Bachna Ae Haseeno - music review

The music of Bachana Ae Haseeno just works. I watched the movie today and am even more impressed with the music and how it lends itself to pace of the film.

The title track, beautifully remastered and remixed by Vishaal Shekhar, is used as during the intro credits. It sets the pace, colour, and attitude of the film. The song and its choreography highlight Ranbir's hunk quotient superbly. I am still amazed by how well Kishore Da's voice works for young lads like Ranbir even today.

Khuda Jaane stands out for me among all the tracks from the album. It received special treatment from the composers and also received the lion's share of exotic locations in the video. Both Ranbir and Deepika look gorgeous in the song. Also KK and Shweta Rao treat the song very delicately giving Ranbir and Deepika wonderful voices that suit them well.

Finally, Lucky Boy is the third track I really liked on the album. Bipasha has absolutely scorched the video.

The other 4 tracks are just ok and wont be remembered for long imho. They were pleasant during the movie though.

Even the background score is heavily rock influenced given Vishal's pentagram background (assuming they did the b'g score as well). Ranbir gets massive entrances on screen thanks to the background score.

Vishal Shekhar have given claim that they are 100% anti plagiarism. Pritam had his undies washed in public with massive TV reports on his recent shameful lifts in Jab We Met and Race. I have respect for V and S given their last few compositions have been quite good. Hopefully they keep giving us more stuff like this.

DJ Antoine's 'This Time'

It's been a while since I heard any track that gave me the goose bumps. DJ Antoine's 'This Time (Klaas mix)' does exactly that.

At about 44' into the track, the DJ uses the effects to great use, drops all the Low frequencies and brings it to a peak. Then he drops it all and brings in heavy bass and a load of funky samples to make this a high point of the track. He repeats the same at about 2:45'.

The track can be found on the Summer House 2007 album.

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The different flavours of house

I have just discovered the wonderful world of house music. i am not completely in love with the genre yet but at least I know what type of house i am listening to when i walk into a cafe or a nice clothing store (they love house don't they).

I recently arrange for some music for an event (a small affair) and I was asked to get some good house music that will build a comfortable and casual atmospehere for the event. I eded up picking many artists from the ambient house, liquidfunk (more D&B than house) and acid house. All of these are more chillout type music that the the house you will hear in a club. Some of the artists i discovered are:

Plej (Evum,Blue, Lay of the land)
Kevin Yost (Free, Pendulum, Spanish Holiday)
Mylo (Otto's Journey, Zenophile)
Samim (Heater)
Jerk house connection (New York sytle)

Last.fm has been instrumental in my search because they help you find songs similar to others you already like and they have also used tagging very effectively to help you find new music in various genres.

If the music at hip bars and cafes attracts you then this is your genre. give some of these songs a try.

"what goes around.../...comes around"

I have liked this song since the time the samples were released back in 2006. but only recently have i started appreciating the intricacies of the song and its production. and this story has almost everything to do with how i feel about this song now.

New found respect for Timbaland the genius and the other people behind the scenes.

Me the DJ

I have had the privilege of being DJ at a couple of events at school this year and here's a picture from one of them. I am flanked by a world class DJ who studies at school with me. I've Learnt a lot from him and at minimum I can keep a party going for a few hours on simple equipment without panicking.

Whats on my ipod 27th Nov

Gosh it's been a while. I was busy looking for a job and now i'm back in action looking for new music. I have been all over the map lately with my choice of downloads but here's what's been playing the most into my ears

1) Fuzon - 'khamaj' - Track from a Pakistani pop rocker. This song has a great deal of classical influence with very hummable vocals and an awesome guitar piece.

2) Saburuko - 'I feel love' - This is something i got from the Drum n Bass Arena camp (www. breakbeat.co.uk) . Very soothing d&b and perfect for my taste. I would love to get more of the same from other artists. Unfortunately my trip to a D&B record shop in London's camden town was fruitless even though that is the most awesome record shop i have seen (small and dainty with a serious undergound feel).

3) Kanye West - Stronger - Now that's as good as mainstream HipHop gets. I love this song and am beggining to enjoy Kan's outputs more consistently

Hear these out if you get a chance

Whats on my ipod 31st July

Niraj chag - Khwaab - How did i bump into this. I think it was one of those itunes recommendations that popped up because of recent purchases in the genre (i believe it was nitin Sawhney). Ilike 'itunes recommendations'. Anyways Niraj has a style similar to Nitin's except it is more indian classical than jazzy. I like this song because of its smooth flows. I think it has some hard edges which would sound better if smoothed. But what do i know!

Nas - Made you Look. This is a song ive loved for a long time. Since i first heard it as a free stream on Media player, it stuck in my head and i consider Nas to be in the premium league of rappers. His rhymes are hard and in the same league as Eminem's but with a more serious tone.

New Radicals - You get what you give - Now i really dont know how i landed upon this one. I think it was some random surfing on itunes (yeah i really do surf on itunes). Great song and i think the leads vocals sound a lot like a young Mick Jagger's.

3 new songs on my ipod all from different genres. Thats what I love about buying one off mp3s from itunes because i can experiment with tunes on the cheap (ie without buying a £10 CD)

What on my ipod 14th July 2007

Heres what ive been listening to lately

Keane - Is it any wonder? - Uncanny resemblence to 'U2-even better than the real thing' but still good catchy rock.

Keane - Somewhere only we know - Picked it up on itunes after listening to it at a pub

Talvin Singh - Jaan - Classic Talvin singh - Picked it up on itunes after listening to samples at several places

Booty Luv - Shine (Moto Blanco Mix) - Classic electro house - picked it up after it was pumped into my brains at some Oxford street fashion store

Salif Keita - Sanni Kegniba - Quintessential SK with deep female vocals in chorus

Karsh Kale - Spirits in the Material World - this is a wonderfully remixed track by Karsh Kale which does not compromise the Sting original but still adds the classic KK tabla beat.

Thats it. more soon.

I found it!

Ever heard a song somewhere but didnt know what it was called? It happens to me too many times and I hate the nagging feeling i feel until I find out what the song is called and who the artist is. Now I heard this song at a very hep party thrown by a friend where the DJ was a top notch guy from a club in London. So I come back humming these 2 songs and decide to write to the DJ asking him what I had heard. Unfortunately my articulation of one of the two songs fails and I get only one name from him. The other one has to remain nothing more than a tune in my head.

The hunt begins: I hear the song again at another London club but im too drunk to talk to the DJ. I just go home and keep looking for this song on the web but no trace. Finally one afternoon im flipping throgh channels and some music channel on TV is talking about an on demand show. In the background I hear something that sounds a lot like the song i had in my head except it is with female vocals (what i heard had no vocals). All i get is one word - one word of the vocal - and the name of the vocalist. Now im armed with some more information and I hit google with the two tidbits I have. Voila! I find out that the song is called 'Yeah Yeah' and the artist is Bodirox featuring Luciana. What I had heard was an instrumental mix by D. Ramirez.

So here it is: 'Yeah Yeah' (D. Ramirez mix) by Bodirox feat Luciana

But it's not over. The second hunt had started months ago in San Francisco. I saw Soulsalaam at 1015 and went on to download a mix from his website www.soulsalaam.com
Now the mix has this groovy ass intro which just stuck in my head. I had no way of finding out what this thing was until Missy Elliott's 'We run this' comes out with a sample that is a toned down version of the tune im looking for. I google 'missy elliott we run this sample' and i reach 'Apache'. Of course itunes has like 2million versions of Apache but at least i now know what song i am looking for.

The same top notch DJ as above plays the exact mix from soulsalaam's track and i get the name of the mix from him as 'A little patchy' which is supposedly a bootleg. Only there was no such song anywhere (even on google!!!). After weeks of looking I find out that the song I was looking for was titled slightly differently - 'A bit patchy'

Finally after a long wait i found the two tunes that rang in my head in perpertuity. If you havent heard these hypnotic and addictive tunes go get them!

Nitin Sawhney at the Jazz Cafe

I had the absolute privilege of seeing Nitin Sawhney and his band live at the Jazz cafe in Camden town yesterday. For starters, the event was non-smoking by request from the artists. The subject of 'non-smoking' is taboo in the U.K. so this was a pleasant surprise and my respect for the artists went up marginally right there.

Although we had to wait for an hour and a half before the band came on stage. However the band got to work right away and as soon as the first note played, it was instant gratification. The band started the set with 'Sunset' with vocals by Sharon Duncan. Sharon's voice lended tremendously to the depth of this song and was a great start to the show. Nitin's playlist stayed on the contemporary jazz side for a bit but with the unmistakable Indian influence (specially with the tabla - played by Aref Durvesh). The show then went to the next level with Tina Grace. Tina was a picture of emotion and grace as she got lost on the songs she was singing. Natacha atlas was another forceful performer. Again it was the depth of her vocals and the passion on stage that blew my mind away. She was a pleasure to watch. Nitin's special guest for the night was Fink who played the guitar and performed one of his own songs. Some more songs that were on the set:

Homelands
Moonrise
Rainfall
Dead man
Prophesy
The immigrant
The conference
Nadia
Letting go

Sawhney's displayed his political influence when he introduced 'The immigrant'. He wanted to celebrate the diversity that made up the audience, the band, the city and the country.
The highlight of the evening though was the encore after which we heard what i had been waiting for all night - 'Nadia'. Reena Bhardwaj was absolutely stunning. This track has a hevay drum and bass component which was well substituted by drums, tabla and vocal percussion by Jason Singh. Very impressive.

I should also give props to Ashvin Srinivasan who was on the flute and lended vocals to many songs. The flute is a big part of Nitin's compositions and we got ample doses of the flute yesterday.

There was another highlight of the evening for me- Meeting Osmani soundz. They had been helping the band with some sound effects all evening but after the show they got on the decks and went into heavy eastern drum and bass. I learnt from the man himself that what we were hearing was unreleased material due out next year.

This is a must see show was anyone who is fond of Sawhney's music and fond of asian influenced music in general.

Omkara

Vishal Bharadwaj is probably the only director I know who has written and directed a movie and composed it's music too. He has always been known as a serious story teller and music composer. He caught mya ttention first with Chappa chappa in Maachis like he did of most other music lovers. However he hit it home for me with Satya and "Baadalon se" soulfully sung by Bhupender. I guess Vishaal is one of those musician who knows how to compose music worthy of and superbly suited to the likes of SureshWaadkar and Bhupender. Anyways lets go back to Omkara.

Omkara has music that blends the old and the new flawlessly. While most music directors' idea of old with new is a trashy sample from somewhere mixed with some tabla/sitar, Vishaal steps into the soul of the poetry and of the movie to create very gripping music. I'm listening to Raahat Fateh Ali Khan's "naina" which has melodious electronic and grungy background score. I notice that a lot of the emphasis is on the subtle sounds in the background and they are catching my ear the most. Vishaal sings well with Shreya Goshal on one of the tracks but you can hear a lot of his breathing that great singers effertlessly mask out. I'm sure he will get better at this. Rekha Bharadwaj (his wife?) sings soulfully in "Namak" and "Laakad" the latter of which resembles some of what we heard in Maachis. Still it has the signature depth of Gulzar's lyrics and Vishaal's music.

I can bet that "Beedi" is going to be a massive track this year. It's got the grimy soul of the country side accentuated by Sukhwindara Singh's raspy, thickly accented voice so apt for such songs. IT's another chayya chayya in the making. Sunidhi Chauhan lends her voice well on this track.

Suresh Waadkar's Jag Ja has a very melodious score and once again its the instrumentation in the background that makes it haunting.

Great score Vishaal. I can't wait to see the end product where the sounds and the sights will come together.

Shantanu Moitra sounds like a veteran musician

Shantanu Moitra has only 6 or 7 movies on his resume but don't let that baffle. He works with great poets such as the great Gulzar and has composed music for movies that have turned a new leaf in the history of bollywood such as Parineeta and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. And in each of his songs is a newness that isnt often seen in bollywood. I can go as far as saying that he makes AR Rehman sound repetitive. His songs wont get on the popular charts as often as the cheapness that the likes of Himesh Reshammiya spit out.

Let me list some gems from Moitra to give you an idea
- Urzu Urzu Durkut (Yahaan)
- Man Yeh Baawra (Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi)
- Piya Bole (Parineeta)
- Kasto Mazza (Parineeta)

I hope to savor his music for years to come

Prasoon Joshi - the real hero of Rang de basanti

Seldom do you hear goofy lyrics that are intelligent at the same time. Prasoon Joshi, the unlikely poet (his dayjob is ad films) of Rang de Basanti, has written lyrical gems in Paathshaala, Khoon Chala and Luka Chupi. They capture the sentiment of the film and the characters superbly and, in my opinion, are the mark of a well read and intelligent man.

Paathshaala:
"Talli hoke girne se samjhee humne gravity, Ishq ka practical kiya tab aayee clarity"

Loose translation: "A hard fall after getting drunk taught me about gravity, and a practical experiement with love gave me my much needed clarity"

Luka Chupi:

"Maine jharne se paani maa, todke piya hai
guccha guccha kaheen khwaabon ka ucchal ke chua hai"

Joshi has joined the league of stalwarts like Gulzar and Javed Akhtar by penning these meaningful and apt lyrics.

I heard his comments at the "Sa re ga ma Pa" show where he was a guest judge. Unlike most other bimbos that showed up and incessantly repeated "you sang well, God Bless you" a-la Paula Abdul, He had very intriguing thoughts about the performances and did not hold back criticism, which probably helped the participants get better.

Props to Mr Joshi.

'Zinda' by Strings

I just discovered the song 'Zinda' (Alive) by the Pakistani rock band Strings. This song is on the soundtrack of the movie 'Zinda'. The movie itslef went up in smoke but this song and Shibani Kashyap's "Zinda hoon main" and its Delirious Dance Dub mix are brilliant.

The lines from Zinda that blew me away are

In hindi:
"Chubhte Kaante yaadon ke daaman se chunta hoon,
Girti Deewaron ke aanchal me Zinda hoon"

English translation :
"I pick hurting thorns from the blanket of my memories
I live in the protective cover of walls that are breaking down"

Strings gives these lyrics total justice with the grungy electric guitaring and deep vocals overlapped with soulful piano. I remember when they released their song "Sar kiye yeh pahaad" in the early 90's. It was pretty popular back then and is still one of my favoritie songs that came our of the pakistan rock scene. Of course the now defunct Junoon was much bigger than Strings but these guys are damn good too.

Karsh Kale's Broken English

The master of the genre has done it again. Only this time he has kicked so much more ass on this new album "broken english". It's unlike his previous albums and has many songs with lyrics completely in english. Many more collaborations appear on this album and this time the collaborations are with a variety of vocalists and producers and not just with other electronica artists. This album has generous doses of what i thought was the best stuff in Realise and Liberation. The magic of 'Milan' and 'Letting go' is seen in "Beautiful", "Innocence and Power" and "somethings are ok". "Dancing at sunset" showcases Kale's talent with other instruments like the electronic santoor (I didnt even know an electronic santoor existed). The highlights of the album though are "Free Fall" and "City lights" (where Kale lends vocals himself).

After a long time I own an album that i can pop into the player and not worry about running into a tune i dont like. It's brilliant from start to finsih and touches upon many styles with the unmistakable Karsh Kale signature.

I saw him perform on the electronic Tabla at 1015 folsom last week. It was a spirited performance and sent the crowd for a spin. He started his set on the decks with a further "bhangrafied" version of "Manifest" and continued it with "Free Fall" and was clearly the best set of the night that was lined up with big names such as Cheb i sabbah and Janaka Selekta among others.

A personal highlight for me was a chat with the maestro himself. It happened at 1015 folsom right before things got heated up. He signed my copy of Broken English making it ultra special for me. His modesty has stumped me before and impressed me once again.

Check this album out if you have liked his work previously. It will not disappoint I promise.

Micropixie...correction

She does live in San Francisco and spins often at the Oxygen bar
and at other venues. Go girl!

she is also known to morph into singlebeigefemale

Micropixie

Ok so she is called the desi Bjork! The entire album is spoken word with some psychedelic, trancy, planetary(as she likes to call it) scores in the background. Very appealing music and very different from the typical ethno/desi electronica out there. I'm not yet sure if she's a San Franciscan but she does have SF based co-producers. Finally it's good to see someone desi making music in whatever the f*** way they care about making it.

www.micropixie.com

ze punditz

Had the opportunity to see the Midival Punditz spin it live at 1015 SF. They were the best set that night with heavyweights like ChebiSabbah and Karsh Kale. The Punditz played a few tunes from the new album "Midival times". Their set exploded on the bottom floor with 'Raanjhan', 'kesariya', 'ali' and a coolout mix of 'Mitwa'. Personally Raanjhan did the trick for me. I also met Tapan Raj Punditz after his set and was stumped by his modesty.

Hopefully their albums will continue to stomp in the genre of ethno techno

wickkidddd

Why did she do it ?

Why oh Why did Jessica Simpson have to annihilate Berlin's "Take my breath away".
She has no talent, and should stay away from completely destroying good old songs.
And the same applies to Ashlee simpson. Gosh!

With Apache Indian at the Concert in the park in San Jose CA on 30th June 2005. Apache Performed with Reggae Revolution and Musical Youth. This was AP's first performance in San Jose. wickiddddd ...