Music Review - Race 2, Akaash Vani, Mumbai Mirror

Race 2 (2013)
Music: Pritam
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1. Be Intehaan ------------------------------- 9/10
2. Be Intehaan (Official Remix) ------ 9/10
Atif Aslam is back for his fans, and in general, this is one touching song. Very much like Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani. This melody is great from it's opening and sucks it's audience in it's charm along the way. Sunidhi Chauhan gets to show off her melodic nous after a while, which she is really good at. Didn't she have a public spat about Atif's singing abilities?
If you want to stay with this song, but want to listen it uptempo, the Official Remix is done pretty well.

3. Party On My Mind ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10
A pure fun and zesty party track. The opening and the overall track makes us feel the track is a remix of itself. The opening is solid, but halfway, it digresses a bit. Don't look for too much variety and you will be entertained.

4. Lat Lag Gayee ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8/10
The opening of this song is typical Pritam party track one. Fairly common and ordinary so far, but boy! Doesn't this song impress! The rising star of female playback Shalmali Kholgade (Daru Desi from Cocktail fame) is the one who leaves a lasting impression. The song is peppy, energetic and fairly novel for a party track with a fair deal of emotional angle instead of one-dimensional hip hop beats.

5. Allah Duhai Hai ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
A good track to resurrect the original Race theme. If you liked that one, this one will nicely entertain with a good amount of intrigue and energy.

Final verdict: Overall, gets an 8/10. Since 2012 and with the only and first good album from Pritam only screams of one thing: Pritam is gold. Plagiarism or not, he is striking a chord with the masses with nearly every major album of his. This album has four great tracks, with remixes of which most are average. Thumbs up!

Akaash Vani (2013)
Music: Hitesh Sonik
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1. Pad Gaye Ji ------------------------------ 7/10
This is what we are talking about KK. This is your strength and we are glad you give us one more track at what you are good at. The song may be a tad too long at almost 7 minutes, but it is super melodic without being extremely mushy. In fact this track has euphoric moments sprinkled in it's length to keep it interesting.

2. Bas Main Aur Tu (Reprise) ------- 7/10
3. Bas Main Aur Tu ---------------------- 6/10
A very, very, very soft track by Nikhil D'Souza. It may seem a bit too mild and one-dimensional by midway, but by the end, it would have created enough of magic web perfect for a Valentine's Day star gazing mood. But, this song is just enough good for that.
The Reprise is nearly identical; may be just a beat quicker and more beats. In that respect, the Reprise version is better than the original.

4. Tera Mera Naam --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7/10
A simple guitar strumming track for a lonely but reminiscent mood. Shafqat Amanat Ali has slowly turned into a go-to singer for melodies overtime. Good performance on his part. Just a pleasant track.

5. Rumani --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6/10
It's hard to pinpoint the genre of the track, but if anything, it could retro jazz. It is innovative, experimental and fairly riveting. It is completely fresh in it's approach to a peppy romantic track. Doesn't hold up it's grip all the way, but props to Hitesh Sonik for this track.

Final verdict: Overall, gets an 7/10 as an album. It seems like Hitesh Sonik has put in a great deal of effort to make this a lovable romantic album. Most songs fall short to stand up on their own, but could go a long way if they are used right in the plot of the movie. Decent and respectable album.

Mumbai Mirror (2013)
Music: Amjad Nadeem
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1. Marjawa (Male) ------------------------ 7/10
2. Marjawa (Female) -------------------- 7/10
This one is for die hard Sonu Nigam. This is not a track we have never heard before, but Sonu Nigam delivers a strong performance and the genre of the song is his best suit: soft, yet powerful melody. The tune gets a bit repetitive and the song feels over at certain points in the song which feels weird, as the song is not really over.
The Female version of Marjawa by Sayantani Das is equally impressive, which is a completely female track. Same tune and tempo, just sounds nice in a female voice too.

Other tracks of the album are sufficiently tapori and ooze a Mumbaiyya attitude, which seems like a good thing considering the movie title.
Brownie point:

• Govinda Ala Re - This Gokulashtami celebration track by Wajid is oddly fun for the occasion.

Be Intehaan - Race 2 Party On My Mind - Race 2 Lat Lag Gayee - Race 2 Allah Duhai Hai - Race 2 Be Intehaan (Official Remix) - Race 2 Pad Gaye Ji - Akaash Vani Bas Main Aur Tu (Reprise) - Akaash Vani Tera Mera Naam - Akaash Vani Rumani - Akaash Vani Bas Main Aur Tu - Akaash Vani Marjawa (Male) - Mumbai Mirror Govinda Ala Re - Mumbai Mirror Marjawa (Female) - Mumbai Mirror

Music Review - Inkaar, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, Four Two Ka One

Inkaar (2013)
Music: Shantanu Moitra
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Shantanu Moitra has managed to shine every once in a while, but this album is almost a complete bust for him. The only saving grace for the songs could be an apt placement in the movie, which is rare. His retro leanings in Darmiyan and Maula Tu Malik Hai are evident but they don't turn out well. Boring album.

Brownie points:

• Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai - The rock opening of the track is very arousing and catchy, although the songs suffers from Bollywood's interpretation of rock: Good guitars, great theme, nice beats and gritty, yet terrible vocals of Suraj Jagan. Have no  clue, when doing so many things right, Bollywood musicians end up messing such a vital component of a song. The song otherwise, is fairly interesting, although the lyrics are a bit topical to the movie.
• Inkaar (Theme) - A nicer sounding theme. After Chakravyuh, this one has some character, although doesn't fulfill the expectations

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013)
Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
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Vishal Bhardwaj's Indian classical leanings and a penchant for clean, well-themed music is evident in this album. Unfortunately, it does not translate into a fulfilling album in any particular genre. The most it gets is mention for a few songs. Overall, a decent and quirky album without much to care about.

Brownie points:

• Oye Boy Charlie - If there was a second coming of Kajraare Kajraare from Bunty Aur Babli, this is it. Everything about this song: the opening, the fast paced mujra, the background qawwali, the unrefined feel to the song and the cheesiness, it's all there. Only if this was the first song of this genre would it have been as hit. Good, but not really.
• Badal Uthiya, Badal Uthiya (Reprise) - For the soft and melodic Indian classical loving fans, this one won't disappoint. Rekha Bhardwaj sticks to her forte of classical Indian music, except this time she doesn't sound pretentious (like I had criticized her before). The Reprise version sounds equally well, if you like this one that is, which is a male version sung by Prem Dehati who gives this song an authentic Haryanwi harundertones.
• Lootnewale - Sukhwinder Singh and Master Saleem deliver a raw and energetic song. In terms of artistic value, this is a great piece which sticks true to it's theme and cultural nuances, but just not entertaining enough to remember.
• Khamakha - This song feels like one that would be real nice and pleasant with it's opening, but just turns into a dragging affair with it's slow pace. As an audience, we hope the song blooms into something nice midway, but it doesn't and it is almost too late for a superb piece of devotional chorus at the end.

Four Two Ka One (2013)
Music: Avishek Majumdar, J. D. Singh - Rajan
Buy on Amazon! Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai - Inkaar Inkaar (Theme) - Inkaar Oye Boy Charlie - Four Two Ka One Badal Uthiya - Four Two Ka One Lootnewale - Four Two Ka One Khamakha - Four Two Ka One Badal Uthiya (Reprise) - Four Two Ka One

There is nothing wrong with trying, and there is always the first time. Unless it is one of these reasons, the composers get no clemency from the harsh criticisms this album might receive like the overall haphazard and a cursory treatment to the tracks. Employing successful playbacks like Mika Singh or composing songs from multitude genres doesn't necessarily mean anything, unless done right.