As I ventured out to a park for a brisk walk on a cool Saturday evening, I thought of listening to the new Ghazal album by the young nightingale of India Shreya Ghoshal. The expectations were quite huge, considering Shreya’s track record and more so because all the songs were in the Ghazal genre which has become very rare in mainstream music these days.
Set to tune by Deepak Pandit with the lyrics of Manoj Muntashir, this album promised a musical extravaganza accompanied with the blissful voice of the lady herself. Amidst the clatter of the trees and the soft breeze, I plugged in the earphones to start the album.
The Mohan Veena makes a stunning impact right at the beginning of Ye Aasmaan, followed by the wonderful entry of Shreya. The Veena keeps making an appearance right through the song which also has a good usage of the tabla, but it is Shreya’s rendition which takes the cake expectedly.The strong classical base of the song is handled adroitly by Shreya, and the sweetness of her voice stays with the listener long after the song has ended.At 7.28 minutes, it is quite a long song, but never gets boring. Full marks to the team for a good beginning.
Must hear!
Pleasant guitar riffs begin the next song Naam Likh Kar, and Shreya’s introductory line induced tingling sensations within me. Yes, it is that good! The lyrics are noteworthy here and the music is more contemporary than the first song. It seemed like the perfect song for the evening with a good sprinkling of sitar and the tabla too. But the biggest asset for this tune is the sweet as honey voice of Shreya, who never keeps a foot wrong and renders it with complete mastery. This one is better than the first one!
Must hear. Repeat
Ye Dil Jo Pyarka has a very old world start and the first impression is quite sedate. Though the composer makes good use of the tabla and the flute, the song does not quite register. Shreya makes a very honest attempt and if not for her voice, it would have ended up as a below average track.
It gives great pleasure to hear Shreya in classical mode, something a listener would not have heard in film songs. Perhaps, shorter length might have helped the song as it does not quite match the high standards of the previous two tracks.
Above Average
With the backdrop of the setting sun, I play on the next track Raaton Ko. Shreya’s deep vocals right at the beginning floored me completely. She presents a slightly different version of her voice here, and it is absolutely delightful. The Veena, violin and tabla aid her well, but her saccharine voice overpowers even the musical instruments.
The lyrics are likeable and Deepak Pandit deserves a round of applause for his brilliant orchestration. I just get a feeling that this is the best of the lot heard till now, and Shreya’s singing is astounding, especially the way she croons Raaton ko! This is a heartwarming song. The walk seemed enchanting now.
Brilliant. Multiple Repeat.
Maahi Rokna Aaj is another melody seeped in classical tunes and it is another opportunity to display her classical prowess. The lyrics have a strong Punjabi flavour and the music is not upto the mark here, considering the previous tracks.
Shreya too sings in a slightly higher pitch, but the composition itself is weak which hampers the flow of the album. Especially after the magnificent Raaton Ko, the next track had its work cut out.But this one disappoints and will end up as one of the weaker tracks of the album.
Average
Next up is Teri Talaash. With the crimson red sun almost disappearing in the horizon, I wanted to hear yet another mellifluous melody. The beginning verses do hold a lot of promise accompanied with the sounds of the harmonium and the tabla. 2 minutes into it, I was sure that this would be close to what I expected.
Shreya’s singing is magical, and at some points, she sounds sublime, especially her aalaps towards the end. The composer deserves credit for creating this masterful piece and letting Shreya express herself completely. Another fine song.
Must hear
The penultimate song is Shamma Jalti Rahi and Shreya is in top form yet again. She never seems to put a foot wrong in the whole album. Watch out especially for the breeziness she brings to her voice at many places. Kudos to her for the terrific voice modulations.
It is a great opportunity for her fans to explore the full depths of her voice, which is hitherto unexplored in film melodies. This is yet another likeable song from the album, where the laid back background works wonders. Right after the song ended, I could hear the tweets of birds which felt like a continuation of the song and the whole experience was charming.
Brilliant. Top Class.
As darkness set in, I played the final song Kuchh Rishtey, and the beginning few seconds are enough to note that this is yet another classy affair. An assortment of various instruments like Sitar, Veena, Piano, flute make the whole song a treat.
The composition flows easily and Shreya decorates the tune and elevates it to greater heights with her flawless, splendid singing. She makes minor adjustments to her voice effortlessly and the end result is she makes the whole song appear totally uncomplicated and as fluid as water. She is a god gifted singer!
Treat. Multiple repeat
The album ends after an hour and I feel like wanting more and more. Each song of the album has been created with a lot of thought and effort and it shows. There is no compromise on the quality of the tracks by trying gimmicky stuff. The whole team of the album deserves great accolades for coming up with such a pure, unadulterated, sonorous and classy album.
The star is undoubtedly Shreya Ghoshal, who maintains a super consistent range all through and is a sheer joy to listen to. This is a classic, which will be treasured by the connoisseurs and liked by quite a wide segment of the audience, thirsty for good music. I had a heavenly evening, and loved the whole album and chances are that you too will be floored by the dulcet croons of the nightingale!
Rating: 4.5/5 [CLASSIC]