Ah well. Gulzar Saab and Vishal, my favorite twosome are back at it again. They are back, and how!
Dil to bachcha hai ji. Ah Gulzar! Who else but you could pen down such lyrics, and who else but Rahat Saahab could do justice to them. The song has an old world feel to it, it makes you feel as if you are snuggled in a quilt on a cold winter night, and someone is lulling you to sleep. It makes you want to weep for the days gone by, and yet leaves a smile, a hope in your soul for the days to come. It wants to shelter the heart, which has been hurt, and yet berates the heart for being so vulnerable to hurt, once again. No matter how old the outer veneer is, the heart shall remain eternally young, eternally foolish, always open to love, and the pain which comes along with it. The song makes me grieve the fact that Rahat Saahab might not sing for us in near future, and makes me hope that he will. As my friend said, The Sufis must sing, and so they shall. As for Vishal’s music, it has that timeless, unhurried feel to it which Kameene title song had. In fact, its an irony, if you listen to the words, they are all pain invoking, yet Rahat Saab’s vocals, and Vishal’s music are soothing, as if applying salve to the wound caused by Gulzar Saab’s pen.
Aisi udaasi baithi hai dil pe,
hansne se ghabraa rahe hain.
Try to listen to this song when you are alone, for it might inadvertently make you shed a tear, which you surely wont want others to see.
Ibn-e-batuta - The sombre mood invoked by Raahat Saab is immediately lifted by the advent of Sukhwinder and Mika. Now this song had been struck off by me even before I had listened to it, for I somehow couldnt relate Mika to Gulzar Saab and Vishal. But then, trust the masters to work their magic every time. The opening strands make you itch to break out in a jig, and then there’s the wonderful Sukhwinder. The lyrics are fun. with "churrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and phurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" predominant here. Life has been compared to a bird, with the singers exhorting it to fly far far away. "udh jaave chidhiya phurrrrrrrr" The song actually makes you take notice, since its so unlike Vishal, and yet charming is the word for it. Listen to it anytime, and it brings a smile to your eyes, and a spring to your step!
Ab mujhe Koi intezaar kahan - I am running out of superlatives for Rekha now. What is it with this woman. Every time she brings a different pitch, different modulation to us. The slow beats, the piano, guitar and the drums in back ground(yes, the beats are so soft that even ignorant me could make out the instruments) actually let Rekha free to soar with her angelic voice. The song might not appeal to you in the beginning, but trust me, it has the same quality as Mera Kuch Samaan, and will grow upon the listeners post a few Suno’s.
Aankh ke ek gaaon mein
raat ko khaab aate the
Chhoone se behte the, bole to kehte the
Udte khwaabon ka aitbaar kahan
Trust Gulzar Saab to give such a bitter sweet tinge to pain. hot burning tears, which you never want to let go of. and Rekha’s voice, a candle burning slowly, hot wax dripping, and night passing by. yes, pain is intense, bitter sweet and hot.
Badi dheere jali raina - opens with an alaap by Rekha, and then takes you on a different trip alltogether. Somehow Gulzar can create magic with the word Raina. Remember Beeti na Bitayi Raina from Parichay? Well, the magic is more intense here. The song has an almost Rock feeling to it, and yet is still. After ages, I have heard an original, a song whose melody didnt remind me of any other, and kudos to Vishal for this. Rekha’s mesmerising voice, (of course the tone has changed here from the last song, as has the pitch) almost stops your heartbeat, leaves you breathless.
(I am not going to talk about remixes here. coz well, the originals hold me in their thrall!)
In short, there are no two ways about it. This album deserves to be heard, and cherished. I just wish I knew more words to describe the magic which these two gentlemen have created, or maybe there’s no need. they dont need any recommendations now, do they?
I wonder if many remember the song from Khamoshi:
Sirf ehsaas hai ye rooh se mehsoos karo
pyaar ko pyaar hi rehne do koi naam na do.
The music is exactly like that, hard to define, to pin down, but once you get hooked to it, boy, you sure are hooked for life! So go, get addicted to magic!