You don't expect anything short of excellence when it comes to Vishal Bhardwaj, the filmmaker and composer. He has managed to keep his audiences on their toes in all his previous outings, be Maachis, Makdee, Maqbool or his last Omkara. He always manages to pack a surprise as a filmmaker and a composer and the music album of his latest film, Kaminey is no exception. One is not sure whether the numbers if this album will achieve the same success as a 'Beedi Jaliale,' but they sure are going to give that number strong competition. Kaminey has already created enough of s stir because of its lead actors Priyanka Chopra and Shahid Kapur. Bhardwaj collaborates with his mentor Gulzar once again to come up with a winner. This is an album which will again wow listeners with the freshness and integrity of its sound.
The album has eight tracks, six of which are original while the remaining two are remixes. The musical journey of Kaminey begins with the rocking 'Dhan Te Nan' which has been sung with full gusto by Vishal Dadlani and Sukhwinder Singh. Robert Bob Omulo adds his rap bit to this boisterous, fun number. One is amazed at the vocal pyrotechnics of the singers as well as the perfectly apt lyrics that Gulzar saab has managed to pen for this riotous number. It is action packed and is bound to go down well with listeners. The manner in which it has been picturised can only add to its appeal, hopefully. It has remixed version as well, which matches the high energy levels and innovation of the original.
The second number of the album is as different from the first as chalk is to cheese. If the first was fast-paced action, the second track, 'Pehli Baar Mohabbat' sung by Mohit Chauhan is a melodious, leisurely treat. The number literally oozes romance and its mood is further enhanced by Mohit's rendition, who is a master at these kind of love ballads. This is the kind of number which sees the perfect mingling of lyrics, music and vocals. This number is in direct contrast to bold 'Raat ke Dhai Baje.' Both numbers talk about the pangs of first love but each in its own inimitable style. Mohit scores big with yet another solo romantic number.
The bold 'Raat Ke Dhai Baje' is up next, sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan, Suresh Wadkar, Kunal Ganjawala, with some rap thrown in by Earl ED. This number sees the composer moving out of his comfort zone and creating some wonderful foot tapping, fusion magic by the manner in which he manages to use the male and female vocals. This is another fun number which should top the charts. It comes with a remixed track as well which captures the vibrancy of the original.
'Fatak' is a slightly suggestive numbers which manages to stay naughty without being lewd. This number has a folksy touch to it and should find an audience for itself. The lyrics are the king in this number which has been sung by Sukhwinder and Kailash Kher. The number has a very fast tempo and it is a treat to hear two such talented singers taking on each other in this number.
Finally, we have the title track, 'Kaminey,' where an entire song has been spun around a cuss word. It reveals yet again Gulzar's mastery over words as he manages to come up with a song that is more amusing than anything else. The song unfolds at its own sweet pace and Bhardwaj's music seems to match the mood of the number. He sings this song as well and gives it just the right edge. The album ends with theme music 'Go Charlie Go', which is fast paced and thrilling, quite like the action in the film, one presumes.
It is to the credit of the composer that none of the six tracks sounds like the other. All the numbers are authentic and owe their origin to different musical genres. Bhardwaj's mastery over music is evident in the easy manner in which he manages to jump from one genre to another, Indian or Western. His numbers are like a breath of fresh air and truly authentic. In this album, he has managed to pack in melody and tamasha, thus ensuring that he has a winner in his hand. He has definitely managed to live up to expectations.