Milliblog Weeklies – India’s only multilingual, weekly new music playlist.
Week 93: On JioSaavn | On YouTube
18 songs this week. All 18 on the YouTube playlist, and only 12 on JioSaavn. As usual, the Coke Studio songs are exclusive to Soundcloud and YouTube.
PS: No Weeklies for the next 2 weekends, owing to Deepavali holidays and my vacation. Weeklies will be back on November 10th.
For Aisha – The Sky Is Pink (MEMBA): Composed by the real Aisha’s brother, Ishaan Chaudhary and sung by Evan Giia and Nooran Sisters, this is a slow burner with a sedate sound that grows on you. The use of Nooran Sisters’ vocals is the song’s clincher – their hook goes perfectly with the melody’s hypnotic appeal. It’s a pity the song, which was used in the film’s end-credits scene, was not part of the official soundtrack.
Prem Pujari – Drive (Amartya Bobo Rahut) – Hindi: Of the 5 songs from Drive (are there more?), here’s the 2nd by Amartya. Given this is a Dharma Productions venture, I do hear a lot of Karan Johar’s style in the song. I won’t be surprised if Amartya is part of more KJ films in the future. This is an ebullient and effortlessly foot-tapping song, with a neat hook.
Valam – Made In China (Sachin-Jigar) – Hindi/Gujarati: Sachin-Jigar continue to bring Gujarati music to the national scene, and they have done a lot in this film alone, already! Arijit Singh leads the mellow tune in his usual, fantastic form, but the surprise element is Priya Saraiya, both with her Gujarati backing phrase and the overall lyrics!
[Back In Time] Aake Teri Baahon Mein – Vansh (Anand Milind) – Hindi: The 1988 Tamil film, Agni Natchathiram, by Mani Ratnam, is now a certified cult film. It had, by Mani’s own standards (at that time) a separate, cringe-worthy (but very popular) comedy track featuring Janakaraj and V.K.Ramaswamy and their quest, which is best left unexplained. Ilayaraja’s music from the film is legendary, but what intrigues me for the longest time is the fact that when the film was remade in Hindi, with utterly pointless actors (Siddharth of Baazigar’s Chupaya Bhi Nahi Aata fame playing Karthik/Manohar’s role!!), somehow Anand-Milind raises up to the occasion like never before. The most interesting aspect is that while they lift, from Tamil, songs like Raja Rajadhi Rajan Indha Raja and Thoongadha Vizhigal Rendu (Main Toh Deewani Hui), for some reason they don’t lift Vaa Vaa Anbe Anbe as is! That song was based on Shivarajani raaga, while the equivalent song they create in Hindi is based on Puriya Dhanashri, a gobsmackingly beautiful song, Aake Teri Baahon Main, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and S.P.Balasubrahmanyam. What made Chitragupt’s sons, otherwise known to be lifting stuff freely from the South, work slightly harder in creating something on their own, I have always wondered 
Ram Pam – Zoe Viccaji & Shahab Hussain (Coke Studio, Episode 1 – Season 12): What a lovely song! Zoe Viccaji seems to be in a happy space, singing about her heart going pitter-patter and belonging to her sweetheart, but also a tinge of worry when she sings, ‘dena na koi gham’. And Shahab Hussain’s Baba Bhatti comes to assuage her! This is a lovely musical conversation, wrapped in soft-pop and a warm layer of jazz. The kind of song that makes one fall in love with Coke Studio Pakistan, all over again.
Maahi Diyaan Jhokaan – Barkat Jamal Fakir Troupe (Coke Studio, Episode 1 – Season 12): The other charming song from Episode 1 – a Seraiki song! The lead vocals by Barkat Jamal Fakir Troupe is wonderfully complemented by the house chorus vocalists and that mix is the best part of the song, besides the breezy, jazzy orchestration. The extended ending, featuring the ‘Saiyaan’ hook is brilliant!
Arike Naam – Underworld (Neha S. Nair & Yakzan Gary Pereira) – Malayalam: The musical duo who produced a cracker in 2014’s Iyobinte Pusthakam are back! Arike Naam is a fantastic mix, layering Ramya Nambessan’s dulcet parts on Sachin Warrier’s addictive ‘Arike Naam’ hook. And on top, you also have some tantalizingly beautiful sounds in the background, plus the electronica that plays as an interlude (during the Holi scenes, in the video). I am so glad this duo is composing again!
Njaanakum Poovil – Happy Sardar (Gopi Sundar): Patiala Peg, the first single, was passably nice. But the other 2 songs were plain middling. Thankfully, Gopi has an ace in Njaanakum Poovil! Sithara Krishnakumar powers this delightfully soft and sparsely orchestrated melody.
Mele Meghakkombil – Nalppathiyonnu (Bijibal) – Malayalam: With a title like Nalppathiyonnu (meaning ’41’), I first thought it could nearly be a homage to Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy! But, of course, 41 is more famous as the 41-day penance for Lord Aiyappan. It’s also interesting to see composer Bijibal releasing songs through his own official YouTube channel, like Gopi Sundar! As for the song, it has a fantastic old-world charm that Bijibal is more than adept at bringing. Add to that Shreya’s ethereal voice. Pure magic!
Aadyathe Nokkil – Gagulthayile Kozhipporu (Bijibal) – Malayalam: Another Bijibal song that alludes to the old world charm, this time to a waltz’y goodness. Bijibal, along with Anne Amie, creates a charming picture of another era with his music, complete with a wonderful accordion section.
Nenjil Anuragam – Adukkalayil Paniyundu (Sangeetha) – Malayalam: Whoa, what a brilliant song! It’s easy to know why – the song is based on Madhuvanti raaga, used beautifully by composers like M.S.Viswanathan, in Manmadha Leelai’s Hello My Dear Wrong Number and Ilayaraja, in Vikram’s Meendum Meendum Vaa. Composer and singer Sangeetha uses the same raaga template, but does very well within those parameters.
Ponveyilin – When The Boy Meets The Girl (Ranjith Meleppatt) – Malayalam: Ranjith builds his song almost entirely on the 2 singers’ enchanting vocals – Anne Amie and Vijay Yesudas. This is accentuated when Anne accompanies Sumesh Parameswar on guitar with such involvement (in the video, at least) in the first interlude. The tune builds slowly and steadily, moving from its sparse sound to a waltz’y melody. Very nicely done!
Nuvvu Naatho Emannavo – Disco Raja (Thaman S) – Telugu: Oh My God! The song brings to my mind Kamal Haasan and Ilayaraja in one go There’s something in the background that goes straight back to Sathya’s Valayosai, but I’m not able to pinpoint what! Thaman did this earlier very skilfully in Ayyanar’s Paniye, and pulls off something equally good again! And very clever of roping in S.P.Balasubrahmanyam himself for this.
Mouna Hrudaya Ragame – Thipparaa Meesam (Suresh Bobbili) – Telugu: I have been previously impressed by Suresh’s music in films like Maa Abbayi, Needi Naadhi Oke Katha and Nuvvu Thopu Raa among others. He continues the promise in this song too. He makes use of Arun Chiluvuri’s guitar in the background stupendously well, and mounts his faux-classical sounding melody on top. Ranjani, the singer, handles it darn well, almost making it sound like a Mickey J Meyer song.
Thangali Mellage – Bill Gates (Nobin Paul) – Kannada: This could easily be a Tamil song featuring an A-lister! There is a Harris Jayaraj’ish flair in the composition and Sumesh Parameshwar’s guitar outburst for the hook. Lakshman’s faint nadaswaram reiterates the Harris effect.
Devare Devare – Sarvajanikarige Suvarnavakaasha (Midhun Mukundan) – Kannada: Midhun puts together a very enjoyable rap mix, featuring All OK’s vocals. The package works well, thanks to the catchy, repetitive Devare phrase.
Darlingu – Demo Piece (Arjun Ramu) – Kannada: Another Arjun in Kannada film music, after Arjun Janya? Even though Arjun Ramu composed for films like Selfie, Nanna Parakara, Huliraaya and Mangata, I didn’t find his earlier output interesting enough (Huliraaya was the most interesting among his earlier films). But, with Darlingu, he seems to have broken a wall. It has the signs of a catchy, easily-accessible number. And having Sanjith Hedge on his side can only be beneficial!
Harleys In Hawaii – Katy Perry: A warm, breezy pop track with a constant hiphop rhythm playing in the background and a charming, sing-along’ish hook/chorus.