Dritiman Chatterjee. This movie has music by the famed trio-Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy who have (tirelessly) bestowed eight numbers on us.

Yaavarum Nalam---
Vocals: Shankar Mahadevan

Obviously the title number, with simple lyrics by Thamarai. Short one. The guitar is stylish, especially the end which shows up a flash of Mohanam raga.



Chinnakkuyil Koovum---
Vocals: Karthik

A paean to Nature, again in simple words, but carried elegantly into musical form by the composers. Subtle use of Sankarabaranam scale with the frequent use of the speedy notes’sa ni dha pa ma ga rig a ma pa dha pa’ both on the flute and strings. This song has a single charanam after the pallavi and we get to hear the refrain’ pattappagal vaanam’ very often. There is a slight shift to ‘ma’ sruti halfway through the refrain (when the ladies sing of the moon) that adds a nice western touch to the raga.



Kaatrile Vaasame---
Vocals: Shankar Mahadevan, Chitra

Again we have a longish pallavi( if we can call it thus ) and only one charanam. There is a mild spookiness with the music, whether it is the flute, violin or the keyboard. Seems built on the Natabairavi scale. Even the voices, that speak of pining love, seem kind of disembodied! The sudden use of tabla in the charanam adds its own mood.



Oh Sexy Mama---
Vocals: Jassie Gift, Anuradha Sriram, Loy Mendonza

Though this song is supposed to be a seduction number,it must be said to Thamarai’s credit that no part of the lyric makes you wrinkle up your nose in disgust. Again a single charanam. A very ingenious use of Sindubairavi raga-especially the notes- ‘sa sa sa ri ---- Sa pa pa ma ma ga ga ri sa’ which gets repeated. Anuradha brings some cute nuances into her rendering. This naughty number could be a hit with youngsters.

Yaavarum Nalam-Theme

There is an unmistakable air of eeriness again here with the strings, flute and keyboard contributing to it.



The next four songs are remix version of the first four songs. Surprisingly the first two are well put together without too many instruments jangling for space. ‘Kaatril Vaasame’ in fact sounds as nice and spooky as the original. Only the ‘Oh Sexy Mama’ sounds a trifle harsh. Chitra’s voice loses its appeal somewhat in the remix.

Verdict:

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have definitely put in a lot of effort to make this album polished and trendy at the same time. But 8 songs? By a rough calculation, the unsuspecting viewer is likely to have one song thrown at him every 15 or so minutes! Will the movie itself stand up to it? Some fine work on the keyboards, to be sure! The stylish aspects of the music( remixes to be precise) appeal to you only after you hear it a few times.