7 KHOON MAAF Music Review

Late night insomnia. I chance upon the music soundtrack of upcoming ‘7 Khoon Maaf’. My heart skips a beat at the good news. Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar are behind it. Both are similar to a quality seal on an album. My chance to finally relax and listen to new soulful music tonight is probably here. The computer drive’s laser skims the CD and…

01. Darling - My first reaction is “YES!”. Bhardwaj has done it again. Russian theme ‘Kalinka’, one of my favorite folk tunes, bounces off my bedroom’s walls. The muscles in my body feel compelled to move to the rhythm while Rekha Bhardwaj and Usha Uthup revisit the classic and transform it into a crisp ear-treat (Clinton Cerejo and Francois Castellino join the party in the re-make bonus track that has been baptised ‘Doosri Darling’). This is a skillful opening that certainly has a Russian but also "new tango" feel to it and I must say the "Bhardwaj mood" is set from square one!

02. Bekaraan – Wind. Raindrops. The sound of far away thunder. A heartbeat. The nazm written by Gulzar has been discreetly musicalized by Bhardwaj. It is all but pretentious but may just be what the doctor ordered. Vishal’s voice always has the privilege of leaving me dreamy… Other background vocals echo the starting wind. Soothing. A romantic balm with a beautiful ending.

03. O Mama – Strong performance by K.K. and lyrics by a rocking Gulzar! However, after such a spacy previous 'Bekaraan', I would have possibly preferred listening to the acoustic version of ‘O Mama’ featured as a bonus track in this space. It truly places K.K.’s powerful voice and raw delivery at the forefront of the melody for listeners to enjoy.

04. Awaara – Strings and percussion drizzle from the speakers and I close my eyes in expectation. The guitar riffs get my senses rolling and Master Saleem’s swift vocals elevate the atmosphere and me with it. This is a piece that I would have instinctively recognised as Vishal Bhardwaj’s, santoor, sarangi and all. The singular note combinations, airy feel and dark rhythmic core are all there and nonetheless Vishal succeeds in reinventing his musical personality with utmost elegance. ‘Awaara’ is witness to his chamaeleonic talent.

05. Tere Liye – How many songs have been named 'Tere Liye'? How many lovely ones have I played and replayed in my acoustic mind? This suave sound poem allows the piano and jazzy bass to dance together, playfully throwing soft and unusual chords at each other as romanticism touches new shores. The sitar interludes and the matter-of-fact interpretation by Suresh Wadkar make this particular ‘Tere Liye’ a lovable piece of artwork that will be rediscovered upon each listen.

06. Dil Dil Hai – Rock with a punch enters the scene. Seldom have I heard a singer from India give a rock track all he’s got but 'Dil Dil Hai' has impressive and exciting vocals by Suraj Jagan, who delivers with huge dollops of attitude. After listening I nevertheless still feel I should await the song’s picturisation before giving it a thumbs up. Maybe I have become too old for outright metal rock?

07. Yeshu – The song has a compelling introduction of church bells and choirs. The organ rhythm and a haunting guitar loop uncover Rekha Bhardwaj’s expressive voice, which has been gloriously selected for the mood while electronic instruments blend in without breaking the spell. Grandeur only frightens those who are afraid of achieving it and, as this gentle piece rises to touch grandeur, it pulls you in and moves you with a prayer that leaves no emotion unexplored.

And thus, my friends, as the CD drive cools down I have danced, smiled, pined and managed to unwind. Farewell, insomnia. Tomorrow is another day, and a better one for having discovered Gulzar’s and Bhardwaj’s new offerings. Here is wishing you all the same thrill. :-)

7 KHOON MAAF

Buy the 7 Khoon Maaf soundtrack online from Flipkart (English language site) or Amazon.fr (French site)
Music Director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Lyricist : Gulzar
Music Release Date : 24 January 2011

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Film director : Vishal Bhardwaj
Film Cast : Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irrfan Khan, Anu Kapoor, Vivaan Shah, Aleksandr Dyachenko.
Film Release Date : 18 February 2011