Shazia Manzoor, haven't seen many singers who can convey the essence of the song so beautifully just by varying one's voice! This is one of those songs which will keep reverberating in your head for a long long time primarily due to Shazia Manzoor. The subtle harkats are a treat to hear with Shazia hitting each note perfectly. Rizwan & Muazzam duo too have done full justice to their qawwali part complementing each other well. The sargam at 5.33 is masterfully done. Also loved the part (at 2.29) when one brother backs the other taking turns to render the alaap. Coming to Shazia's part, it would be really unfair on my part to single out any particular moment. Her performance in totality was a big 'wow' factor of this composition.

I hope this song dissolves you too in its fold like it had me! This is what I call a 'fast-poison', hits you quick, while the kick lurks inside you for a long time! Enjoy and do share your reaction after listening to this. :-)

Khalis Makhan

Vocalists: Bakshi Brothers

To view the lyrics click here

This one is yet another Punjabi folk song from Coke Studio Season 8. Unlike other performances Strings have experimented with a group (Bakshi Brothers) singing the main vocals as a chorus. And their Midas touch seems to have worked wonderfully for them yet again. The song is all about remembering the good ol' childhood days when one experienced many 'pure' things in life giving 'pure happiness' which is absent now. The choral singing does a good job in bringing the nostalgia effectively. 

The arrangement is beautiful. The best part of the whole composition is that no one element dominates the song at any point and it's indeed a team-effort - the vocalists (and don't miss the backing ones!), instrumentalists and the beautiful lyrics. The song begins with a beautiful riff on piano played by Jaffer Zaidi (of the Kaavish fame). Strings introduce matka as a percussion instrument here and it goes well with the nostalgic, rustic theme. The guitar chord-roll along with the bass-line forms the structure of the song. Sajid Ali's flute, Arsalan Ali's harmonium and Tanveer Tafu's Rubab are smartly used at interludes enriching the composition. Tabla forms the base of the percussion and Babar Ali Khanna is at his best again. Strings section adds another layer of beauty and comes much later in the song when the 'Peera-Ho' part starts at 3.34. Incidentally the raag also changes at this part and the violins convey that effectively!

The composition overall gives a happy, lively feel. While primarily on a major scale, off notes are beautifully used at places in the composition like 'komal ni' in the antara and interestingly 'komal ga' in the Peera-Ho part! So do listen to this and feel good remembering those past childhood days. :)

Sammi Meri Waar

Vocalists: Umair Jaswal & Quratulain Balouch (QB)

To view the lyrics click here

With the risk of lengthening this blog further, let me try to squeeze in another one of my favourites here! Sammi Meri Waar is a power packed performance and will keep you on your toes swinging to the beat. Strings constructed a brand new song out of a small folk piece - Sammi Meri Waar (which Quratulain Balouch - QB sings beautifully throughout). The star of the show however is Umair Jaswal! Boy what a powerhouse he is! For starters his voice is so unique and gifted. Has great control to render those vibratos and high scale pieces. He single handedly gave a rockish feel through his vocals to this otherwise pop arrangement! (check the controlled scream at 2.08)

The composition by the way is not as simple as it sounds! There is a continuous transition of scales (and hence raags) all throughout the song with Umair's part on major scale and QB's portion is on the minor scale of the same key. Hence the chords are completely different and bringing together this fusion so seamlessly speaks a lot about the creativity brought in by Strings here. Instrumentation is equally beautiful. This song like in most other compositions of the season starts with a piano riff from Jaffer Zaidi, but the most prominent part is the use of mandolin along with flute which gives a pleasant feel to the air when the song begins, as if one is teleported to a valley full of flowers and sunshine (personal imagination :-) )! This feeling continues with Umair's vocal which is accompanied by rhythm guitar in the background. The mood changes at 1.44 with the onset of strings and the minor scale kicks in beautifully! This sets the stage for QB to come in with the mukhda of the song. QB too, like Umair, has a very different voice. It's so different that it's difficult to stereotype! I believe she has created her own genre of vocals - powerful, thick in a sense yet agile. Drum work by Aahad Nayani is brilliantly done all throughout and helps Umair get the rockish feel. The other percussionist Babar bhai as usual rocked with the Dholak. A beautiful moment in the composition is when the lyrics goes 'dhol baaje' at 3.35 and all of a sudden there is a pause and only the dholak is heard giving it a contextual beauty! The acoustic guitar solo by Imran Akhoond too is brilliantly done at 3.06 which transitions QBs part to the happier sounding Umair's part. Also don't miss the brilliant flute solo by Sajid Ali towards the end at 4.56.

This one is perhaps the most powerful performance of the season and might leave you gasping at the end of it! The composition definitely deserves more than one listening for all the layers to hit you! 

There are a few more tracks from Season 8 which I would have loved to cover in this blog series. However, I don't see that happening in the near future with Season 9 starting today the hope that I get an opportunity to write about some awesome brand-new compositions with the new format this time! However, I definitely recommend you to listen to a few more of my favourites:

1) Man Aamadeh Am by Atif Aslam and a Pashto singer - Gul Pannra (she is brilliant!)

2) Rung Jindri by Arif Lohar - This man comes back after a powerful 'Jugni' performance! (watch-out for the awesome Strings section)

3) Neun La Leya by Kaavish (sung by the piano guy - Jaffer Zaidi, who has an incredibly deep voice!) - Enjoy this amazing track on raag Des

4) Tajdar-e-Haram by Atif Aslam - This one perhaps is the most popular track and one of Atif's better performances at Coke Studio

Would love to write about these ones as well sometime, time and mood permitting! Meanwhile do listen to these from Season 8 and enjoy Season 9! Will hopefully soon share my thoughts on the Season 9 tracks! Until then alvida!

- Prabhu :-)

musicdilseblog@gmail.com

Coke Studio Season 8 Review - Part 3, The one where Mulaazim shines with some Rajasthani folk

So here's part three of my review of top picks from Coke Studio Season 8! And given that the last season was the best among the lot, in my opinion, I am not sure how many more of these to come before I am done with Season 8! But definitely enjoying writing about the songs I love and I hope readers of this blog have something new to discover, relish and share! There's definitely a difficulty in putting a multi-dimensional experience into a few words, I am giving it my best shot nevertheless. :-)

By the way, the quick update is that Coke Studio Season 9 is all set to begin and the first song is already out! Check it out here and the line-up definitely looks promising! That also puts immense pressure on me to wrap this series up quickly, as hopefully I'll have fresh stuff to write about!

This blog is mainly on Mulazim Hussain - a Rawalpindi based singer. Now he too, like Nabeel, was a Sur-Kshetra finalist. The most unique thing about Mulazim is his voice. Listen to him for once and you'll agree that there is a sense of 'mitti-di-khushboo' in his rustic, soulful voice. A husky voice that naturally goes with sufi and folk genre and Strings were bang-on with their song selections for him.

Rabba Ho

Link to the lyrics here.

Rabbo Ho is a Rajasthani folk song penned by Saeed Ali Khan and composed by Mulazim's uncle - Ustaad Aslam Parvaiz. Mulazim's Rajasthani lineage is apparent in the way he sings this song with command and elegance. The song begins with a beautiful piano piece that sets the background melody which is heard in the composition throughout. Mulazim starts with some Urdu lines with minimal music - just a repetitive bass line and light guitars. Dholak is again beautifully used and goes with the vocal melody always giving the folk element. Other traditional instruments are typically used in the interludes - Sitar, Tumba & the violins. Also quite interestingly tabla is only used during the instrumental interludes but for the last antara.

Apart from the masterly vocal rendition, the composition also has a grand arrangement, fusing both modern and traditional elements beautifully. With many distinct elements in the overall composition - like the tumba lead, sitar lead, brief flute pieces and pronounced strings section, the composers also have experimented with melodies from different raags going with the main vocal melody. I saw a great influence of Khamaaj in the main melody.  Also saw use of the unusual 'komal dha' at a couple of ending notes leaving the air with a sense of curiosity and thirst, which is later quenched by the melodious instrumental lead sections that followed! The instrumental interludes are typically in Bilawal thaat (Tumba section - the strange looking mandolin type instrument played by Tanveer bhai, is on Asa Raag as mentioned in BTS).

So all-in-all a collection of superlative performances making up this masterpiece with Mulazim standing out with his honest, soulful voice.

Ve Baneya

Link to the lyrics here.

Ve Baneya is yet another fusion of two folk tracks - one going by the title itself, a song sung typically in marriages and the other - Meri Hamjoliyan which was originally sung by the legendary Reshamji and narrates the tale of a female lover who is being teased by her friends. Unlike Umran Langiyaan, here the two songs are interspersed in the whole composition and Fizza and Mulazim take turns to sing their parts. The fusion is beautifully done and sometimes you can't even make out that they are actually two different songs. Fizza and Mulazim complement each other very well. Fizza has a beautiful throw in her voice displaying command at places while being technically sound with her harkats. On the other hand Mulazim brings out the romantic element so beautifully! He is soft and reflects the emotions of a lady so well, that even shows in his smile throughout. There are so many places I just loved the 'adakari' of Mulazim. (like the subtle extension of 'naam lekar teraa...' at 3.13, similar harkat at at beginning of antara 'Sawan aaye to' at 5.07) 

Like in the previous composition, it's Babar bhai's Dholak again that captures the folk element accompanying the main vocal melody throughout. The arrangement is not as grand as 'Rabba Ho', however the usage of eastern instruments is managed beautifully - like the flute and strings interlude in between Fizza's and Mulazim's part in the beginning. The second interlude has flute and harmonium and the melody resembles 'Vaishnav Janto' closely! Both the compositions have its origin in Khamaaj thaat, while Fizza's part - Ve Baneya is clearly in Raag Des and the 'komal Ni' is conspicuous at places.

Hopefully these two tracks and Mulazim's soulful voice will keep you hooked for a week as you drown in the depth of his voice surrounded by the symphony of beautiful instruments used in these compositions! So until next time cya! :)

- Prabhu :-)
musicdilseblog@gmail.com

Coke Studio Season 8 Review - Part 2 (Umran Langiyaan & Ae Dil)

At the outset, thanks to all readers for the great response to my previous blog. It was a dream come true for Nabeel bhai himself to share it on his official fan page! Served as a shot in the arm for me to write more and often!

Umran Langiyaan

So as promised, I am continuing to discuss a few more of my top picks from CS - Season 8. Let me begin with the other song featuring Nabeel - Umran Langiyaan. Now this one is a beautiful fusion of two very old Punjabi folk songs. One goes by the name of the title itself - Umran Langiyaan. Written in the 1970s by Mazhar Tirmazi and rendered by Asad Amanat Ali (brother of Shafqat Amanat Ali) with poise and command (definitely recommend you to listen to this version). The second one too is an old Punjabi folk rendered by Allah Ditta Lonaywala (link here). While Nabeel has been brilliant with the rendition of the second folk song, it's Ali Sethi who owns this performance from the beginning. Talking of Ali, he is indeed a personal inspiration for me for having done so much in so little time. For starters, he is a Harvard graduate and professionally a writer and columnist. While interested in music since childhood, Ali grew up listening to greats like Nusrat sahib and Abida Parveen.  However the unbelievable fact is that he forayed into classical music only in 2008 when he begun his training under Ustad Naseeruddin Saami! And within such a short span, performing compositions completely on a classical base with such eloquence, is no joke by any means! And hence I say he is a real inspiration for rookie singers like me! (You are invited to read more about him here and watch one of his interview to Tehelka here)

Coming to the composition, the beautiful thing that I noticed is that the folk element is always felt in the entire composition. And seems like Ali had a great role to play in that for insisting on using harmonium and dholak for most of the song! (Watch the behind-the-scenes to know more!). The first song is about separation and yearning of the lover. And Ali's voice perfectly reflects that pain and longing. Without sounding sad, he beautifully brings out the concern yet optimism that the lyrics is wanting to convey. While the intro line and the alap sets the mood of the song, the mukhda at 1.24 brings the harmonium and the dholak into the fore setting the foundation of the song. Modern music elements are heard more in the first antara with bass and drums being more conspicuous owing to the absence of the dholak. The use of Rubab instrument at places specially the interludes by Tanveer bhai is intelligently done. And Ali's virtuosity is apparent all through the song as he hits all the notes perfectly and the subtle harkats are crisply and eloquently executed.

The interlude between the two folk songs is for me the best part of the rendition musically! While the root raag in my opinion is the same (Bilawal That, C major scale), the mood however shifts from separation/concern of the lover to happiness/hope metaphorically represented by the tinkling of bangles of the lady lover in the lyrics. And the heavenly flute piece by Sajid Ali does the transition perfectly exceeding everyone's imaginations. And in comes Nabeel with his soulfulness equally matched by Sajid's flute as he begins the second folk song. Nabeel's voice is much softer and melodious reflecting the happy mood. Post the brief piece, the two stalwarts get together for the final showdown as they literally fuse the two mukhdas at the end in a way that would keep you yearning for more.

I would definitely recommend multiple hearings of this slow-poison for it to hit you and keep you addicted for atleast a few weeks!

Ae Dil

My number 3 pick of this season is Ae Dil and boy what a performance this is from the duo - Ali Zafar and Sara Haider! Now like the other songs, this too is a recreation of an old classic sung by Saleem Raza. This song while can still be argued as a pop number, has many elements of jazz/blues throughout such as the use of melodica, minor chord usage at many places, the vocal style and generous use of vibrato (the on-purpose wavering of vocals by Ali). The arrangement also boasts of a brilliant lead guitar interlude in between by Omran 'Momo' Shafique (Have been following this guitarist since the early seasons and he is too good!).

The song begins with a brief english section which kinda sets the contemporary feel before the main mukhda begins. The melodica throughout the song is a welcome addition and goes with the romantic mood beautifully! The song's foundation is the rhythm set by the chords played on the piano and acoustic guitar. The drum work is just brilliant and really helps in changing the momentum in the interludes and places where there is a transition from one vocalist to the other. My 'aha' moment is the lead guitar section from Momo after Ali Zafar asks him to 'take-it-away'. And he literally does so with his magical fingers and joyful expressions, taking the song to it's zenith and handing over the baton back to the vocalists.

The vocals is a beautiful banter between the boy and girl which Ali and Sara bring out perfectly with their on-screen chemistry. Sara has been the real revelation of this composition. Who knew that the quiet backstage vocalist could deliver such a power packed performance! Sara comes with a sort of 'sophisticated' accent which goes with the contemporary, jazzy feel and she has a beautiful throw in her voice which gives a sense of command at portions where the girl responds to the boy (like at 2.56 when she sings 'Tune kiya tha pyaar kyun'). Also for lack of a better english word, the 'ada' with which she sings - like how she extends 'Ae dil kisi ki yaad main... at 3.06, adds the icing on the cake! Coming to Ali, I believe this is one of his finest performances till date! Perhaps he has exhibited all skills that a contemporary vocalist has in his book, in a single song. His husky voice texture was perfect for this genre and his vocal range was unimaginably sky-rocketing! The stand-out features for me were the vibratos and falsettos! He used the vibrato so beautifully in the English section. And I haven't seen anyone controlling falsettos at that high pitch so perfectly.

The best part of the rendition was the chemistry between the two! Perhaps the probable reason why this song has more than 2.5 million views while Bewajah is still trying to chase the 2 million mark. The expressions, smiles, hand gestures and overall exuberance added to the joyful experience of the performance and also reflected in the vocal feel. Do listen to this and listen again and again, I am sure this will keep you hooked for a while!

Had intended to discuss three songs in this blog, but I thought this level of detailing is required to do justice to these amazing compositions! So in interest of the length, let me leave you hopefully submerged in the awesomeness of these two compositions. Hope I did strike the right chord with you atleast with one of them. Look forward to your thoughts, suggestions and comments! So until my next post, keep listening and sharing. :)

- Prabhu

musicdilseblog@gmail.com

Re-incarnating my blog with Jaago Piya from Berklee Indian Ensemble!

Being an avid music enthusiast and an aspiring performer, I always scout for good quality music! While the Indian film industry does produce some good numbers, there are a host of other gems that are obscure, yet ornate! Thanks to the internet and social media, that these gems are easily accessible now, if one is really on the lookout. Once found, what I like doing apart from just savoring the delicacy myself, is discussing them with others in anticipation of an enriching conversation, perhaps unearthing a few other gems in the process or educating the other about a musical nuance! While the discussion technique was limited to chains of unsolicited pings to my music-buddies (sometimes to the extent of pestering them :-P) as well as blasting and sharing my eureka moment on forums that I myself created to this avail! Then I thought why limit this to my known circle and why not put it out there on the word wide web, hoping someone gets entangled at some point! So yes, that’s the brief background and I better get to business before you swipe me left!

While we are on music, what is universal about it is that it is a great icebreaker! From past experiences, while one may believe in different  view points, one can often find a common ground in music. There are perhaps countable few people I have come across who loathe music and feel it’s a waste of time. But with the rest, although one's genre likings maybe way different, one can always find that one common song, album or singer, which instantly puts a smile onto each others faces and makes that connect. Worked for me time and again. And perhaps in these times of armchair-activism where  even closest of friends become digital enemies taking diagonally opposite ideological positions and blindly supporting them, music does provide that much needed break from the futile, heated mud-slinging on social media!

Not wanting to take the risk of losing you at the very point of my re-incarnation, let me conclude here by leaving you with this recent upload  - Jaago Piya from Berklee College of Music (and they do some amazing productions!), which I loved the first time I heard. This was released on the eve of Bengali New Year composed by a Bangladeshi musician - Armeen Musa. 

This song is not just to be heard, but to be seen, felt and experienced as well! The soothing melody, vocal harmonizations, the perfectly fused arrangement, the multi-cultural crew sporting the traditional bangla gamcha in rather creative ways, the smiling faces, the beautiful messages on the placards which you relate to, Layth's (the violin guy) heavenly solo, Annette's expression of having done it in the end and perhaps umpteen other moments in this composition that I look forward to each time I replay this track, while discovering a few more of them!

So without getting into any technicalities (for which I think I need a full blog post!), let me leave you to experience this masterpiece as a feeling, as an emotion, as an aura that fills you all around with positivity and hope, or perhaps even as a prayer! A prayer after-all is something supposed to connect you up there, which to me this does! Do let me know your share of those 'moments' which perhaps I have missed. Here's looking forward to adding a few more music-buddies to my list! :)

- Prabhu