For those of us aware of the Kannada flick 'Ulidavaru Kandanthe', Ajaneesh Loknath needs no introduction as an able music composer. 'Richie' starring Nivin Pauly is the Tamil remake of 'Ulidavaru Kandanthe'. Disappointingly, the Tamil version only gets one third of the number of tracks the Telugu version boasted. However, lets not hurry to judge if the disparity in the number of tracks is a boon or bane as Indiaglitz reviews the ‘Richie’ music album.
Composer: Ajaneesh Loknath
Sollathaan Nenaikirane - Listen Here
Voices: Ajaneesh Loknath
Lyricist: Velmurugan
The prelude with the guitar strumming-string combo is easy on the ears while the male lead vocal (rendered by the composer himself) and the ensuing female chorus seems displaced behind the varying tones they try to give the song. A flute portion in between will leave you wanting for more. But as the song progresses, the initial doubt is lost and understanding forms. Velmurugan’s lines especially after halfway through the song- ‘. . .Siragaa, iragaa, kaadhalum sarugaa athai naan ketkiren. .’- just can’t be ignored as they display humble, lucid and yet very palatable lyrics. Though a repeat hearing is advised for a better adjustment to this number, Sollathaan Nenaikirane’ has all justified rights to be in your playlist.
Voices: Vijay Yesudas
Lyricist: Velmurugan
Excellently paced, Vijay Yesudas and Velmurugan take the listening to experience to near bliss. Ajaneesh is flawless in helping the song deliver the right emotions. Halfway through the song, Ajaneesh sways once again with an instrumental interlude that enhances and makes the song’s theme much more poignant. The little change in the pace of the song for a few seconds might come off as disconcerting in a smooth flowing song, but we breathe a sigh of relief as the song settles down to it’s original and rhythmic strains. A female voice joins in a carnatic duet to end the song, but did it actually do any good to the established pattern of the song? A second hearing might give us some clarity. Thaayai Thedi is a mellifluous ‘motherly’ song that’s a tribute to all things motherly.
Richie- Theme Music - Listen Here
Instrumental
The Richie theme music is piercing, villainous and poweful. It's a peppy conglomeration of your usual rustic badass theme flavoured with some really cool tap worthy beats and rhythmic build ups. The theme is also stylistically impressive spewing mass in whatever right junctures it could possibly do it. This will definitely serve as an able background score that would rightly complement Nivin’s machismo on the big screen.
Instrumental
The final showdown painfully impressive with excellent build ups, teases, strains and play of a conglomeration of traditional musical instruments. The percussion soaked track is hued with some brillant wind scores as well. A sense of seriousness, mystery pervades throughout the track heavily guided by the conglomeration of instruments whose music falls perfectly into harmony. The Final Showdown is literally it, worthy of it’s track title.
Verdict : Ajaneesh Loknath's composition is impressively rich in texture and versatility for a short album with only four tracks. Could have added a couple more to the already addictive tracks.