Music director Pritam at creative best in `Mausam`

Mumbai: When a talented actor like Pankaj Kapoor turns director, expectations are bound to be high. So while the first look of Kapoor`s `Mausam` is already making waves, its music too has potential to strike a chord with the audience.

The album contains 13 tracks but the surprise element is the delightful compositions by composer Pritam, who has gone out of his comfort zone and churned an album that is rich in traditional sounds and mind-blowing vocals by some of the best singers in the industry. Meaningful lyrics penned by Irshad Kamil gel well with the mood of the album. The album starts with a pleasing, out-and-out romantic track "Rabba main toh mar gaya", which will make you smile instantaneously. Sung by Shahid Mallya, it has been making rounds on channels and is already quite popular as it evokes mushy feelings. Simple, hummable and light-orchestrated songs are Pritam`s forte and he doesn`t disappoint this time. This track has another version, which has been crooned by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. The composition is not very different from the original, but Khan`s vocals and high-pitch voice take it to another level. The next song brings in a complete change in mood, owing to its energy. Director Pankaj Kapoor goes behind the mike for "Sajh dhaj ke" along with Mika Singh, known for adding that extra zing to any song and this peppy Bhangra track is no exception! It`s a complete fun, dance number. It has two more versions - one a club mix tiger style and the other a desi mix tiger style. The album brings out its soulful side yet again with "Ik tu hi tu", which is sung by famous Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans. The moderately-paced Sufi inclined track grows on you and the emotional vocals effortlessly manage to pull on one`s heartstrings. Touching lyrics give an edge to the beautifully composed track. This song too has two more versions - one is Mehfil mix sung by Wadali Brothers. Although the original is appealing, this too is soul-stirring because of the heartfelt vocals of the singers who give the song a true qawwali feel. The other is a reprise version voiced by Shahid Mallya and it is quite similar to the original, but it has its own essence. Then comes the most beautifully composed song of the album "Poore se zara sa kam hai". The love ballad brings forward a pensive mood and its semi-classical inclination adds more substance to it. Up next is "Aag lage us aag ko", a Gujrati-based folk rendition by Karsan Das Sagathia. It`s a fast-paced high octave song that might be more appealing with visuals. Finally, the albums offers "Mallo malli", a light-hearted, fun track sung in Punjabi, but it has a club feel to it, owing to the Indo-western composition. It has been sung by Tochi Raina. It has two more versions - one a usual re-mixed version and the other sung by Hard Kaur and Lehmber Hussainpuri. On the whole, the album is a good mix of slow and fast tracks and hence suits all moods. Pritam has done a commendable job and has proved his prowess after a long time. IANS