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dasavatharam

Music review analysis of Himesh Reshammiya's album Dasavatharam (2008).

Ulaga Nayagan

Vineet's line, YAAAA (high pitched with eecho effect) from 0.43 to 0.46, 0.59 to 1.00, 1.20, 4.35

Mukhda lines are sung with energetic upbeat vocals.

Stanzas are sung with classical touch.

Vineet's line, GAAALI (quick classical twist) at 2.35, VANDAALUM (quick classical twist) at 2.37

Vineet pours his heart out and sings with classical feel and passion in the 2nd stanza from 3.50 to 3.57 with emphasis on MANI-DUMM (feel classical twist), KANA-KILLL (feel classical twist).

Vineet's line, KUNGUM-(awesome quick singing of lyrics as one phrase)-UUUUN (zor ka jhatka dheere se lage) from 4.17 to 4.18

Vineet's line, LEEEEE (terrific quick classical twist) at 4.19

Vineet's line, POOOOTE (terrific profound classical twist) from 4.28 to 4.29

Vineet's lines, ulaga naya GA (terrific feel good high note) NE (with echo effect) 4.55 to 4.58, along with added male croons in higher pitch to create awesome overall effect.

Vineet's line, ulaga NAAA (terrific high note) at 4.59

Vineet's line, GANE-EEE-EEEE-EEE (terrific prolonged feel good twist) from 5.05 to 5.07

Great buid up vocals from 4.55 to 5.07 (until this point).

Vineet's line, GANEEEEEEEEE (terrific prolonged high note with passion) from 5.09 to 5.10 delivers the ultimate KILLER BLOW whereby the listener TOTALLY FEELS IT and GETS HELL LOT OF SIKE / ADRENALINE FLOWING.

Kallai Mattum Kandal

The male chants with haunt effect 0.48 to 1.00, 1.49 to 2.09 (gives a KICK), 3.53 to 4.02 along with the underlying tremendous BEAT SKIP PATTERN are just simply OFF-DA-HOOK and USP of this song.

The KEY is TIMING of the BEAT SKIP PATTERN with the MALE HAUNT CHANTS to create a UNIQUE SYNC EFFECT.

Oh Ho Sanam

Himesh ropes the protagonist himself to croon this song.

After listening to the horrible old lady's voice in Mukhunda Mukhunda, one has zero expectations from Kamal Hassan – the singer, leave alone that if the credits don't mention his name then the listener would end up getting foxed that it was actually him.

Himesh calls Kamal Hassan into his music room and gives him some singing tuitions [fun intended]. But seriously, Kamal Hassan gets the right pulse of Himesh – the singer who totally influences Kamal to sing in his Sufi Rwak style. This is due to the fact, since HR-the composer composed this song with one of his sufi-rwak elements i.e. prolonged turns with sudden abrupt finishing twists or in a single phrase 'prolonged twists-n-turns'.

So basically, one can see the reflection of HR-the singer in Kamal-the singer in this song. Another similarity in tonal quality is that Kamal also has SHARP KNIFE EDGE VOCALS like Himesh. Another singer having such vocals is KK.

From 0.08 to 0.28, soothing feel vocals, emphasis on VAAA at 0.10, KEEE (halke se voice rise) at 0.20

From 1.01 to 1.08, Kamal sings with knife edge vocsals with emphasis on KUM (feel good high note, TERRIFIC VOCALS) at 1.08

From 1.11 to 1.19, Kamal pours his heart out and sings with utter sheer feel and passion (TERRIFIC VOCALS that give a kick) which is a total influence by HR.

From 1.21 to 1.29, Kamal sings with sharp knife edge vocals and this is terrific merger of soothing feel and fulltu vocals, gives KICK. Emphasis on VAAA at 1.25

At 1.34, VIKE (gradual voice rise).

From 1.36 to 1.37, MMMM (prolonged)- MMM (quick abrupt twist) comes from HR's sufi-rwak composition style.

From 1.45 to 1.46, YAAAAA (prolonged feel good high note), Kamal fully expresses and enjoys himself.

From 2.28 to 2.30, AAAAAAA (high note classical twist, TERRIFIC VOCALS).

From 2.33 to 2.34, YUMMMMMM (prolonged) - MMM (quick abrupt down twist) comes from HR's sufi-rwak composition style.

At 2.44, MINNNNN (quick twist).

From 2.48 from 2.49, PALADAA-(high note)-AAAA (knife edge, TERRIFIC VOCALS).

From 2.51 to 2.52, AAAA (abrupt twist) comes from HR's sufi-rwak composition style.

From 2.53 to 2.54, NIIIIII (quick EMPHASIS twist that connects, TERRIFIC VOCALS).

From 4.11 to 4.20, sung with feel.

From 4.11 to 4.13, YUMMMMMM (prolonged)- MMM (quick abrupt down twist) comes from HR's sufi-rwak composition style.

So basically in a nutshell, Himesh-Kamal Hassan musical combo rwaks.

Hats off to Himesh to get the singer out of Kamal and hats off to Kamal who did his potential best.

Thank you Kamal Hassan sir for roping and showing faith in Himesh for such a MAGNUM OPUS project, you RWAK!

Mukhunda Mukhunda

Mukhda

Sadhna's vocals VAAAYAAL from 1.05 to 1.06 & SAIYA NAA NO 1.26 to 1.27 have PROFOUND CLASSICAL TWIST.

1st stanza

Sadhna's vocals MAAAR (melodious) at 3.00, POOOT (terrific high note classical twist) at 3.06, AN (halke se feel) at 3.12, DEEE (quick classical twist) at 3.18, POOO (classical twist) at 3.27, HEY (feel good) at 3.36

2nd stanza

Sadhna's vocals SIM AMAGEE (melodious) from 4.46 to 4.47, YEEE (halke se feel voice rise) at 4.52, NEE (melodious) at 4.59, KAA (feel) at 5.00, MAAA (quick twist) at 5.05, NEEEII (quick twist) at 5.12, SUUD (TERRIFIC, feel twist, dheere ka jhatka zor se lage) at 5.14

Highlights of this song:

Sadhna's two lines namely POOOT (terrific high note classical twist) at 3.06, and SUUD (TERRIFIC, feel twist, dheere ka jhatka zor se lage) at 5.14

Kaa Karuppanukkum

Shalini's line, TA RA RA RA from 1.33 to 1.34 drives berserk.

Shalini's lines, MEXICAN & LEXICAN along with her SISKIYAAN from 2.38 to 2.40 sounds like a blast of fresh mint.

Shalini's ALTO vocals from 3.03 to 3.09 are likeable.

Shalini's line, KISS ME at 4.22 drives berserk.

Shanini's lines from 4.41 to 4.42 are feel good.

Shalini Singh has one of the best female seductive vocals and her voice is sweet and refreshing with an innocent feel good touch.

When the male listener enjoys this song, at the same time he is curious to find out and see what hell is breaking loose on the big screen whilst Mallika Sherawat does her thing and makes the audience want to go to outer space. That is girl power for you which is always waiting to be admired and appreciated, aur basically dimag kharab ho jata hai [fun intended]!

Oh Ho Sanam Remix

Well, Himesh's pronunciation of tamil lyrics is up to fans from the South to rate as I cannot read, write or speak Tamil or any South Indian language for that matter.

Himesh's line KUM (nasal twang) at 0.03 & 0.07

Himesh's line SAIVARA at 1.37 & 1.44

Himesh's line, TAAA-AAAT (abrupt leave) from 1.45 to 1.47 give KICK.

Himesh's line from 1.47 to 1.54 along with rising bells are terrific, with emphasis on UMMMM (down twist) from 1.50 to 1.51, TAAAAA (connects) from 1.52 to 1.54

Himesh's lines, JUM (nasal twang) at 2.00, AAAAAA (dying effect) at 2.08

Himesh's lines, VEER VARE (feel) from 2.57 to 2.58, WALA VARE at 3.02 connect.

Kudos and hats off to Himesh who goes a step ahead and sings in a language he does not comprehend, as if composing was not enough [fun intended].

Hats off to the guts, courage and self-belief to dominate any music territory!

Verdict

After a DECENT score with Bomalattam, Himesh got hold of the PULSE of the South Indian listeners with Dashavatar (Tamil).

With such a MAGNUM OPUS project, there had to be at least one song that could be the USP of the Album and match the STATURE of the film. This song was KALLAI MATTUM KANDAL simply due do the GRAND MUSIC ARRANGEMENT / ORCHESTRATION more than the melody of tune itself.

OH HO SANAM comes from the same song bank of pre-ABA melodies, but Himesh had fine tuned it by adding prolonged twists-n-turns that is one of the composition style of Himesh-the SUFI RWAK composer and asked Kamal Hassan to sing in Himesh's SUFI-RWAK singing style.

ULAGA NAYAGAN is a terrific EAST-WEST MIX of music arrangement and vocals, to give it a today's contemporary feel. The western elements consist of foot-tapping beats, English male croons and deadly techno instruments whereas the eastern elements consist of classical female chorus, raga tune and Vineet's classical vocals in the stanzas. The ending part by male rap vocals is cult stuff.

With MUKHUNDA MUKHUNDA, Himesh goes inroads to get the traditional feel of the south. The mukhda tune is so very well composed and suited for the Tamil lyrics to fit in, i.e. the lines Mukhunda * 2 Virinda * 2 are so free-flowing and the issue is not at all forced. Himesh also gets it right with selection of instruments i.e. raga, traditional beats, traditional flute, sitar, chorus and most notably the TABLA PATTERN.

KAA KARUPPANUKKUM is tailor made for sexbomb Mallika Sherawat to do her thing and Shalini singh sings with SEDUCTIVE SWEET VOCALS as if she has a lot of SWEET FLOUR. She sounds REFRESHING.

Himesh also used tailormade singers that were perfect for the songs and just what the DOCTOR ORDERED.

This album has a PURE GEM in form of MUKHUNDA MUKHUNDA very true to South Indian roots. KALLAI MATTUM KANDAL (grand music arrangement) and ULAGA NAYAGAN (contemporary music arrangement|) has a South Indian traditional classical feel but the ORCHESTRATION adds a MASS COMMERCIAL element rather than catering to a specific segment.

To be brutally honest, Himesh could have filled this Album with PATH BREAKING melodies to make a KILL impression and make the maximum of such an opportunity. But instead he focused on getting the OVERALL FEEL right and cater to the SITUATIONAL DEMAND of the project. Hence, this is an ABOVE AVERAGE DECENT score and there is no surprise if it RWAKED the Tamil charts.

If Himesh has ever more time at hand and an interesting project comes up, he could consider scoring again as it doesn't take away his USP as opposed to scoring for other Bollywood flicks and it could only add to his fan base.

My Picks

1. Oh Ho Sanam & Ulaga Nayagan (tie)

2. Mukundha Mukundha

3. Kallai Mattum Kandal

4. Kaa Karuppanukkum

Shalini's lines, LEXICAN at 2.41 & 2.43 sound like a refreshing blast of mystic air. Her lines, TA RA RA RA from 1.36 to 1.37, KISS ME from 4.25 to 4.26 drive da listener berserk, basically dimag kharab kar deti hain.