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Loading ... Luck By Chance sees the trio cooking up some rather wicked tunes that borrow generously from psychedelic, folk, classical, lounge, pop and rock music. The result is a trippy, hippie, extremely well produced soundtrack that leaves you swaying, swinging, humming and clicking your fingers.
Yeh Zindagi Bhi, the first song of the album has a surprise singer – Loy Mendonsa – with Shekhar Rajviani. Think long drives through the breathtaking landscapes of Ladakh. Think brilliant star-lit skies, and the wind singing in your ears and you have Yeh Zindagi Bhi. With its subtle trip hop influences and light touches, it takes you on a journey into outer space. Yes, you may be reminded of the 80′s hit You’re the Voice by John Farnham, but you will find it in your heart to forgive SEL, thanks to the neat production.
According to director Zoya Akhtar, Baaware is “Rajasthan on acid.” For those who know about the ways of the psychedelic world, it is easy to figure out why. But for the uninitiated here’s the lowdown.
Baaware (Shankar, Ila Arun, Loy, Rajasthani Ensemble) is picturised on a circus, and features traditional Rajasthani mangangyar singers, who grab you by the scruff of your neck with the sheer intensity of their voice. Folk gets a twist later in the song, blurring the lines between acoustic and electronic, with a trance track merging with the folk beats and melody. If you like Baaware, you will be bowled over by the remix, at the end of the album by Midival Punditz. Definitely a must-have on all DJ consoles in the days to come.
Pyar Ki Daastaan (Mahalakshmi Iyer, Amit Paul) is the quintessential love song, the kind that invariably makes its way to any romantic sequence, with dholaks and lyrics that go, “Sapnon ka yeh mausam hai/Dil se dil ka sangam hai/sulge sulge hothon par/halki halki shabnam hai.” Chiffons on the Swiss Alps anyone?
Predictability flies out of the window with Pyaar Aaj Kya Ho Gaya. Sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, the song opens with a sunny, breezy, guitar riff, and bares a soul that is very southern-rock. In fact, with the delicious little guitar and keyboard solos, SEL sound unmistakably like the Allman Brothers Band, known to be the architects of Southern Rock in 70′s USA. One can safely predict this song doing the rounds of college campuses, with guitar-strumming young ‘uns and friends joining in the chorus parts.
Sapnon Se Bhare Naina sees Shankar Mahadevan delving deep into his classical roots. Based on Bhairavi, a poignant morning raga, this loungy song has been winning fans ever since its first airplay. And it is easy to see why. Shankar’s deft vocal maneuvers are set against a rich, deep drum and base rhythm track, which is hypnotic and clubby at the same time.
Up next, O Raahi re, is a poignant, philosophical song with a subtle sufi flavour. And what sounds like a 12-string guitar. A neat little guitar riff keeps pulling at your heartstrings every now and then, while Shankar’s mature rendition of the song makes it for a very pleasant listening.
Given the fantastic response to the music of Rock On (detractors be damned!), SEL could have been vulnerable to their own success. Instead, they seemed to have moved on, and happily so. With Luck… they seem to have got more adventurous, bettered their craft the process. The result is the kind of music that certainly raises the bar of motion picture soundtrack in Bollywood.
Verdict: The producers’ note says, “Luck By Chance is a contemporary tale set in a world desperate to escape its own reality.” The music of Luck by Chance is your ticket to escape-land. Enjoy!
Rating: 4/5
Album: Luck By Chance
Label: Big Music
