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instep
review
Grooving to the beat of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
Throw Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Sukhwinder Singh and KK together,
singing the words of Gulzar to the rhythm of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
and the result is outstanding!
By Maheen
Sabeeh
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The
soundtrack of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom rocks, literally. With a desi dhol
sound fused with synthesizers, guitars and North Indian drums –
it is a mixture of fun, dance and melody, Bollywood style. It is hard
to believe that anyone other than AR Rahman could have delivered such
a power packed album but the trio of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani
and Loy Mendonsa have proven that wrong.
Featuring hot and happening actors like Abhishek Bachchan, Preity
Zinta, Lara Dutta and (still trying to be hot) Bobby Deol, this is
one of the year's hotly anticipated films. In such big budget films,
songs are |
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almost always picturised well – be it the choreography or cinematography
but the beauty of this album is that its music stands its own. It
doesn't work just because of its videos but is a consistent album
that works irrespective of its cast. |
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From
the very first song on the album, 'Jhoom' the element of fun enters
and refuses to leave. Laced with a variety of instruments, 'Jhoom'
is a playful, bouncy number. It is formula music but it works, because
it is catchy melody, the kind that makes one want to groove to the
beat. And this is where Shankar-Ehsan-Loy excel more than any other
contemporary Indian film music director/duo (other than the mighty
AR Rahman of course).
'Jhoom' stands tall not only because of its melody but also its vocals.
Amidst the sweet soul of Sonu Nigam, the melodically thin vocals of
Abhijeet and the nasal "Aap ki kashish/suroor" humming of
Himmesh Reshammiya, Shankar Mahadevan belongs to masculine breed of
male singers. With a touch of sharpness fused with classical tradition
that is Shankar Mahadevan, it is this that makes him a fine singer.
On 'Jhoom' Shankar is as energetic as the dhol beat and he runs with
it.
On a similar tune, one finds 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'. Instead of making
a remix of 'Jhoom', 'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom' is an extension of the song.
It is filled with electronic nuances that build the song's identity
as a whole new number. This was a smart move on the part of the makers.
And with Sukhwinder Singh KK, Mahalaxmi Iyer joining Shankar on vocals,
'Jhoom Barabar Jhoom' rocks hard and strong. Sukhwinder is harsh yet
fun, KK is emotive, Mahalaxmi holds her ground and Shankar forms a
fantastic chorus. It is such a foot-tapping number that one ends up
ignoring the intriguing wordplay of Gulzar. The man writes mysteriously
and here he does so again. "Aaja chandani kutain gay/Aasman ko
lutain gay/chal dhuaa uray key... Jhoom Barabar Jhoom..." says
Gulzar. And with the last few minutes of the song increasing pace,
fast - it is a chart-topping number. Right now, it's the catchiest
tune on Indian telly, climbing charts quickly. |
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| Speaking of telly,
another number that is fast catching on is 'Ticket to Hollywood.'
It is a song, which highlights the vocals of Neeraj Shridhar. This
is his claim to fame song and he deserves all the glory. In terms
of beat, it may be slower than 'Jhoom' but it continues the North
Indian dhol tradition here. The only flaw is Alisha Chinoi. After
'Kajra Re', expectations from her are high. But unlike 'It's Rocking'
from Kya Love Story Hai where she delivered bang on point, here she
sounds pale, especially when compared to Neeraj. More than the beat,
it is him who makes an impact with flirtatious singing, desperate
at times, cheeky at others. |
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Sunidhi
Chauhan, continuing her wave of blithe singing in the grand tradition
of 'Beedi' sings to the beat of 'JBJ'. Filled with dhols-meet-synthesizers,
'JBJ' is another percussion heavy number. Even with touches of Western
music, such as rap in the middle, there is a clear desi sound here.
The point of this song is one: "Jhoomo Rey Jhoom..."
The beat continues with 'Kiss of Love'. As more music directors
are tipping towards singing and vice versa, here one finds Vishal
Dhadani of Vishal-Shekhar fame (Dus, Bluff Master) on vocals. But
inspite of his frivolously fun singing, the track falls short. It's
meaty in sound but then so is the rest of the album. However, here
the whole dhol element gets a bit too much. When a song attempts
too much at the same time, it becomes chaotic. And that is the problem
here. From hip-hop to bhangra, everything is present, leaving one
confused and jaded by the end. That said, 'Kiss of Love' will catch
on because of its fun picturisation with Bobby Deol and Preity Zinta
dancing to full impact. It is an average number that you'll probably
end up fast forwarding.
Amidst this 'jhoom-ing' that seems to be the whole point of the
album, it is a relief to find Rahat Fateh Ali Khan on 'Bol Na Halke
Halke'. Unlike the rest of the album, this is a sweet, slow melodic
number, with various drums, flute and orchestra that is synonymous
with Bollywood music. Mahalaxmi Iyer not only stands tall in front
of Rahat but fights hard. They are both equally good. For those
who enjoyed Rahat in 'Mann Ki Lagan' and 'Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaaye',
this is a must-listen. It may not possess the delicacy of the former
numbers, but it is Rahat in Bollywood style. Rahat sings effortlessly
but with that touch of classical power that makes him a singing
guru like no other.
In a nutshell, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom is a dance album by Bollywood.
It is music that screams to be blasted. And that is exactly how
it should be heard.
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy are on a winning streak. Bunti Aur Babli, Don,
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Salaam-e-Ishq and now Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.
They are formulaic musicians who work essentially because they know
when to mould a formula and where it fits. Every album of theirs
is consistent. And when they team up with a lyricist as powerful
as Gulzar, it is a winning combination.
The wordplay on this album is fun, dance and love. But it is not
predictable. Gulzar writes in a style that is his alone. He writes
in riddles and you end up guessing what the real meaning is, which
makes it all the more fun. Right now, this is the hottest album
from India. Grab a copy now. Bollywood in all its elements is often
fun!
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