https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj9J3zteEb0

'Neeyo Njaano' composed by Ilaiyaraaja for his Malayalam Debut 'Vyaamoham' (1978), directed by K.G. George. The film was also Ilaiyaraaja's FIRST Non-Tamil venture.

The song was well ahead of its times. Be it the stylish flute prelude or the counterpoint from 1:44 to 1:59; the song alone would have sufficed to judge his sheer genius!

Back in those times, I believe Ilaiyaraaja and Salil Chowdhury were the only Indian composers with contrapuntal mastery.

It has been eighteen months since the release of the Amal Neerad film, Bachelor Party. The DVD of the film remains one of my most prized possessions. Not for the story, not for the characters, not for Amal Neerad's lensmanship, but for that stunning original [background] score by Rahul Raj.

The score was composed and produced in less than 18 days. Despite working under ridiculously constrained schedules, the resultant score was in my opinion, the finest ever electronic and percussive action score produced in Indian Cinema.

Each cue is intricately layered with riveting guitar riffs, pulsating rhythms and inventive synth sounds resulting in intriguingly dense sonic textures, never before heard in Indian film scores. I know this is one of those films, which Malayalis 'love' to hate, or consider a 'fashion' to hate, lamenting on 'style over substance'. But the score definitely is a flamboyant display of the composer's extraordinary talent and exceptional craftsmanship!

It's out! Yes, the audio of Amal Neerad's much talked about multi-starrer, Bachelor Party has reached the stands, and has infact turned out to be a bamboozling musical surprise; a brand new package which defines a distinct musical breed.

The young and vibrant music composer, Rahulraj returns to the Malayalam film music arena through this stunning album. The time taken to complete listening to the whole album is proportional to your efficiency in comprehending enormity.

Instead of settling for a contemperory genre-design for the album, the composer goes into WILD experimentation; thus making each track a journey into 'indulgence in musical luxury'.

The SONGS being reviewed are NOT listed in the order they appear in the soundtrack CD; instead they are listen in the order, in which I prefer listening them to.

The album kicks off (for me) with high-pitched anthem 'Bachelor Life'. The catchy, but unusual tune is rendered to perfection by C.J. Kuttapan and Sunil Mathai who happen to be exceptional discoveries. Rahulraj's backing vocals open the quirky charanams set to a faster tempo. The composer exhibits his mastery over creating unique rhythm patterns and complex sonic textures. The youthful lyrics by Rafeeq Ahmed add thumping mass appeal to the song. 

'Kappa Puzhukku' is a path-breaking mass number set to a scintillating bassline; rendered by Sunil Mathai,C. J. Kuttappan, Sunil Mathai, Resmi Sateesh and Sricharan. The track if used in a Vijay film; would establish new dimensions to the 'Thalapathy' jingoism. 

Rahulraj is at his experimental best in Vijanasurabhi. Heavy carinatic vocals meet modern soundscapes. Ramya Nambeeshan makes an interesting attempt; though one would have desired for a better vocalist for this classically rooted composition. The male chorus croons catchy rhythmic jathis like 'Thajjam Thakajjam' and there is an interesting male vocal bit preceeding the second interlude. 

Contrary to the mood established by the previous tracks; Karmukilil comes as a soft melody with flawless rendition by Shreya Goshal and Nikhil Mathew. The track is characterized by a haunting signature cello piece; beautifully arranged strings and flute interludes. 

Verdict: Soundtracks with such extravagance come rarely in Malayalam films. So, own your original audio disc; rather than listening to the tracks in compressed downloaded formats.