FRESH TUNES : SOME OF THE BEST TAMIL SONGS RELEASED IN JAN 2023! DON'T MISS!

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Magizhini

Composed & Produced by Rini and Shakthisree Gopalan

Lyrics: Shakthisree Gopalan & Rajesh Sridhar

Shaktisree Gopalan moved to NY City after graduating from Berklee College of Music. She is being missed in the Tamil Indie as well as Kollywood music scene. But when we live in the post covid world of digital innovation, one can score music from anywhere in the world, record it from somewhere else and have a vocalist living 1000 miles away, yet everything comes out like a perfectly mixed hot cappuccino. The song is composed and produced by Shaktisree and Rini.

The lyrics have both English and Tamil sections and they are penned by Shaktisree and Rajesh Sridhar. The moment we get the instruments playing the notes, I get a sense that maybe there is some Nalinakanti Ragam in the tune. Rini vocally performs the Swaras, and this is the first time I am hearing and reviewing Hairini Raghavan a.k.a. Rini who is a NY based singer, composer and violinist. Shaktisree's English lines are so endearing and soothing like a balm on a burn. Her vocals and delivery act as a perfect compliment to Rini's energetic lines in Tamil. We have some amazing live instrumentalists here like Marco Bolfelli on Guitar, Maxime Cholley on Drums, Marcelo Maccagnan on Bass, Carrie Frey on Viola, Thea Mesirow on Cello.

All these amazing musicians are band members who work and tour with Rini. In fact, I am excited to see her and the band perform live in Mumbai on Feb 23rd. The song is a creative force of bringing in a classical Carnatic Raga and fusing it with some slow Blues music. Kudos to the duo. The intertwined exhibition of the strings section, bass guitars, acoustic guitars and drums give me a feeling of 'Magizhini' (happiness). The track is mixed and mastered by Daniel Alba. The solo Violin is outstanding as it appears past the 3rd minute and the combined vocal humming of the two artists is powerful to close things.

Nee Podhum Enakku

Song Composed, Arranged and Programmed by - SAM CS Additional Programming- Abey

Singer: Pradeep Kumar

Lyrics: Kabilan

The movie 'Michael' is being termed as a stylish version of KGF that tries to mimic it. The song that stood out in the album is this beautiful melody and it is even more resounding because of Pradeep Kumar's vocals. I did listen to the Telugu Version by Sid Sriram, but this one by Pradeep is just far better in my opinion. Kabilan writes these splendid lyrics and Sam CS continues to show why he is one talent you cannot write-off or discount. Balaji steals the show with his Violin solo and Sam handles all the lovely arrangements and programming as well.

The stanza is a continuation of the melody but what aids the passage perfectly are the backing vocal harmonies by Bhuvana Ananth, and Joseph Vijay's acoustic and bass guitars. At the end of the stanza, Pradeep shows there is none like him to sing with just finesse and impact. The keyboards and especially rhythm programming keep things pretty interesting to hear. Sam does a fine job in arranging the live instruments as well as harmonies.

The one noticeable and excellent element is that Sam has two different stanzas, in terms of the score and that is a rare thing to observe these days. "Aen, manakulathila, Mazhaiyene Pozhigiraye" is the line in the first stanza, but when it comes to the 2nd stanza "Irumbayum murikkidum iru vizhi kadhal", these two are set to two entirely different sets of notes. CD Anbumani, Abishek Ar, S Aakash Edwin are the recording engineers, Balu Thankachan is the mixing and mastering engineer with assistance from Paul Daniel and Hariharan. The music production manager is K Mahima Chowdhary with Bhuvana Ananth being the music supervisor.

Sooravali Pola

Music Composer: Sathish Nair

Arranged & Programmed by: Vijayan Vincent

I was puzzled when I heard this song in Hindi, wondering how and when did Bollywood start making such good songs. I was almost certain that this was a south Indian song and I turned out to be right. The song is from a movie called "Regina" which is being made in Tamil and dubbed in other languages. Nowadays the trend is to release music in multiple languages with various singers. I loved the Shankar Mahadevan version in Hindi too, but Sid Sriram's version in Tamil is well executed because it doesn't have the usual elaborate alaap-styled renditions by Sid. Other than the vocals, don't forget to pay attention to the plethora of background instrumentals. Sachin Nair makes a lasting impression as the composer, and his aide Vijayan Vincent must be equally appreciated for the arrangements and programming because this song is elevated thanks to its arrangements of the Strings section. Balaji & Team plays the Strings with Cynthia on the Solo Violin, Viji on the Cello, Selvaraj on the Double Bass. The way Shankar sings "Sach kehta hoon, meri duniya hai tu" and it feels like listening to that great song "Maa" from 'Taare Zameen Par'. I can hear the brilliant woodwinds in the background as well in the anupallavi section. Bruce Lee Mani plays the acoustic guitar and Alaap Raju is the bassist. The Solo Violin catches your attention in the interlude reminding us of songs like "Poove Sempoove" by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. It is closely supported by acoustic and bass guitars. Vijayan and Sathish handle the Keys and Rhythm programming. The lines "raat bhar jag ke" clearly sounds like the lines "Kadhal Devadhaiye" from the song 'Germaniyin Senthaen Malare" by Ilaiyaraja. Senthil Prasath is the recording engineer and Hari Shankar has mixed and mastered the track.

Thanimaiyile

Music Composed and Produced by Harish Venkat and Prashanth Techno (Madley Blues)

Lyrics - Harish Venkat

Vocals - MS Krsna

These guys Madley Blues are sincere and talented and I am happy that they landed a good project on Sony LIV called " Story of things". The album has at least 2-3 very beautiful songs, but what impressed me more was the BGM score for the web-series. However, this song which has two versions is an absolute ripper. I loved both versions but I am featuring the one sung by MS Krsna who does valiantly against a version sung by the majestic Pradeep Kumar on vocals. If a vocalist even makes his/her version half as memorable as the version by Pradeep, that is a fabulous feat but Krsna here goes for the kill and I really couldn't pick a favourite between the two.

I do sense some fragments of Raag Bihag in the song and I feel like standing up in clapping my hands for the melody and production by Harish Venkat and Prashanth Techno. Keba Jeremiah plays the guitars impressively as always. The solo violin piece by Raghavasimhan is one of the best moments of the track. This lullaby will take you into some utmost tranquillity. The sound engineers are Vishnu Raj, Hariharan and Paul. Harish Venkat is the lyricist

Vaa Vaathi

Music: GV Prakash Kumar

Singers - Shweta Mohan

Lyrics - Poetu Dhanush

I loved this song when it was released in late December, but waited for a few more songs and now am gladly including it as part of the best Tamil songs of January. GV Prakash Kumar who is a celebrated musician impresses me with this single and this song is a combination of energy and melody. Rajkumar Amal whose music I was quite impressed with a couple of months ago when he composed for the album "Parole". Here he is in-charge of programming. Shweta Mohan is the lead vocalist for this track and it is an absolute treat to the ears. Naveen Kumar and Lalit Talluri, two amazing Flautists go charging together right at the start.

The lyrics are quite witty and Poetu Dhanush makes it that way. The song resembles the style we have observed in albums like "P Pandi" by Sean Roldan, and "3" by Anirudh. The presence of the strings section in the background is a huge plus and we have to thank Chennai Strings Orchestra for their outstanding work. They are conducted by Balaji, and recorded by Ashwin George. Yadu Krishnan sings in the background in the interlude. The stanza is as beautiful as the Pallavi and GV Prakash showcases his talent in this score. You fall in love with Shweta's voice when she sings "Band a Vasichu, Grandu Marriageu", it is loaded with sweetness. The track is mixed and mastered by Jehovahson Alghar.

Rasathi

Music Composed by Shankar Mahadevan

Singers: Shankar Mahadevan, Anthony Daasan, KJ Iyenar

Lyrics: Pa Vijay Rap lyrics: KJ Iyenar

Music production: Soumil and Siddharth

Shankar Mahadevan shines both as a composer and singer and is going solo without his team of Ehsaan and Loy. Shankar gets his sons who are now budding singers and musicians, to produce this song and Soumil and Siddharth have done a commendable job. The vocals are by Anthony Daasan and KJ Iyenar other than Shankar and Iyenar has written the rap segment lyrics and also performed that segment. Anthony begins that folkish start to the song and a huge reason for the song to sound pumped up and energetic is the rhythm by Venkat.

The song is a perfect pick for a dance scenario and Soumil and Siddharth cannot be praised enough for the keyboards, arrangements and programming. This is exactly how folk music can be re-created and sold to young music lovers. The main musical segment that has heavy rhythms, keys and even some brass section instruments is worth it by itself. Ameya Mategaonkar is the sound engineer and she also has done the mixing and mastering for this engaging track. The rap segment is short but Iyenar delivers it well and it is followed by a nice electric guitar solo in the interlude. Let us not forget to compliment Shankar on creating a melodic score, especially in the stanza, that is downright hummable. Iyenar joins in towards the end singing his rap-style lines. Pa Vijay writes the lyrics for the non-rap segments.

Aasaigal

Composed and programmed - Nitin K Siva

Lyrics - Lokesh S

Singer - Nitin K Siva

This is one song that came as a total surprise because I have neither featured nor heard of this musician Nitin K Siva. He has composed, programmed and sung this wholesome track. Nitin has performed quite well in his delivery and he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to production. The sound of the Violin is a good addition, along with the acoustic and bass guitars and the Piano. The stanza is not long, but with one brief line, Nitin holds on to what he created in the Pallavi. I m hopeful he can create even better music as he grows. There probably is some influence of Naatai Ragam here.

Ammadi

Vocals, Composition Pravin Mani

Lyricist – Navin B.

This too technically got released in December 2022, nevertheless this Pravid Mani composition just got better with time, like wine. Navin B is the lyricist and much like Rasathi, this too is a fun dance number. The things that stand out are the bass guitars by Keith Peters along with the rhythm programming. The title line is well composed and the layers of vocals help in getting the perfect soundscape. The genius Santhosh Narayanan who is a long-term friend and has worked with Pravid Mani has mixed and mastered this track. The extended variety of percussions brings a folkish flavour to the song. Joseph Vijay plays the acoustic guitars and Mandolin. The mix of instruments like electric guitars, and trumpets towards the end is a good way to play out the title line notes once again.

Edhuvo ondru

Music - Joel Johns

Lyrics - Mohan Rajan

Singers - Hanan Shaah, Joel Johns

Last year I was not including Tamil songs in the weekly Indian charts because I was anyway doing a monthly review of Tamil songs. But I realised it would not be fair for the really good Tamil songs if they did not get featured alongside India's best music. So I have altered in 2023 and this is the 2nd consecutive week we have a Tamil song in the weekly charts. Joel Johns has composed and produced this song, and I have never featured him before so it gets me all excited. It is refreshing to see new names like Joel on music and vocals, and Hanan Shaah on lead vocals. Godfrey Emmanuel plays the guitars and raises the level of the song with his constant strumming.

Mohan Rajan writes these touching words and they add great depth to the song. The interlude begins with a soothing humming by Hanan, but the guitar solo takes us back to Ilaiyaraja days with movies like "Marupadiyum". The lines "thuratthidum ninaivil anudinam thulainthu pogiren", and "nadappathai rasikka nanum marandhu pogiren" are beautiful in music and lyrics. I love the strings section in the background during the stanza. Jishnu Vijay does all the additional programming. The track is mixed and mastered by Balu Thankachan with assistance from Paul J Daniel and Hariharan.

No More Aansplaining

Singers - Vishaka, Karthik Kumar, Bak n 4th

Music Director - Bak n 4th (Shyam & Erwin)

Lyricist - Vishaka

Directed by Reema Ravichander

Produced by Vasanth Subramaniam

This song is chosen purely for its creativity, and very relevant and important lyrics questioning the need for men to mansplain everything. It is converted into a Tamil word called 'aansplaining'. Bak n 4th is the composer and we have to credit Vishaka for her lyrics and vocals along with Karthik Kumar and Bak n 4th. Vishaka is someone who probably has risen to fame thanks to brilliant funny videos on Tamil people,  families , customs etc on instagram. The song follows a Latin Jazz style and we have Vasanth Subramaniam as the producer and Reema Ravichander as the director. Vishaka is fantastic in her vocals delivering English and Tamil lines. Kartik makes it interesting as well with his lines.

Urave (Eternal Love).

Vocals: Manoj Krishna, Jananie S.V.

Composition: Manoj Krishna

Lyrics: Manoj Krishna

Producer: Franklin Daniel

I have always maintained that I am fond of Manoj Krishna both as a singer and composer and he is blessed to be working under the tutelage of Sean Roldan and who also works closely with Kalyani Nair. He is one composer who likes to keep things close to the classical Carnatic elements, and that is why there has always been some influence of some Ragam or the other. The keyboard and rhythm programming gives a modern electronic pop touch and Jananie SV complements Manoj well as the female lead vocalist. The electronic guitar solo is stirring in the interlude, Jananie's voice in the low pitch is brilliant and the two vocalists improvise with great style. This song could be a great fit for a potential 'Modern Love Chennai'. Franklin Daniel has excelled at producing this with a great mix of instrumental sounds and arrangements.

Aiyo

Written, Composed, Recorded and Produced by M.S. Krsna

Vocals & Guitars by M.S. Krsna

MS Krsna is the first name that will probably crop up in my mind when someone mentions Tamil Indie music. Hear this out, he doesn't just appear in one song this month, not two but three. In 'Thanimayile' he's the lead vocalist, he has written, sung, composed, produced and even played the guitars on this solo project. Finally, he also appears in one more song as he plays the guitars for his friend and contemporary Amrit Ramnath. Solid guitars by Krsna and bass by Sashank "Skanke" Manohar (from the Chennai band F16s) combine to create such funk, groove and style that you have no way of dismissing this song. The term "Aiyo" is considered bad or something that brings bad luck, so it is avoided in TN, but when someone can make it a title and sing it so well, it could soon become an anthem.

The tempo picks up and Rahul Muralidhar is up to the task as the drummer. The whistle is always an interesting element and Krsna gets it spot-on just like he gets the attitude and diction in his delivery filled with a coolness quotient. Honeymoonhenny(Harshan Radhakrishnan of F16s) does the mixing and Rupendar Venkatesh does the mastering. It just keeps getting better, Krsna experiments with an impactful falsetto and the outro slows down, and I even enjoyed the notes and the mild shift in the whistle.

Aarvam

Singer: Ayraan

Music Composition and Direction: Dr. Genoey George

Lyrics: Vaisakh Somanath

Music Produced and Arranged: Nivin Raphael

Backing Vocals: Bindhu Anirudhan

Exciting times, well that is all I can say about the fresh talent coming out and scoring good music. Genoey George is the composer for this track and he gets Nivin Raphael to produce and arrange it, so compliments to Nivin too for getting the desired sound output. Once again we have excellent guitar strumming with Paul Joseph on bass and Bevan Correya on electric guitar. Ayraan is the vocalist and he has an intriguing voice that exhibits the vulnerability of the protagonist to perfection. That feeble voice of the woman humming in the background is by Bindu Anirudhan and even that touches the right nerves as a music lover. Kiran Manoharan plays the acoustic guitar and an expert like Vivek Thomas can do wonders when it comes to mixing all these elements. Every musician deserves credit for the end product and I hope the readers keep monitoring their progress so that we can forward to great music in the future. The bass guitarist Paul Joseph truly is on fire on this track. Vaisakh Somnath is the lyricist.

Nee oli

Composed, Produced, and Performed by Amrit Ramnath

Poetry by Mahakavi Bharathi

If MS Krsna is the top-of-mind recall when it comes to Tamil Indie music, can Amrit Ramnath be far behind? Impossible is the short answer. This young singer-songwriter releases music at an incredible and enviable run rate and I feel this is a brilliant way to pay respects to the great poet Mahakavi Bharathi. Amrit has composed, produced and sung this with incredible panache and poise. The diction is spectacular, and nothing short of that can be accepted when it is Bharathi's words, so kudos to Amrit for that. MS Krsna plays that lone acoustic guitar teasing away with every pluck. Amira Gill who has now worked with many of Amrit's indie projects joins in as the backing vocalist, and with that faint humming, she manages to make her presence felt. Play this song, as the sun goes down and just sit down and enjoy peaceful meditation combining music and nature.

Ranjithame

Music: S Thaman

Vocals: Vijay, MM Manasi

This song is the biggest hit there is in Tamil cinema over the last couple of months. Wherever you turned it was always this song, The last I checked It had close to 112 million views and more than 2 million likes. The drummer boy from 'Boys' is a popular composer in Tollywood but now he has started scoring in Kollywood as well. S Thaman is one of those composers who get the pulse of the audience and music lovers. Ranjithame is one such example as he gets the dance rhythms spot on. Thaman plays all the acoustic drums and electric rhythm. But that is no match to the live drums and percussions played by The Gongura Band & Thamania and live percussion is played by Anandan Sivamani with another bright young talent called Krishna Kishore.

That is not the end of it as we hear many local and rural percussion as well. These come over during the interludes and more specifically in the final closing stages of the song after the dialogues involving Vijay. Karthik Vamsi and Guberan handle his segment but the true flavours of Tamil Nadu come from the Tavil played by Madhu, Kaviraj, Sundhar, Shruthi Raj, Tape played by Lakshmi Narayana, Raju, Jagan Mohan, Jaya Prakash, Lakshmi Kanth & Pyare Lal and finally the Thalam by Veda. Sivakumar plays the Nadaswaram in the interlude and intervenes during various instances. I did find that the rustic sound design was missing, despite the use of folk instruments. The other part was the chorus which sort of looked mildly disappointing because it is a tune that we heard for many years in rural TN, a famous folk song replica.

Sahiti Chagati, Ramya Behara and Sruthi Ranjani perform the backing vocals in the chorus and Sri Krishna is the vocal supervisor. I can feel the adrenaline pumping, and it will be widely used in functions and celebrations as a dance anthem but Thaman for sure could have done better with the underlying melody. The best part is certainly the title line. Godfray Immanuel plays the guitar and Subhani plays the Mandolin. The track is mixed and mastered by Shadab Rayeen.