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 Raghav Sachar’s guitar playing is as sharp as ever, the combined flute notes can be heard in the most unpredictable manner, the synthesizers are throwing off sparks of electrifying vibes all over the dance floor and the fun does not stop at this level. On a more upper level, tracks that capture a mixture of genres are further remixed at their musical best. Beautifying the music with playing a range of instruments in the background definitely adds more features to a soundtrack – this is exactly what Raghav Sachar delivers in One Two Three.
Occasional experiments are usually the spice of life – can it be for music? Essaying a female voice, with panache please, can be daring. Does he succeed? Yes. The female vocals in the diversely colorful One Two Three are from Sachar! The openings by the singer are punchy and create the desired impact. Final touches in the recording studio eliminate any macho resemblance in the voice, creating a quasi-female appealing and quite hilarious vocals. Pairing up with him is the now rarely-heard Kunal Ganjawala who sings the opening lines in his conventional style, while Sachar provides the remaining male vocals’ portions. Killing two birds with one stone has never been so easier! With funky vocals, the music is interesting and sometimes curious to some extent. A tight flute sound is repeated along with a violin accompaniment while the efficient rap segments are assured by Earl Edgar. Picking up slowly as the song progresses, Raghav Sachar receives the lion’s share in the singing sphere – with an excellent reprise of the second verses starting with ‘Teri Jawani’, which are backed by a crisp guitar sound. Filled with groovy beats, the title track opens the soundtrack with a refreshing note, with more goodies to come! Cool electronic beats are brought to life, in an accelerated version of the slightly enhanced One Two Three (Club Remix). Things become a bit more energized in this current version as the whole feel of track is designed for a club dance track. Interestingly, the vocals from the original version are maintained. Earl Edgar’s rap style gets more acclaim here although a more European touch is added with the one-off gentle pop beats, which open up the number in a ‘deejaying’ fashion. Ganjawala’s vocals are lost among the emphasized vocals of Sachar. His constant female teasers peak in background, mostly after the end of the verses. The re-worked reprise of ‘Teri Jawani’ by Sachar in the second verses really rocks as the electronica mix in the backdrop form a wonderful couple of beats and high-pitched singing. Mixture, medley and blend – can all be used to qualify the highly funky and inconsistently interesting One Two Three (Amalgamation). Going further into the lane of describing, maybe collage would be more apt. A collage consists of an assortment and it is no exception here as its genres range from Punjabi to Qawalli! Keeping his distinctive sound alive even in the collage, the pieces are spirited! The first piece – a highly kinetic Punjabi track is a fun number with an array of aggressive bhangra beats, encompassing all the necessary ingredients for a 100% rocking piece. Improvisation is next on the menu with the Qawalli and it gets getting funnier and funnier with the background sounds from the audience participation to the singer’s correction of his singing. The standard for the Qawalli is maintained even in the short duration as the high-pitched singing is present and the highly orchestrated music is there too! The third piece comes as another funny and vivacious short track with a greater emphasis on the tabla – which is used for the fast tempo. The song defies categorization and is yet catchy. Scholars can label it as silly – what is silly in a comedy script? The bass is back! The mix matters. Saxophone, tabla, bass, synthesizers and a mixture of upbeat sounds are all used! Kunal Ganjawala, Kaptan Laadi, Kshitij Tarey, Kailash Kher, Raghav Sachar and Aditya Dhar sing their respective parts merrily. One Two Three (Ballad) with its ballad tempo and a clear guitar playing in the background is simply sweet and enjoyable. Vocals by Rachav Sachar are a breath of fresh air and remind listeners of this pop numbers. The melody is straightforward and appealing – with a soft string music, crispy guitar work varying moods and a few groovy beats make it a winning short track. One tune can be reproduced into not one, two or three but into four different numbers – all having a distinct feel. The ballad should have been longer – after the Amalgamation version, the strings background mixed with the mild guitar and tranquil sounds bring the best out of the album. The music director is in full control of his singing, the compositions and the feel of the script without complexity.
A different insight into romantic tunes is presented by Raghav Sachar as Gup Chup – this one can get addictive. An unusual combination of notes is used to compose this purely Indian tune and the rightful instruments are selectively picked up to add fusion. Yes, fusion is the new trend with melodies from a strong melodious Indian tune. Capturing the Indian aspect, Mahalaxmi Iyer is roped in to accompany Raghav Sachar. Interesting as it gets from each line, an irresistible duo is now formed. From the wonderfully sounding santoor to the gentle beats of the tabla, not mentioning the slow-paced movements of the guitar sounds, the number resembles a harmonious combination of music, instruments and vocals. Raghav Sachar pops in of all a sudden after the first interlude and that’s another welcoming change as it flaws the usual composing pattern. No boring ‘antara’ is present! Furthermore in the song, vocal effects are applied to Iyer’s voice, creating a more trance-feel effect. The electronics are kept in the backdrop, including some less aggressive groovy beats. The slow groove is immediately eliminated in the more industrious Gup Chup (Remix). Expect more fun with Shilpa Rao as she teams up with Raghav Sachar in a more slinking electronic groove flooded number. The track is for DJs’ to grab as there is scope for more fusion and percussion as it can reach frosty at some places. Relying on simplistic disco, dance, and Latin beats, Sunidhi Chauhan appears in the self-explanatory I Wanna Guy. A raunchy Sunidhi expressing her desires in a somewhat quite open manner, clearly paves the way for a girlish number with references to what girls may mean when they ‘wanna have fun’. Sachar composes a high-pitched number, extracting the sensuous side from Chauhan’s finest vocals – and she does go on top of her vocals with an unusual rendition! With the saxophone playing an important romantic part in the track, Aditya Dhar’s lyrics meet the necessary demands of the script. The situational Lakshmi Narayan is interesting with Ninad Kamat chipping in various bits and pieces in different vocals overtones. It can also be a laughing moment as various ‘filmi’ dialogues are inserted. The synthesizers in the last part add another touch to the short track. As a debutant into Bollywood, Raghav Sachar comes up with a few exciting surprises! Instrumentation is key in the soundtrack and the flute is given a new lease in Bollywood music as part of interludes and accompaniments. One of the startling highlights includes the fresh approach to composing tunes – especially ‘Gup Chup’. The usual method of composing is in fact trespassed as the composer does not include the mandatory ‘antara’ but an alternative is supplied. Bingo! Innovation is already in the mind of the young composer and who doesn’t like innovation? Secondly, ‘One Two Three (Amalgamation)’ is quite impressive for a young music director – who shows prowess to handle a mélange of semi-classical, hardcore bhangra and modern electronics. Experienced music directors like Anu Malik and Himesh Reshammiya have all composed at least one type of medley. Malik translated emotions into melody in the popular 'Apun Jaisa Tapori' in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S and at least four exquisite ‘mukdhas’ were used. Same applied for Himesh Reshammiya in Shaka Laka Boom Boom where in the 'Medley Remix', one saw different genres of music. If at this stage, Raghav Sachar has already done it, then it is something to talk about. The point is that the music director has already stepped a strong foothold in the big league. On the improvement side, it would have been better if 'Gup Chup' was longer as there is more in this track to exploit. No one is complaining but a certain pop-feel can be prevalent in certain tracks and this is closely associated with the length of the tracks – which tend to be shorter. The duration however does not matter as long as the track rocks! The biggest strength remains the showcasing of his versatility in successfully composing a wider range of tunes and by using simple instruments to amplify their texture, while relying less on sample sounds and trendy programmed versions. Definitely with such a mindset, the music of One Two Three is accessible to anyone and the songs breed enthusiasm and a sense of freshness. Raghav Sachar has done it!
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Richly infused with groovy beats and the inseparable flute music, Sunidhi Chauhan’s sexy vocals are dissected and used in this progressively rock version which has a quasi-pop feel to it. Rock Mahi is a high-pitched track embedded with various portions of music – where the flute receives full spotlight. Raghav Sachar displays full potential in the singing department and is very comfortable with the high notes. Keeping the tension high in this rock version is further aided by Sunidhi Chauhan’s continuous desire to excel in such genres – where a Western touch is much needed. Upbeat chorus pieces and some craziest screaming sample voices are vocally filtered to provide more zest, funkiness and enjoyment!