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 A soulful masterpiece by Rahman….
If you look up the meaning of the word ‘beautiful’, it can be described through a number of adjectives including ‘delightful’, ‘charming’, ‘wonderful’, ‘exquisite’, ‘superb’ and ‘magnificent’ etc yet after digesting the sounds of Ada (note to truly digest a Rahman score, at least five to ten listens are recommended to save embarrassing yourself for jumping to early conclusions!), why does one struggle to find an adjective to match the spectacle of beauty on display in what must rank as one of the most astonishing musical journeys ever created by Rahman? ‘Musical divinity’ has already been used to describe it and is possibly the fittest description to date but in reality no superlative exists in this reviewer’s opinion. Because the music of Ada is an opulent masterpiece that encapsulates our inner souls on multiple levels; our affections, our desires, our emotions and dare I say it, everything else we stand for… Six years since the journey started (2001 to be precise), a delayed project would put off many music directors diverting their attention onto other things but it appears to have had the opposite effect on Rahman who has arguably produced his best in years even eclipsing his own Jodhaa Akbar! If that is an overstatement, then here are a few reasons to justify it, and for arguing a case for Ada being the soundtrack of the year 2008 thus far… Music of Ada Ok this is what its all about listeners; the sounds, the melody, the arrangements, the structure, the orchestration and above all its uniqueness…The last point (uniqueness) is the most important because that is what differentiates one song from another and gives it the appeal over hundreds if not thousands of others…that’s in the short term (instant appeal), medium term (memorable) and long term (classic). And Ada undeniably has awesome unique selling points right the way through the album. The difficulty is where do you start with such an epic of a soundtrack? All tracks hold an enchanting quality that will appeal more to one listener from another….but let us be clear there is something here for all serious music lovers. How about the incredibly eerie and peculiar music of Ishq Ada to the delightfully uplifting santoor play of Gum Sum? Or if you prefer a vintage old school feel why not try the decelerated but rewarding Hai Dard or the fabulously haunting duet of Milo Wahan Wahan? Perhaps you’re in the mood for a little bliss? Well everything on the album will give you that but none more so than the percussion of Hawa Sun Hawa and the mesmerizing piano piece in Meherbaan, the best track of the entire album (backed by an equally superb instrumental by Sanjeev Thomas). Gulfisha and Tu Mera Hai provide further variety to round off a complete soundtrack. All arrangements in Ada are crisp but then again that’s the minimum you expect from Rahman. No, what actually makes them stand out is the quality of the sounds, the melodic foreplay, the captivating rhythms all achieved in the main, through the use of AUTHENTIC instruments including the flute, piano, santoor, tabla, dhol and many more unrecognizable instruments to our inferior ears. But it’s not just their selection otherwise many musicians could pick up a santoor and appreciate its basics; moreover it’s the way this composer pays particular attention to detail and the manner of execution, par excellence! That is why the music takes time to grow on you, eventually hitting an agreeable chord with your brain cells that say ‘yes this is musical divinity!’ and then giving you satisfaction beyond compare…Notwithstanding the qualities of the obvious winners on the album let’s take a look at some of the tracks that may not be instantly likeable: 1. Ishq Ada; it simply feels strange upon first, second and third listen. The music doesn’t seem to fit or have any consistency but if you stick to it, you will appreciate its underlying appeal…it is a fusion of mystical sounds and perverse rhythmical paradigms and undoubtedly attractive underneath it’s apparent oddity… 2. Hai Dard; does this one appear to drag making it uninteresting? To appreciate its finer quality you need to pay particular attention to the structure and the way Rahman moves from an impact building start of a dhund (fog) style setting to move onto explain the reasons for the remorse. Note the interlude at 3.06 when the atmosphere of sorrow seamlessly switches to a rendez vous with the goods times…ending the track on a feeling of distant hope...magical! Melodically, Ada is the essence of music with wonderful textures of sound emitting an orchestral rainbow of flavours…weaved together magically by Rahman. Singers of Ada The importance of vocals cannot be underestimated and Rahman has proved time after time that he has the best ears on the ground when it comes to selecting singers…whether that’s established singers or newcomers. In Ada, we have a mix of the old and new. But never mind their experience it’s how the composer is able to get the best out of the singers that perplexes the mind, he simply takes their singing onto a different level altogether, such that they themselves lift the song to new heights. Let us illustrate this through some examples… Firstly, for the doubters of Alka Yagnik (including this reviewer), Rahman proves why she is still a force to be reckoned with, in fact she is nothing short of a revelation in Ada! Whether that’s in the gorgeous love duets of Hawa Sun Hawa and Gum Sum or the tearful Milo Wahan Wahan, she performs at the peak of her abilities. After hearing her performances one can do nothing but congratulate her, well done Alka!
For the newcomers it must be a nervous time to mark a debut with Rahman but to his credit, he clearly gives them the time and respect to allow them to perform to the best of their abilities. Rashid Ali is the find of the year whichever way you look at it. His performance in Ada (Ishq Ada) is not a one off because he performs just as admirably in Rahman’s other new release Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Other singers including Naresh Iyer and Parul Mishra make important contributions, something which should give them a good platform for the future. A R Rahman proves in Ada why his own vocals should not be taken lightly. As with many composer come singer, he has always enjoyed singing but his rendition of Meherbaan shows how he has improved over the years. His soft but ‘non-glossy’ almost rustic vocals are perfectly suited to the surreal atmosphere of the track and gives it an earthly feel…as if it was me or you singing it to our loved one. So what would appear to be shortcomings in his singing on the surface can also be seen as an attribute not only a weakness. How can we end such a section without a mention of the outstanding performer of Ada….Sonu Nigaam, who proves once again why he is Rahman’s trump card. No one else on the entire planet could have made the same impact as Sonu has in his three contributions for Ada (Hawa Sun Hawa, Gum Sum and Gulfisha). Yes he is comfortably the most talented singer in India but for some reason he always seems to reserve his best performances for Rahman, maybe he is a Rahmaniac! In Ada, he is a match for his counterpart in each of the duets but arguably adds more emotions and spice: 1. In Hawa Sun Hawa, the most serious of the love duets, Alka performs out of her skin but his vocals are just that bit more sincere, subdued and emotive. Simply wonderful performance in arguably one of their best duets ever! 2. In the more upbeat Gum Sum, Sonu adds flavour to his vocals by giving it a laid back (almost drunken) feel whereas Alka does not experiment so much and consequently sounds less ‘gum sum’ in comparison. 3. In the playful Gulfisha he is up against the stunning (high octave) vocals of Sunidhi Chauhan but outperforms her through his sharper pronunciation and end-offs (e.g. “Gulfisha-ha” and “Adha-aa”) giving a more rounded feel for the passionate tone of the track…although admittedly her crooning around the 3.48 mark is the seductive highlight of the track! Overall, Rahman’s selection and directing of singers for Ada is commendable. (Note special mention also for Jayachandran's superb contribution to Milo Wahan Wahan).
Lyricists of Ada It would be grossly unjust to end the analysis without due regard for the writers of Ada. Indeed lyricists rarely get the credit they deserve these days even though we all know that without words, there would be no singers or a song for that matter! In this reviewer’s opinion the writers for Ada deserve the award for the best lyrics of the year (admittedly they could be eclipsed in the remainder of 2008 but it’s unlikely). Nusrat Badr and Raqueeb Alam may not be household names but their poetry for Ada is sublime and at times awe-inspiring. Here are the highlights of their work for this reviewer: Tu hai zubaan, mein hoon bayaan tu hai nihaan, mein hoon hayaa tere bina mein hoon be-zameen tere bina mein be-aasmaan
tu nayaa saal, mein pehla mausam meherbaan…. (Raqeeb Alam, Meherbaan) And... Mujhe milo wahaan wahaan jahaan pehle mile chalo chale wahaan wahaan jahaan kal the mile... jahaan suraj nikaltha tha, jahaan se dil machaltha tha jahaan se bus guzarthi thi, jahaan pe rail rukthi thi jahaan pe tum utharthe the, jahaan tum roz milthe the jahaan wade iraade the, jahaan bhaandein woh dhaage the wahin ek baar aajao… (Nusrat Badr, Milo Wahan Wahan) Suffice to say, the writers are equally praiseworthy for their respective contribution to the soundtrack. Closing remarks The soundtrack makes reference to “A Musical Journey by A R Rahman” and upon hearing it one can appreciate why; it’s not merely a selling point for the CD cover! You see the album appears to be more about the composer than it is about the movie, he does not appear to have been restricted by themes (as good as Jodhaa Akbar musical score was the composer was restricted by the period of the movie and the themes that prevailed within), put simply this is an unfettered Rahman doing what he does best. One cannot pick out too many clues from the movie about its nature (well apart from romance, love, passion and heart wrench but they are too generalized themes!). It has arguably been his brain child for six years (not saying it took him that long to compose!), the movie has had stops and starts but he continued with his journey and to his credit it has turned out to be a fine achievement. And how often is it that someone of Rahman’s standing gets to spend so long on a soundtrack? Or for that matter make a project his own journey? In years to come we will remember his efforts and rekindle our love for Ada…A truly soulful masterpiece. And all this reviewer would like to end with is a big thank you to A.R. Rahman for letting us share one of his most memorable journeys to date….
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It is with huge regret to note that Udit Narayan’s career appears to be ending too because the man still has incredible vocals to offer as proved in Ada with the heart-wrenching and emotional rendition of Hai Dard. Not only does he sound as fresh as ever but the way he captivates his audience is extraordinary through almost mechanised vocals (in particular his control of highs and lows).
tu hai nadiyan, mein hoon sangam