Delhi 6 - Music Review

AR Rahman sure knows how to live up to his name and fame. I can go on writing about this album, but somehow I find myself comparing it to the charm that Alaipayuthey/Saathiya created. It makes you feel happy about yourself.

The album opens with a devotional song, that does not really invoke a prayerful instinct as Ik Onkaar or O Paalanhare or Pal pal hai bhaari. But somehow this seems more like a wedding song than a prayer. Maybe its because of the all women playback and the dholaks.

Arziyan:
My respect for Javed Ali has increased multifold with this Sufi qawwali. Teaming with Kailash Kher, the song has a divine feeling to it. The jugalbandi in the second antara and the opening by Javed Ali is hair raising. The Islamic side to Delhi(ala Jama masjid, Red Fort et al) is brought out beautifully in this song.

Bhor Bhaye:
A complete-full-fledged-classical-thumri. A woman with a honey coated voice and a legend who has literally stripped every swara in music. A delight for every person who appreciates classical music. Winding, complex alaaps and big expectations from Shreya, and I bet she's lived upto it.

Delhi 6:
Wild ! Insanely brilliant stuff. Brings out the true spirit of the capital in a hip-hoppish style. Total upbeat score.

Dil Gira Dafatan:
Ash King is a popular British singer. But somehow his singing doesn't appeal to me. But what leaves me curious is the usage of the word "Dafatan". How many times have you heard it really ? It means, "suddenly". Chinmayi has 4 lines to herself and breezes through like a zephyr. Serene, yet rustles and refuses to settle down.

Genda Phool:
Think of a wedding'ish folk with someone like Rekha Bharadwaj of "Namak ishq ka" fame. And now think of techno beats along with her nasal undertone. Throw in a little raucous cuckoo'ing. Hard to imagine? Listen to this track.
Fusion at its best and the man has to be lauded for only he can pull off such a thing without making it sound awkward.

Hey kaala bandar:
This reminds me of some mocking song as well, but I can't quite place it right now. I'm probably high on music. Quite funky and I'm raising eyebrows at Srinivas in such a song. After Zindagi from Yuvvraaj, I'd lost hope on him to sing fast paced numbers, leave alone be part of one. This song has familiar bits from Dil ka rishta (Yuvvraaj)

Masakalli:
Before you ask me what on earth it means, its named after the type of dove that you see sitting on Sonam Kapoor's head in the video. The song has a casual attitude to itself and is very easy going. You feel yourself being carried away by Mohit Chauhan in the mataks. :P

Noor:
A poem. Solemn. Heartful. Period.

Rehna Tu:
The opening reminded me of Rangeela for a moment. Somehow I am not able to describe what I feel about this song. The arrangement and usage of vivid instruments that one can't distinguish, its a treat to any hard-core music lover.

Quoting Prasoon Joshi's line from one of the songs -
Gali hai deewano ki Dilli 6 !