Engeyum Kaadhal music review:

"Simplicity is the Ultimate sophistication", said Leonardo Da Vinci. An artistic reflection i guess. Harris Jayaraj has been doing on the lines of this decree, if his latest tamil film musical is to be commented upon. Music sounds so simple- fewer instruments- there is no Rahman-ish too many instruments and complex orchestration. Instruments which a amateur music composer would choose, yet an outcome which sounds matured of a seasoned music maker. In one angle, Harris is one, there is a pattern occurring in all his songs, the soft jazz oriented novelties thrown around occasionally, like the fake opera bit.

How original it sounds, is not more important than how utilizable the music is while you are listening to it. Instant captivating, a feel of lightness- say when i am driving a car, or relaxing myself at the end of the day. I am not arguing that music has to be 'familiar' each time, but it must be complying to the first line of this blog post.

Let us proceed to the review.

Engeyum kadhal.
Aalaap Raju
Comes out as a fresh piece. Terrific simplicity. Foot-tap beats. Devan's humming in the background. A clean song for any time of the day.

Thee illai

Naresh Iyer, Mukesh, Gopal Rao, Mahathi

The opening violin hints at an unbearable pain of the heart, yet the opening contains attuned stifled excitement. Female voices are tending to the higher frequencies and this is becoming the fad. Second stanza instrumental is typical trademark of Harris. I love the way the drums roll whenever the opening lines are played each time- dramatic.

Nangaai

Richard

Made in haste or retarded pop culture garnished with lyrics to tamil populace. The style of fusion is what makes you listen to the song.

Lolita

Karthik, Prashanthini

Karthick's song all the way. A parallel to Uzhaga azhagiye song. Again the same simple beats, guitar prancing with it. Sparkling stanza tunes, which are instantly hummable. Harris and drum rolls!!! And the sax interludes. There is not a bit of laxity anywhere in the composition.

Bathing at cannes
many artists
Rap songs, with the hackneyed rap beats. Nothing more to say.

Nenjil Nenjil

Harish Raghavendra, Chinmayi

Here's another engrossing melody, from the inimitable melody maker. Chinmayi, the softest of all feminine with Harish, the male counterpart. Pad's spank every alternate second. In feeling aspect, the heart melts to the mood of the song. Peculiar combination of the chorus and carnatic instruments in the second half(anbil avan- VTV). Flawless tamil lyrics matched to perfect diction. One of the best tunes i have ever heard as of now.

Dhimu Dhimu

Karthik

As if all the melodies dont make the package complete, Harris gives us another Karthick song. Guitar and beat and Karthick: this adds up to a soothing, calm non-boisterous song. Yes, there is sax interludes. And the old school formula, which the composer relies so often- the end stanza pacing up of the song.

Barring the two aberrations(for commercial purposes- target audience inclusiveness) the five songs are more than worth the time you spend on it. Music for the basic purpose is overwhelmingly satiated and i think majority of the populace too will be. Thus ARR can proceed clinging to the apex of his high-brow work, this description is of questionable veracity but widely accepted, when Harris continues his artistry of making music simple, listenable and is capable of refreshing a tired mind(the contrary of ARR's enervating music).

Harris is one odd man out of the boisterous many, whose works confine to(or atleast attempting to) Leonardo's assertion.