2023

Amit Trivedi brings back memories of the mujra song from the Muzzafar Ali's classic 'Umrao Jaan' as he tries to recreate the Khayyam-Asha magic. And Sunidhi takes on another avatar successfully. Wamiqa Gabbi too does justice to both this song and the Club song "Babuu jii Bhole Bhaale". The sitar and sarangi sound lovely too. -Sunil

Sunidhi, ghazal and harmonium. Muaah! -Akanksha

Works well… one can remember the track. -Guri

Very Jagjit-Chitra type of composition. A bit ahead of the timeline in which the series is featured. Sunidhi is as always top notch. -Ketan

Sucker for Sunidhi! -Armeen

Sunidhi becomes Asha under a Khyyam template; the table beat and sarangi pointing us to his albums in lates 70s/early 80s. Sunidhi delivers the emotions and her bass range is crisp ; sometimes sounding a bit nasal though. MDs please use Sunidhi in this range! -Pradeep

Sunidhi is very good, but could improve pronunciation (e.g. says gila). -Ashwini

Whenever sunidhi comes to sing in a different type of song, i love it. -Neha

A dense ghazal invoking hazy nights spent in pain over lost love, with a nostalgic sound design aided by the percussions, strings, and harmonium. The melody is complex and nuanced while also having a punchy hook line to come back to. Sunidhi Chauhan is perfectly cast in the vocal role, one she doesn't get to play often. Kausar Munir's words are mystical here. -Shasank

Sunidhi sings this well. All the classic mujra elements play together for a decent composition. -Subrat

Jubilee's soundtrack had Amit Trivedi and Kausar Munir pay tribute to Hindi classics from different eras, and in this song it is Khayyam's ghazal-infused work that they appear to be referencing - songs from Umrao Jaan especially come to mind as you listen to this. And Sunidhi Chauhan is spotless in her replication of the delivery style. -Vipin

My favourite from Amit Trivedi's spectacular soundtrack for Jubilee. A song that feels like a nod to two glorious SD Burman-Guru Dutt songs – Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye and Dekhi Zamaane Ki Yaari. Lyrically it feels closer to the latter – there is even a kaagaz ke gul reference thrown in by Kausar Munir for good measure! Like both of those songs, this one too is set to a waltz rhythm, and this too is a slow burner, gradually building up intensity, layer upon layer, and finally bursting into a more upbeat choral outro. This is Devenderpal Singh’s show though – the man is in sublime form singing this achingly beautiful melodic piece, with some fine support from the instruments that make their presence felt from time to time, the woodwinds and violins being the most effective among them. -Vipin

Reminiscent of "yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye". -Ashwini

Devenderpal Singh, Kausar Munir and Amit Trivedi try to capture the "Bichde sabhi bari bari" magic from 'Kaagaz Ke Phool'. Kausar Munir has done a brilliant job capturing the pathos, the loneliness, and the ephemeral nature of fame and success in the world of cinema. Yes, Amit Trivedi and Kausar Muni owe a lot of the success of this song of the template created by SD Burman and Kaifi Azmi, down to even the chorus element, but that was the brief given to them by the director. -Sunil

So much in bichhade sabhi mould. -Neha

Nice remake of the Pyaasa song "Yeh mehlon…". -Ketan

Above average in all aspects, notwithstanding the obvious inspiration. -Guri

It's unbelievable how precisely Amit Trivedi adapted and captured the SD Burman style and yet maintaining such originality. Overwhelming stuff, a perfect homage if there ever was one. -Harsh

Definitely inspired by "Bichhde sabhi baari baari". -Armeen

Just incredibly beautiful and sad invocation of 'Bichhre Sabhi baari baari' -- and a lot else. Probably the most touching, heartfelt bit of singing I've heard all year. I repeat myself but very few people can do what AT does with old Hindi film sound. -Zico

A gorgeous old world soundscape aided by tremendous use of warm violins and the woodwind, this track serenades the listener with a nostalgic yet simple melody and Kausar Munir's heart-wrenching words. Devendarpal Singh sounds so soothing, almost like a long lost version of Sonu Nigam. -Shasank

Devenderpal Singh, it is not easy to attempt a song which looks to recreate 'Ye duniya mil bhi jaye'. You've aced it! Though, I wish I could erase the last chorus part of this song. -Akanksha

Wonderful recreation of the pyaasa song; Devendrapal Singh ensures he doesn’t sound like Rafi!! -Pradeep

Refreshing to hear the classical side of Benny Dayal. -Pradeep

This a beautiful melody and jugalbandi with two very capable singers- both Abby V and Benny Dayal handle the complex compostion very well. -Sunil

Some of the finest arrangements and singing I've heard in along time. -Prakhar

This is good. Exceptional singing. I hadn't heard Abby V before. Groovy as fuck. Crazy jugalbandi. -Zico

Singing is competent. Worth a few listens. -Subrat

Lyrics traditional, welll sung. -Ashwini

Why did he sing it as Kaga insteast of Kaagaa, only he knows :(. -Neha

Hmm, hesitant shaky singing and some strange noises in the instrumentation. -Ketan

Nat Bhairav/Madhuvanti murchhana… tried and true, and done very well! -Armeen

I didn’t like this song as much as I wanted to. Seemed over engineered plus Abby and Benny combination did not work well. -Akanksha

A wonderful jugalbandi where it is hard to say where one vocalist stops and another starts. So do the electronic percussions with the tabla in another effortless blend. The overall effect is at once inventive, sincere, and daring. -Shasank

Certain melodies and music concepts just have a shine to them, a definitive quality that makes them much greater than the sum of their parts and a lasting greatness. This is one of them. While this track so closely resembles Amit Trivedi's "Manmarziyaan" from the Lootera album in both melody and arrangement, it manages to find a unique beat at every step in its execution to stand out as its own unique track, in its own unique and fabulous element. The strings and the overall atmosphere are magical, so is Ronkini Gupta's poised singing. -Shasank

Ronkini is mellifluous. This song isn't one that you can remember or hum repeatedly but it is a fantastic listen nonetheless. -Akanksha

Lovely music and mellow instrumentation. The voice is a bit unusual but works for this song and the low key arrangement. -Ketan

So eerily reminiscent of Manmarziyan from Lootera, only with a more classical base. -Harsh

Above average in all aspects, but nothing special. -Guri

Hadn't heard this before. Quite good. -Subrat

I think songs like these have it easy: they base themselves on a pleasing raag, and do nothing of its own. Heck, even the harmonies are so 'Manmarziyan' (Lootera). Pleasant enough, but hardly anything original or distinct about it. -Zico

Ronkini has a good voice- the words were hard to discern at times. -Sunil

Classical-flavoured melodies are always a joy to listen to, especially when they are so well rendered like with Ronkini Gupta here. The choice of raga (bhimpalasi from the sound of it), the meter, the use of chorus etc all indicate a nod to Amit Trivedi's Manmarziyaan - a very well-realised track all the same. -Vipin

Contemporary Indian melody, compelling and complex enough without being complicated. -Armeen

Ronkini Gupta and Rishabh take us to a 7/8 rhythm melody with the chorus doing countermelody exactly like manmariyan from lootera. -Pradeep

Simply beautiful. -Armeen

Finally Sunidhi gets a melody in lower range and she has solid base. This melody will grow over time so preserve it . -Pradeep

Lovely collaboration between Arijit and Sunidhi. Arijit as a composer is pure love! -Akanksha

Terrible lyrics. Begins well, but the stanza tune is awful. -Ashwini

Arijit Singh has composed this well. Sunidhi is good. -Subrat

While not an anthem that transcends into myriad levels, this is a very pleasant, moody low key ghazal-ish piece that is pampered by lush string work and touching vocals from Sunidhi adorning the solemn melody. -Shasank

There are very few pleasures like hearing Sunidhi Chauhan singing a calm, soothing ditty about love and longing. -Harsh

Nice prelude. Sunidhi tries a different style and although she seems a bit unsure of her footing, still sounds good. -Ketan

Surprisingly good. -Subrat

Sound may be doctored but interesting overall, unmistakably Indian! Why does he say "Aksh"? -Armeen

There is something about non-film hindi music and rain songs! Baadal is well written and well sung. Lots of potential in Sanjith! -Akanksha

Amazing vocals by Sanjith, the murkhi that he takes with a western attitude is a highlight of this song. -Pradeep

Confused melody, weird fusion. -Ashwini

A marvelously progressive track that takes you on a journey, through highs and dips in melodic pitches and a myriad instrumental layers cameo-ing in and out to bring in fancy flavors. Sanjith Hegde leads the procession with great skill. -Shasank

Bad singing. Below average music. -Ketan

Just the sheer scale the composition has! -Prakhar

Now this is a song that actually does something of its own. It begins like a contemporary song before it launches into semi-classical territory. Sanjith Hegde sounds like a talented singer, and an adventurous composer too. -Zico

Initially the sound of the song is interesting. But all the parts don't add up to a to create a wholesome song. It sounded a bit gimmicky by the end. -Sunil

Good to see Agnee still going strong over 15 years since their formation. Mallaah is very much on brand - great arrangements and Mohan Kannan in fine touch. -Vipin

Good tune, good guitar riff (very Eric Clapton style). Singing could have been better. -Ketan

Lyrics feel like word salad. -Ashwini

Sporting dense rock arrangements and a daring guitar solo in the interlude, this track somehow still doesn't yet rise up to an anthemic level unlike Agnee's earlier originals. Maybe it is the low key formulaic melody or the subdued mix of Mohan Kanan's vocals, but the overall effect is rather simple. -Shasank

There they come! Koco is on fire! The surprise package however is Amitabh Bhattacharya as a lyricist - ' Aadha Adhoora sa mera safar, Aadha nibhaya sa har vaasta.'. -Akanksha

Well, Agnee is back. Good to hear them again. Nothing memorable though. -Subrat

Pure rock arrangement with excellent singing by Mohan Kannan, reminded me of Pritam's 2000 songs. -Pradeep

A typical old world melody wrapped in a new arrangement. Abby V and Jonita excel in the classical/filmy genre mix. -Pradeep

A perfect song this one! Jonita's voice has this lovely 'khanak' that compliments Abby's classical notes. Of course, the raag and therefore the composition is pleasant to the ears, which adds to the song's appeal. -Akanksha

The melody holds much promise but then is ruined by the EDM orchestration. -Ketan

All tracks in this Aarambh album hew the same tired mould. -Subrat

A simple electronic, lounge-esque arrangement with some fun string layers charmingly sets up an open platform in this track for the melody and the vocals to shine. Jonita Gandhi and Ricky Kej offer a calming solace with their vocals. -Shasank

A few good things about this song - Kiran + Nivi fit perfectly in the VB mould. It takes one back to 'Tum gaye sab gaya' by Gulzar, which brings me to the intriguing mention of Gulzar as Sampooran Singh Kalra in the credits. :). -Akanksha

An interesting blend of synth, strings, and deep bass ground this atmospheric track that has resemblances to moody songs of yore, but the melody goes to some interesting places, especially in the highs that have an opera rock-ish effect. Vishal Bhardwaj works so well as a singer in this, with his signature gruff voice, supporting an adept Kiran + Nivi. -Shasank

Nice song that starts well but peters off. -Subrat

Very Vishal-ish...predictible. -Neha

Did not work. The lyric is underserved by the voice and the melody. -Guri

Nicely sung. -Ashwini

The screaming, the bad pronunciations. Egad! -Ketan

There is a freshness, no doubt, in some of these new guys who've come into non-film music and making a mark for themselves. But I wonder if there is anything that is *really* pushing the envelope -- given the constraints of film music aren't there. -Zico

Nice, romantic song. -Subrat

A docile blend of keys and percussions envelope this moody track with an evocative melody, the mood often coming from Aditya Rikhari's vocals. A couple interludes and silences in the track are put to great effect and the wordplay in the verses is intricate. -Shasank

Feels like a Talat Mahmood ghazal that went somewhere else. -Pradeep

What beautiful singing. -Neha

The song would be ranked higher if not for the moaning in the middle of the song. -Ketan

I tried to not to be too hung up by the un-necessary 'nuqta'isation (for the lack of a better word) in how 'ga' is pronounced. It is a nice song. -Akanksha

Takes hold without you having to make the slightest effort. There is something addictive in it. And I like how it's basically a sad song in the garb of a nightclub sort of sound. -Zico

waah! -Neha

This song would have been a hit if used in a movie! Sachin-Jigar have kept it simple and that's exactly what brings out Rashmeet's voice to the fullest. -Akanksha

A fun moody piece led with solid skill by Rashmeet Kaur, both with the rap as well as the rousing outros. Sachin-Jigar wrap the simple melody with funky guitar arrangements leading to an enveloping soundscape. -Shasank

Rashmeet has a good voice. -Sunil

I like Rashmeet Kaur's voice. Has that nice edge to it and not cloyingly sweet. Melody is basic and not much to write about. -Ketan

Another song with swag in the lyrics which I guess increases the swag quotient of the song. -Subrat

A soccer song done outside of films is a great development. Good song - pacy and punchy!. -Akanksha

Barely works for the purpose. -Guri

A potent momentum drives this fast, rushed, energetic track with an eclectic blend of percussion, bass, and electronic arrangements. There is not much melodic space, just a straightforward tune compounded decently by the rap, both Arijit and Divine bringing in maximum energy. The child vocalists are also used well. -Shasank

Good compostion. Arijit Singh shows his versatility here both as a singer and as a composer. -Sunil

Divine is good. -Ashwini

Such an atrocious piece of noise. -Ketan

Elevated only by Sunidhi's rendition. -Neha

The sound design does a splendid job letting the piano and strings land with full effect in this one. This also lends an eery ambience for Sunidhi's steady vocals to land their effect. The melody goes to interesting places in the verses, although I was hoping to find more innovation in the overall package with this one. -Shasank

Average despite the names involved. -Subrat

Points for Sunidhi who is able to bring out the haunting feeling and the violins in the background. -Ketan

Sunidhi's soft voice adds the requisite mysterious touch. -Ashwini

Good eerie, ghostly kind of atmosphere, but as a song it doesn't quite work. (And I haven't seen Charlie Chopra). -Zico

VB stamp with a fantastic use of the low notes that Sunidhi can hit easily. Though I kept waiting for a crescendo at some point. -Akanksha

It's so evocative, creates a distinct imagery with its sound. -Harsh

The keyboard piano riff is a contrast to the laid back singing. -Pradeep

Love the use of Piano! -Harsh

A simple mellow mix of piano, drums, and synths ground this peaceful melody in this jazzy number. The singing is evocative as always and the words carry good weight but the track is largely beautiful but simple. -Shasank

Can't really find anything redeeming. -Ketan

Piano bit at the end of the song was good. -Sunil

Give me a break. -Subrat

I'd give the video/picturization of this song a 4! -Armeen

Bad lyrics. -Ashwini

Pleasant and all, but… I guess the only couple of things I'd like to point out is the vocals (distinct) and the piano. -Zico

I feel that a lot of these compositions didn't necessarily have to go into Hindustani classical; they could've carved out their own interesting journey. Instead, there seems to be a notion among these musicians that make seem classical music restrictive rather than a portal of wonderful possibilities. -Zico

Singing is competent. All else is average. I have heard this kind of sound umpteen times this year. -Subrat

Nothing sounds authentic about this song. Everything from the orchestration to singing sounds AI generated. -Ketan

A beautiful raag rendition by Shreya Jain adorns a standard issue electronic arrangement that is yet effective and even exploratory in places with a hint of an electric guitar and generous use of ambient synth sounds. -Shasank

Sachin-Jigar are an underutilized duo. "Sab Farzi" is another catchy song in this album. -Sunil

Rap is OK, not as good as Gully Boy. -Ashwini

Music directors singing for and with music directors! It is also notable how more rap singers appear in this year's non-film category. Gully Boy did something good there. -Akanksha

An effortless blend of grungy rock and electronic layers, this track works perfectly as a pop anthem underlining a pulp show. There is much energy to be found in the chorus, setup, and interludes and some explorative wordplay, specifically in the rap sections. -Shasank

Tight. -Zico

Vishal Dadlani and Sachin-Jigar produce a banger that has multiple genres including hip/hop. -Pradeep

There's a freshness and youthfulness in it. Some weird, interesting sounds. I like the line, Meri tu na khair kar -- it captures that youthfulness and the kind of vibe the song is going for. -Zico

A simple pop chorus line lies at the middle of this deliciously complex track that has oodles of progression in its arrangements and even vocals where things are constantly going in and out for elements of surprise, wonder, and lasting novelty. -Shasank

Another song that's not offensive to the ears but there's nothing to keep you interested in it. -Subrat

Very forgettable song, average. -Ashwini

The scale changes are the only differentiator to an otherwise mid song. -Pradeep

It's catchy, different and the harmonies are done well, even though the word 'khair' is sung as 'care', which makes it hard to care much for such rookie errors. -Ketan

OAFF's distinch style of electronic production for pop music broadens its portfolio here, with the vocals finding a cleaner mid-space to grow out of and anchor the words, which are simple yet intelligent. -Shasank

So much of the vocals get dumbed down in mutliple tracks and music and synthesization. -Neha

This song has nothing going for it. -Ketan

Instantly catchy. -Harsh

If this is what the best of hip-hop of the non film music scene has to offer, it's fucking sad. I was blown by Shrusti Tawade's breakout song, but I guess once you get sucked into the system, it's over. -Zico

While not as powerful as some of her other work, Shrusti Tavade combines a peppy beat with signature rapid verses and attitude for a definitive effect in this track. I wish it stood out more. -Shasank

No thanks. -Subrat

Not a fan of lazy singing and words. -Ketan

Girl rapper! aaahaaa! -Neha

Nope, this is not the Shrusti we want! -Akanksha

Shrushti's rap is good but rest is average. -Ashwini