RAAVAN - Music Review

Beera, in true Rahman style, takes a spirited, free-flowing life of its own; the energizing tune, completely fresh vocals of Mustafa Kutoane’s literally African sound and Vijay Prakash’s spritely rendition…it all adds up perfectly. Behene de is gorgeous! Resembling the style of Taj Mahal’s Kuliridhu is a massive advantage, even as it takes many fascinating turns midway. Karthik is in dazzling form in this track!

Thok di killi’s exotic sounds and energy have it in great stead even beyond those occasionally predictable Arabic’esque phases, thanks in large doses to the energiser bunny-level liveliness of Sukhwinder Singh. The way it ends, in almost a frenzy, is a nice touch! Ranjha ranjha, with its methodically ascending orchestration and earthy vocals by Rekha Bharadwaj, offers instant gratification.

Add to that, Javed Ali’s polished vocals, some scintillating interludes and sheer lyrical drama by Gulzar – this is a clear winner! Khili re is Rahman-template in every note…that semi-devotional, heartfelt rendition by a lady – sounds functional, but is also the sole mildly-appealing track. Kata kata is a euphoric victory, but immediately catchy and hummable, with enough mindboggling layers hidden to unravel on multiple listens. Mani, as always, continues to bring the best out of Rahman!