Fanaa Music is Good

“Fanaa” music has got a right mix of clichéd sounds and refreshing layers of music. Jatin – Lalit borrow styles of various composers to give a unique sound to the album. That is why I would say that it is a cock Style of music with Jatin -Lalit retaining their own identity in all the songs and yet trying to sound different by adopting the best of their professional rivals. But fortunately they have restricted their compositions in giving sounds like feel and not sounds alike feel. The thing I like about these composers is that they have not tried to sound completely different as Anu Malik did with “Asoka”. Still I suspect the originality of the songs in that movie. It was too good to believe as Anu Malik’s own compositions. Coming to this album, I don’t know how much Salim – Sulaiman’s minds are involved in giving this fresh sound to the songs as they are credited as programmers for all the songs. That stops me from giving the whole credit for this album to the Jatin – Lalit duo.

I was not a serious follower of Hindi film music before 2000 yet I managed to listen at least the most popular ones. We south Indians can easily identify a Hindi song even before the singers start to sing the song in Hindi. In Indian music, we have this technique of starting the song with a short prelude before the actual song begins. The music in this part will almost have the signature sound of Hindi film music then and it is more than enough for us to find that it is a Hindi song.

The songs will start with either or combinations of following elements

1) A Male (Udit mostly) / A Female Singer (Lataji mostly) will hum something followed by “La la la laA” version of the tune as you can listen in “Chand Sifarish” song in this album.
2) The whistling of the main melody as you can listen in “Chanda Chamke” song in this album.
3) A Santoor or sitar or Veena playing the main melody as in “Mere Haath Mein” song in this album
4) A male/female chorus with 100 violins in the background as in “Desh Rangila” song in this album
5) A Shehnai with dholaks and north Indian percussions for festive songs as in “Desh Rangila” song in this album
6) The most popular one being the Guitar playing the main melody as in “Chanda Chamke” song in this album
7) And most latest one being a banging clubby techno beat with robotized voice singing the most beautiful song of the album as in “Chand Sifarish” club mix in this album

Let me know if there is anything more to add to the list?

As you can see sorry listen, the songs have got all the necessary clichéd or conventional or familiar or most successful formula of music that will please the normal listeners and yet its doesn’t bore you and here follows the reason

Just a Guitar joining in rhythmically with usual Tabla beats gives a whole new flavor to Chand Shifarish song. If that is not enough we have Kailash Kher giving additional freshness with Subhan Allah chants. And add a heavy bass line in the background you get a vintage Rahman sound in the song. But the song soon shifts to Adnan’s style of composition. Just hear the Tabla rhythm, it is the same as in “Pal to pal” song from Adnan’s “Teri Kasam” and also the restricted usage of slow Strings in the background for the whole song, is like how we hear in most of Adnan’s songs. Nonetheless the tune is catchy to the core. Shaan is good enough in rendering the song with necessary energy and enthusiasm.

Mere Haath Mein has got a beautiful melody that makes us not worry much about the orchestration. Though the song starts with conventional beats, soon the layer of E-beats adds makes it more appealing. The Santoor bit playing the main theme evokes a sad mood out of the melody. Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan do a fine job with their expressive vocals. But the best of them is yet to come.

Desh Rangila” is devoid of any new elements and yet I liked the song. It may be because I love Mahalaxmi Iyer’s voice. At least for next few days while listening to the album, I won’t skip this song. Haven’t heard “Yaara” from “Hum Tum”, but I liked this tongue twister Chand Chamke song. It is fun to listen to this number with a catchy tune.

Dekho Na is easily the pick of the album. Everything is just perfect in this song. The main melody is so soothing that it takes you into a romantic world. Though it may sound Rahmanish initially, it sounded SELish (Shankar Ehsaan Loy) music to me. Before listening to this song, listen to “Aao Naa” song from “Kyun Ho Gaya Na” and you will also feel the same. The beats, the usage of Veena and the orchestration in the interludes are quite similar. Sonu and Sunidhi are at their best in this number, listen to the way Sonu modulates “Samjo naa”, I go “Fanaa” whenever I listen to this song. Also this song has some sounds like feel to “Hum Tum” title track composed by Jatin – Lalit.

Destroyed In Love Lounge mix is an instrumental version not just one but of the two beautiful melodies “Mere Haat Mein” and “Dekho Na”. Haven’t really heard much of Lounge music, if this is its actual form, then I must try out some Lounge music. Dhrubajyoti Phukan does a brilliant job in orchestrating or programming the beautiful melodies with right instruments in this number, so that the beauty of the actual melodies is further enhanced. Basically he has got the rhythm right that gels well with both the melodies. It is a perfect music for opening and end credits of the movie.

Fanna for You is the remixed version of “Chand Shifarish” number. Usually, remixes are not my cup of tea. The basic parameters with which I judge a remix song is that how much value does it add to the actual song. Songs like that are seldom made. This song will work as the main intention of doing such remixes is to reach the youth by increasing the tempo with Techno beats to suit the dance floors of clubs and pubs, where there is no time or mind to follow any melody.

“Dekha Na” Sunao, Gao aur Fanaa Ho Jao…..