The following review is by a user and is not IndiaGlitz's take towards anyone or anything. Written by Ramesh Ganapathy

Kumki Music User Review – Taking It Forward From Mynaa

Prabhu Solomon's next – 'Kumki' features Vikram Prabhu, son of thespian Sivaji Gaensan in the lead. The music launch saw big guns Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan and with them came a lot of hype for the soundtrack. After the success of Mynaa, Prabhu Solomon joined hands with D Imman yet again for the music of Kumki, which will tell the story about a mahout. You get 7 songs with the album and 3 karaokes, some of which prove to be a real treat.

Yella Oorum – Benny Dayal, D Imman

The album opens with Yella Oorum, an obvious opening/introduction song that grows on you with every listen. A blend of folk and some more modern compositions, it has a good vibe going about it. The percussions throughout the track are very rural and are occasionally heavy between the lines. A good job by the mixing team makes the song sound a lot more prominent, especially the guitar pieces.

Benny Dayal who has a wide range of numbers to his name adds another versatile song to the list. His vocals are backed up by Imman's hums that appear as small interludes in a short song. Though it runs for just about 2 and half minutes, it does leave a good impression on you thanks to the lines by Yugabharathi and Benny.

Onnum Puriyala – D Imman

This one is a bit slower when compared to the other tracks and comes out a sad song (probably our hero sulking over his lady love). Not dwelling on the type of sing it is, it's worth a listen since it keeps jumping between pacey and sulky throughout the song. The kuthu-like beats provide the song its high points, other than which it is rather too similar to love failure songs for our liking.

Perhaps a many of us haven’t heard Imman singing. That's why when he comes up with such a melodious and sad song, you are left wondering if he is a good singer. While his singing does have you clinging and hoping for something great, the lyrics do not help him and we will have to wait for another chance. It falls short of soul stirring.

Nee Eppo Pulla Solla Pora – Alphonse Joseph

Underlining the features of this song in entirety is rather difficulty, for it hosts some folky, guitar backed, off-beat and even a few rock like sections in it. However, Imman has found himself a pattern that is working for him with Kumki – most emotional lines with string chords, the emphatic ones with more than usual percussion and continuous drama with the guitar. Starts off with just the vocals and develops into a casual song.

Alphonse Joseph can hit some really high tones and his range is unmatched. But instead of going all out with them, Imman has taken a more conservative approach and makes him sing in his normal tone for most the song. When required, he gets back your focus with some of the magic we saw in Aaromale. The lyrics are also highlighted by his voice. Before you add everything up, you realize that you are listening to a very good and unique song.

Ayyayyo Aananthamey – Haricharan (MUST-LISTEN)

Melody and fast-packed percussion don't usually go hand in hand. This one however packs the best of both world and is one of the best songs I have seen Imman come up with. As you as you start listening, you are provided with an orchestration of strings, which is carried through the song with the addition of few more instruments. They string pieces continue in between the lines, along with the piano.

Haricharan's voice resonates with every note he ushers, low or high, and his transitions almost make you feel as joyous as the singer. Yugabharathi's lyrics, brought to life by Imman's music filled with good orchestrations show sings of being poetic and straightforward at the same time, and has a very southern touch to it. The opening of the song and the string piece (with a scale change) add a lot of merit to the track. An instant hit!

A Lady and the Violin – Aditi Paul, Karthik (Violin)

A softer and subtler version of Ayyayyo Aananthamey, Imman does well in differentiating masculine and feminine feelings with this track. A lot of the string pieces are replaced by the chorus, which does well in providing balance, especially with the song lacking some of the punch that came with Haricharan's voice. The percussions hence appear a lot more prominent whenever they come up.

Aditi Paul fits into the missing part of the puzzle and shares the lead with Karthik who plays the Violin. While some of the lines are taken up by the violin pieces, the lines that are actually sung appear to be the best ones. Somehow, Yugabharathi’s lyrics appear a lot more traditional (after all, it's a girl singing, they are always classy aren't they?) when compared to the original song. Some may prefer it to Haricharan's version because it has more melody to it.

Sollitaaley Ava Kaadhala – K.J.Ranjith, Shreya Ghoshal

Following in the steps of Mynaa, Imman shoots out another duet melody that will make its mark with Kumki. Sollitaaley Ava Kaadhala sounds similar to Ayyayyo from Aadukalam or Machaan Machaan from Silambaatam. Flute instrumentals and chorus throughout accompany the song. The percussion has been heard a ton of times before with several duets. The interludes (especially the one after stanza one) impresses with some change in music and addition chorus support.

Ranjith and Shreya Ghoshal don their voices for Sollitaaley and add to the track’s soulfulness. While Ranjith’s low notes and melodies make significant impact, Shreya goes out and delivers another great rendition. Even though they share a lot of lines, she manages to get the most heartfelt ones. The lyrics, for a change are old-fashioned and it will be hard to guess if the lead cast how the hero and heroine are dancing, if they do that is (just like from the 80s).

Soi Soi – Magizhini Manimaaran

Folk, kuthu, tribal, whatever you may call it, songs like Soi Soi are always gonna involve a lot of drumming (and what else?). However, Imman has experimented around with this song, especially with the horns. Maintaining the beat throughout the song, some chords are very prominent and give you mixed feelings about the song – one which reminds you that you have feet and you rarely use it to dance and another which makes you ponder if the song has a deeper meaning.

Magizhini Manimaaran sings Soi Soi like a village festival song. Yugabharathi's line characterizes the nature of the song – few lines of lyrics that have the same tune and are repeated throughout the song. The gaps get filled by a different from of tribal music every occasion and when the song comes to a wrap, what you have a list of statements (maybe advice) from a lady who is either super- wise or is trying to get some attention.

To sum it all up, Kumki is full of enjoyable music. People will be listening to a lot of Ayyayyo Aananthamey when the movie comes out. It has all the makings of getting into the top charts. Meanwhile, the rest of the tracks are not bad in any way and offer a lot for listeners. Yella Oorum, Nee Eppo Pulla and Sollitaaley Ava Kaadhala are all good numbers. With the release o