We all now know how AR entered the Indian film music whatever said can only repeat the past. What made his music so special was the unique usage of instrument and its sound. The flow of water was heard in the songs and the sound produced when air blast (whistle) was passed through water and then splashing the water. The list would grow on for its uniqueness. No sound was left but was used in the songs only to experience how beautiful can it be. There was something special in AR's music which contributed for the phenomenon it was Sivamani the master of rhythms. I remember long hours I took to explain why a song like Chaiyya Chaiyaa could stay ahead in the race against its contemporary "Chamma Chamma" and the primary key was AR's enigmatic composition, amazing mixing and engineering and the beats. Take any song for that matter of AR in the past which had Shivamani programming the drums & Rhythms it felt very lively. But in the recent tracks I am missing this. especially in those where Shivamani wasn't involved. May be that Shivamani has more commitments and has been travelling a lot which is can be one reason he is absent. Is there somebody who feels the same?
