Akhila Krishnamurthy – Aalaap – Reviews IndiEarth Artists

About Aalaap
Aalaap
is an initiative in the performing arts.  Sometimes, it works on its own, as an independent entity.  Other times, Aalaap dresses up as a collaborator and attempts to work with performing artistes from across India, assisting them in the many aspects of the arts, its production, promotion and presentation.

Designed as an artiste-centric initiative that is sensitive to the style and sensibilities that qualify and constitute every artiste, Aalaap’s focus areas include ideation, curation, execution, content creation, research, management and promotion.

Aalaap’s ideator, Akhila Krishnamurthy is a freelance journalist based in Chennai.  With over 12 years experience in major media houses from across the country, Aalaap combines her passion for art and her creative energy to  provide a space for art lovers to share their art.

Her thoughts on IndiEarth Artists and their tracks:

tatva

3.5starscopy
The Blueberry Hunt OST – TaTvA Kundalini Feat. Naseeruddin Shah

Naseeruddin Shah’s voice sets the tone for this track.  And that’s what TatvA has exploited in this collaboration. A lovely mix of new-age techno with a voice that is as mature as it can get. The fact that Shah can switch between Hindi and English so effortlessly, and in a way that the listener doesn’t even notice the shift, is the hallmark of a great, versatile artiste. The portion where Shah says “Whatever” and the music picks up pace, is truly thrilling. This track is sure to get your feet and mind tapping!

Littlebabushkasgrind 4.stars
Lonely Heart: Little Babooshka’s Grind
The vocal is the backbone of this number.  It’s a voice that has the power to take me down memory lane. The use of keys during the chorus is magical.  The voice sounds familiar but also one that I’m unable to put a finger onto; where have I heard that voice before? It is perhaps that quality of mystery that makes this track, a tad more magical.
groove 2.stars

Baby you got me – Groove #3 & Benny Dayal
The song is like any other. Really doesn’t do much to the ears. The instrumentation is the only plus but that too at times feels like it is trying to do too much.

Karinthalakoottam 3.5starscopy
Puthanparambu Puthiri (Malayalam) – Karinthalakoottam
Right from the heart of Kerala folk tradition, this song creates a scene of “eternal wait”. The use of chelanga and chenda create a sense of eerienss and uncertainty. The rhythm is so beautiful that the listener will be forgiven if he/she misses the lyrics and the latent pathos in the song.
2.stars
AJ – Yahaan Se
Just another pop number! A song of a romantic but does very little to the romantic in you. When the song begins, you know you’ve heard many like this before. Nothing new.
saffron 1.star
O Re Majhi – Saffron n Joe
The song had one positive effect on me. I ransacked my audio collection and pulled out the collection of S D Burman and played the original O Re Majhi! It is good to experiment but what we create needs to either better or at least match up to the original. Saffron n Joe has taken up quite a monster and the final output clearly shows they have not been able to do justice. A decent try, but could have been avoided.
AJ 2.stars
AJ – Aye Hawa Hawa
There’s freshness in this number. The kind of song you would want to play on your headphones as you zip through the city on your bike. A lovely beat that continues through the song.
Daksh 3.stars copy

Hai Dua – Daksh The Band
Evergreen Shammi Kapoor running through Kashmir singing a love duet to Sharmila Tagore… Hai Dua, when it starts will take you back to those days. The violin and the voice mishmash wonderfully. But, somewhere down the line or lane, you are awakened by the modernity in the voice and instrumentation. It is a good piece which could have been way better.

4.stars
Flying Aura – Tavleen Singh
This piece falls under the “healing/meditation” genre and Tavleen has done complete justice to it. The music is soothing; the flute, one of the most romantic instruments takes you on a journey that’s full of hope and peace. And then the sitar takes over. And that’s a real “wow” moment. Overall, a wonderfully crafted track.
Dipanita 3.5starscopy
Dipanita & Subhadra – Dipanita & Subhadra
The tune is extremely familiar but that does not take away the magic from Shubadra & Dipanita’s voices. Rustic and strong. The song has beautifully married folk and modern and you could see that the singer is absolutely comfortable in this fusion.

For the latest by Aalaap visit http://www.theaalaap.com/
You can also connect with Akhila via email

To have your music reviewed on IndiEarth email support@indiearth.com

Akhila Krishnamurthy

Akhila Krishnamurthy is a freelance journalist based in Chennai. She has worked across leading publications in India and continues to contribute features and human interest stories across newspapers and magazines. She is particularly interested in the performing arts, and the people who make and grow that space.

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