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96 Songs - Music Review: A piece of art that calms you in traffic of life

PUBLISHED DATE : 24/Aug/2018

96 Songs - Music Review: A piece of art that calms you in traffic of life

96 Songs - Music Review: A piece of art that calms you in traffic of life
Suhansid Srikanth
96.. as vintage and nostalgic as the very title sounds.. as much as the expectations the trailer left us with.. as tempting as the hook of 'Kaadhale! Kaadhale! Thaniperumthunaiye!' that had us all at one go.. comes up with what can be easily tagged under one of the all time best soundtracks for a Tamil film. 


More than a soundtrack.. the compilation is more of a 'mood tape' that falls from a cliff like a waterfall.. calm down like a river.. flood up.. flow! Govind Vasantha's indieness along with the sereneness in the vocals of Chinmayi and Pradeep Kumar (who have sung most of the songs) breaks all the conventional patterns in the structure, rhythm and even the rendition and lyric flow of the songs. 

Just when I was thinking it is high time we drop all our cliched usual words for lyrics and push the edge in exploring the unspoken mindsets, perspectives and moods that we hardly care about.. 96 has ended up as a lyrical feast. With Karthik Netha penning five songs and Uma Devi, the rest of it.. the soundtrack is a trip to the questions you are yet to unveil.. perhaps one that you never thought of. Ranging from existential immortal quality of love to the aching, shortliving good times.. the songs literally communicate through the words.. renditions.. music! And that to me, is the greatest of success any album can achieve.. rather than being mere viral chartbusters and trending in digital platforms! 

"Anthaathi", the first track and easily the gem of the album.. lists out the many facets of love. As compassion.. As passion..As everything.. As nothing.. As itself.. Prathyega Thedal! An irony.. Meyyaana Vadhandhi! (A true rumour). The beautiful lyric to me was 'Ithyaadhi Kaadhal' summing up the infinity of love with etcetera. 

It tunnels down like you are in a bus heading into hills. And after hours of travelling between covered up green shedded mountains.. you get into this sight of a gigantic waterfalls roaring with a beasty flow! The song has a wild screaming nature of a forest flooding brook to it. The chorus humm that takes forward to the middle portion of the song is euphoric. Celebrating two people who have found their solace in each other.. Calling love the graduation they achieved.. 

'Kaadhal.. Dheiveega Edhiri.. 
Kaadhal.. Saathaanin Visiri.. 
Kaadhal.. Aanmaavin Pulari.. 
Vaazhndhu petra degree!'

 
But the sweetest of the moments comes when out of nowhere 'Konjum Pooraname!' sweeps into the song. And when the chorus 'Kaadhale! Kaadhale! Thaniperumthunaiye!' hits you.. it is like a chant! A devotion! Followed by the wild ecstatic chorus again.. naming love with all the names of madness.. pragaaram.. prabaagam.. pravaagam.. sringaaram.. aangaaram.. ongaaram.. and ends with a poetic recital about the beauty, unpredictability and uncertainity of love. The recital by Actor Nasser sorta smiles at you after all the wildness of the song! 


"The Life of Ram" talks of a dejected man adsorbing in world's and nature's beauty! 
The opening line says it all on what the song is about..

'Karai vandha pirage.. Pidikkudhu kadalai!'

Asking you to seize the moment right when it exists. 

Very rarely we get a song that talks of hero's or should I call a male character's existential crisis and mundane boredom in its true sense and depth. Pradeep, the sole owner of mood numbers literally owns the song!

The calmness in lyrics and singing is therapeutic!

'Kaatrodu vallooru dhaan pogudhe! 
Paadhai illaamale.. Azhagaai! 
Migave adhuvaai!'

Also the beautiful imageries by Karthik Netha.. of someone contemplating like a crow sitting over a bull in 'Thimileri kaalai mel thoongum kaagamaai boomi meedhu iruppen!' is a delight for the sort of visual imagination the song demands! The songs works more like a collaboration.. inviting the listener to participate in immersing in the experience!
 

"Yaen" is about questioning the mishappened past. 'Yaen naetrai poottaamal ponaano?' by Uma Devi sings out for a woman, holding a memoir of a man who is long gone. Whereas, "Vasantha Kaalangal" takes you to the late 90s or early millennial vibes. It has a 'Paarvai Ondre Podhume' kind of feels to it. The quickness in rendition complimenting the slower rhythm that backs it up kinda breaks your heart yet heals you at the same time as you listen. "Iravingu Theevaai" sounds as the one night-out that you'll cherish forever to the rest of your life. 



"Thaabangale" caresses the tempting line between love and lust! The chorus of Chinmayi and Pradeep haunts you for the unrequited mood it holds.. Of two people who celebrate all the what ifs of life! 

'Naan nanaindhidum theeyaa!
Peyyum nilaa neeyaa? 
Naan anaindhiduvenaa? 
Aalaabanai dhaanaa?'

Earlier, the team released a single version of "Kaadhale Kaadhale".. the Chinmayi sung track that came out of popular demand after the teaser release.


There is another version of "Kaadhale Kaadhale" now! With vocals of Kalyani Menon!
If Chinmayi's version is like a getting a glimpse of drizzling monsoon from a train.. this is like the summertime rain that occupies you at one go.. when you least expect it. The bit taunting pronunciation of words contrary to the sensual rendition of Chinmayi adds a whole new flavour! The much famous 'Kaadhale Kaadhale' chorus goes a bit more gelled and blended with this version for the same very reason!


Bottomline
96 by Govind Vasantha is a cassette you would want to have on your pack in your travel. A work of music.. a piece of art that stops you in traffic of life for a moment.. calms you down.. and talks to you! The album is a mood piece with its heart all over!

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