What a masterpiece! Those are the words constantly ringing in my mind right now. The feeling that listening to Delhi 6 has given me is something that is surreal, heavenly, and of inexplicable joy. Rakesh Mehra has given absolute and complete freedom to ARR in rendering songs for Delhi 6 and how it shows! Without further adieu, here is my mini-review of the 10 experiences (I refuse to call them songs) in the order of admiration:
Rehna Tu: With the initial few seconds akin to a classy R&B and Pop number, ARR begins singing what is, in my opinion, his greatest song in years. ARR has simply outdone himself here. The tune, the strings, the cymbals, the guitar, and above all, the heavenly continuum (the new revolutionary instrument that ARR debuted on his recent American tour) combine to produce an experience beyond words. The last 2 minutes of the song, where ARR weaves absolute magic with the continuum in classic carnatic essence, have given me a musical experience I haven't felt in my recent memory. Simply stunning, prepare to lose yourself. Arziyan: An experience akin to Khwaja Mere Khwaja, or dare I say even better, if that is possible! Javed Ali and Kailash Kher go all out in assisting ARR create what is, in my opinion, the best Sufi-inspired song I have heard in recent years, if ever. Traditional tabla beats, clapping, and accordion dominate the entire track, coupled with ARR's magical use of strings. Once again, prepare to lose yourself in 9 minutes of pure ethereal bliss. Masakali: We have all heard the magic of the accordion in the the promos, and what a satisfying 5 minutes this turns out to be! ARR is at his playful best here, where he teases with bits of accordion and strings, along with the combination of Prasoon Joshi's masterful lyrics and Mohit Chauhan's effortless and silky singing. The humming and accordion are absolutely infectious. Dil Gira Dafatan and Hey Kaala Bandar: Two of the most unique and "departure-from-tradition" songs you will have heard in a long time. ARR once again pushes the boundaries of experimentation, and proves why only ARR can come up with such tunes. Dil Gira Dafatan instantly reminded me of Tu Bin Bataaye from RDB, because of the slow, soothing, and calm nature of the song. Hey Kaala Bandar is truly wacky, coupled with equally wacky yet catchy lyrics. Bhor Baaye: My initial suspicions proved right. Perhaps for the first time, this is a combination of an older recording of the legendary Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and the newly recorded, sweet-as-saccharine voice of Shreya Ghoshal into 3 minutes of pure Hindustani classical. Special note must go to Shreya's singing, which is flawless. My guess is that this will be featured as a song that one of the characters in the film sing at a gathering. Delhi 6: Featured in the new promos, This is where ARR goes into the 'Paatshala' mode, with rap and hip-hop adding to make for a very catchy number. This will surely catch up with the young crowd once the film releases. Aarti Tumre Bhavan Mein: A soothing devotional, with the voices of 4 female singers all collectively singing, most probably featuring in a temple scene in the film. Minimal usage of instruments, with emphasis resting on the collective singing. A pleasing listen. Genda Phool: Featuring the classical singing of Rekha Bharadwaj (Vishal Bharadwaj's better half), this is a playful fusion of modern-day beats and classical singing, something which Vishal Bharadwaj is extremely good at. This number is akin to Manmohini Morey, with Prasoon once again showing his mastery with words. Noor: A very short, 50-second piece featuring the deep baritone of Amitabh Bachchan, this is more of brief Shayari, which is a truly beautiful one. What an experience ARR has given at the onset of 2009 itself! This genius, this legend is simply unstoppable. Onward ARR, to people's hearts and ears with this masterpiece of a soundtrack, and to the Oscars! 10 out of 10 and 5 stars, without a doubt. Special note to Prasoon Joshi, who has come up with the most beautiful lyrics I have heard in years. Sorry to have bored you all with a rather long mini-review, but I couldn't keep my words back for this one. Regards, Samarth
