M.M.Kreem = Maragadamani = M.M.Keeravani. These are the three different names that this music director uses in three different languages. Why? May be he strongly believes in numerology. But he possesses a unique quality that no other music director in India has. That is his ability to compose song without losing the nativity of the language.
Tamil, Hindi and Telugu film songs each has a unique sound that when you listen to any music interlude even without any lyrics you can clearly find which language song it is. But he is the only music director who well knows the nativity of each language and composes accordingly. And it is the same quality, which restricts his popularity nation wide like A.R.Rahman, because many of his regional masterpieces cannot cross the boundaries and reach the masses for its die-hard nativity. He clearly found out the secret that nativity is the soul of any song no matter how brilliant the composition may be.
He has scored some unforgettable numbers in Tamil movies like ?Azhagan? and ?Vanamae ellai? and got the Tamilnadu State award as the best music director for both these films. But he is most popular music director in Telugu film music than in Tamil and Hindi. He got his National award for his score in a mythological Telugu movie called ?Annamayya?. Off course one cannot forget the haunting melody ?Tu mile dil khile? from ?Criminal? which itself is a Telugu remake.
I don?t know much about his Hindi songs but after reading a review on his ten best songs I came to know that he is good in Hindi music too. I heard the music of this movie ?Jism? because I wanted to know what is special about the songs of the movie that makes Shreya Ghosal bag all the Best female singer awards of 2003. The album was a great surprise to me, pleasant too. The album is a masterpiece of M.M. Kreem to say the least after yet another album of same kind ?Sur?. I was surprised to see there are only three reviews on this album in MS which shows how well it is received.
The album has totally 5 original tracks and lyrics are by Sayeed Quadri and Neelesh Misra.
Before that let us find what are the basic ingredients to be added to cook a melodious number.
1) A Basic tune which is strongly based on any classical raaga, hindustani / karnatic whatever may be
2) Usage of tabla, flute, violin, veena, piano, guitar, sax etc., in the interludes and mildly in the background too.
3) Subtle usage of electronic sounds and synthesizers and pad rythms.
4) A dominant soothing vocal with vivid voice and pronunciation of words.
5) A meaningful lyrics apt for the situation.
But even a song having all these ingredients fail to impress as a haunting melody when the proportion of mixing up all these ingredients goes wrong. Only the experience can teach a musician the right proportion to deliver such melodies. And I would say all the songs in this album are haunting melodies with all the ingredients mixed well in correct ratio.
Let us analyse the tracks
Jadoo hai nasha Artist: Shreya Ghosal
The song falls in western classical category. The string usage is appropriate at right places. The string playing the main tune of the song here and there is great. Other than the strings the only instrument used is the electronic keyboard. The song starts with sweet rendition of Shreya and the pad beats are subtle and don?t distract the melody. She is so expressive at some places. The way she stretches ?nasha hai? pulls me. The tune of the song is great, melodious and enchanting and when you hear you will definitely say once more. Yes, finally I found why she bagged all the playback awards of 2003.
Awarapan banjarapan Artist: K.K
The song is a sad melody, which is more of western classical genre again. The K.K?s base voice is the soul of the song and his renditions are soft, slow and mesmerising. The bell sounds in the start gives you a divine feel. And in this song also there is heavy usage of electronic sounds and pad beats, even some flute and sax like sounds in the background are electronic. The solo piano interlude is short and sweet and solo violin in the interludes and in the background of the last stanza elevates the mood of the song.
Shikayat hai Artist : Roop Kumar Rathod
Here is a gazal in an unusual format without any tablas in the background. The strings such as veena and violins are best used in this song. Why all the male numbers have a sad feel to it. Again the piano in the interludes and in the background best supports the song. Midly the synthesizers are also used. Roop kumar rathod has sung well with patience and delivers the complete feel. The running violins at the end enhance the feel.
Mere khawbon ka Artist: Udit Narayanan
Here is a gazal in its original form with the usage of traditional instruments like tabla and harmonium etc., This song took some time to grow in me because I haven?t heard of much pure gazals before but yet this genre of songs has a soul in it. The initial piece of flute and the fast twisting gamukkas by flute in the first interlude with the strings are soothing. Udit narayanan as usual dominates and rules with his perfection in pronouncing the words with right expressions.
Chalo tumko lekar chale Artist: Shreya Ghosal
This is yet another love and lovable melody with Shreya. Starting itself is different with pause between each word and different renditions of ?tumko lekar? and ?hum fiza hua?. The orchestration in the interludes is great. The flying electronic sounds also adds some feel in this song. The tune of the second stanza is good and the end of every four lines is punchy.
Two more versions of ?Awarapan? by M.M.Kreem and a duet version of ?Jadoo hai? by Shaan and Shreya are also there in the album.
If you are an ardent music fan who can accept classy music of any kind from anybody without any hesitation this album is definitely worth a buy for you. I expect lot of such albums from M.M.Kreem in future. I invite him to deliver such melodies in Tamil film music too. Except one or two last year was bad for bollywood musically. Jism is the best album of 2003 and better than ?Kal Ho Naa Ho? considering its quality and freshness.
Keep commenting till my next review hits the list.....