sagi · @_0sagi
29th Dec 2015 from TwitLonger
Ilaiyaraaja: Favorite songs of 2015.
Really pained to see so many unlistenable tracks being peddled all over the Internet and elsewhere as part of year end lists. So I decided to come up with mine. This is purely Ilaiyaraaja and once you listen to all these songs with an open mind, I repeat a honest open mind, you will understand why. Rest don't matter at all.
First of all the variety - we all know that Raaja is as versatile as a composer can be but the problem is he is mostly sidelined to art and/or folk in many languages, Tamil especially. This year was no different as far as Tamil is concerned [don't know where to bucket that SAC film but I digress] but he was hired to score for 'mainstream' in other languages. Just to give some context:
Mythri - Commercial potboiler which in fact went on to become a super hit. Lots of synthesizer and modern music in this.
Rudhrammadevi - The now mandatory symphony orchestra album of this year. Huge canvas and in fact they even recorded the BGM in London.
Abbayitho Ammayi - Purely targeted at youth and our man has delivered and how. I mean all we need is a few discerning youth to pay attention, listen to this and compare with the rest.
Magudi/Touring - Rural / small town based extremely low budget films but the music as usual goes above and beyond the canvas.
Thaarai Thappattai - Arthouse, traditional folk, devotional.
Shamitabh - Ad-film. The mostly WCM-based BGM was widely appreciated.
Last year was really thin in terms of the output but this year more than made up for it. With unbelievable variety. There is a song for every mood, just within this year's output.
Now to my favorite songs:
Tamil:
பாருருவாயா / இடரினும் / ஆட்டக்காரி மாமன் பொண்ணு - தாரை தப்பட்டை: While the first two up the ante on Bala-based super strong emotional tearjerkers, the third one was a much needed breather. Breeziest song of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfaWeFE3jM
சின்னப் பய வயசு / மணிக்குயிலு சத்தம் / நீ ஆட்டுக்குட்டி - கிடா பூசாரி மகுடி Folk. Endearing at that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4P-W1NgNNc
காத்திருந்தேன் / நெஞ்சு பொறுக்குதில்லையே / ஜக்கான் / சுட்டி பெண்ணே - டூரிங் டாக்கீஸ். For everyone who kind of 'discovered' sharreth with Thaarai, Raaja has been using him for more than a year. The first two in this list proves why he has become a regular now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pepz6aNdcwQ
Telugu:
Auna Neevena / Punnami Puuvai / Antahpuramlo / Matthagajjame - Has Raaja ever gone wrong with symphony orchestra? Exquisitely crafted melodies embellished with carefully chosen harmony layers played by symphony orchestra. Delicious recipe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVQ6sSchS3k
The whole album - Abbayitho Ammayi. In terms of expectations vs the output, easily the album of the year. And the return of 'that' bassline albeit only serving as harmonies in many songs in this album is a great thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6BkEIJx0Io
Kannada:
Idhu Yaava Lokavo / Chandranenu Chenda - Mythri. The bassline in the former and the melody quotient in the latter make them stand apart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ_UrUATS1s
Hindi:
Shamitabh - Piddly se baatein works really well despite Amitji. The bass harmonies coming to the fore yet again. The BGM of this film is for keeps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB8zxsHFUm0
Now this is a lot of music to listen to, imbibe and discover. And as he has been doing in the last 40 years trust Raaja to hit that sweet spot you never knew existed as well as shake your heart completely, make you feel useless and the millions of emotions in between - with precision.