MUSIC | PREVIEW | MOVIE REVIEW

Shankar Ehsan Loy, the musical trio is a treat especially because of their fantastic production values and brilliant music arrangements. They’ve been having a good year after the success of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Don. Salaam-e-Ishq soundtrack was eagerly awaited and was launched amidst much fanfare. As one starts listening to it, the first track Dil Kya Kare is one of the most charming songs I’ve heard this year. But I can’t say the same thing about the songs that follow. Saiyaan Re, Mera Dil, Salaam-e-Ishq and Tainu Leke carry flavours of songs composed by S-E-L earlier. Even though the production values are high class, these songs don’t bind your attention beyond a point. You would have to wait for the tantalizingly sexy remix of Babuji Dheere Chalna and Kailash Kher’s brilliant ode to life Ya Rabba to feel good about this album. Salaam-e-Ishq is definitely worth a buy but it is high time Shankar Ehsan Loy updated their musical style. For one expects nothing but the best from them.

Track 1 Dil Kya Kare Is it country music that you are hearing? Or are there Caribbean elements to it? It is a combination of both an amazing one at that and a lot more as it marks the return of Adnan Sami to the big stage yet again as he goes extremely mellow in this smooth-n-silky love song. Sameer's poetry goes quite well for the song of this genre that mainly has a guitar playing throughout with very minimal dose of other instruments in the background. As one hears on the song for long, the classy touch of SEL start becoming quite apparent. A few seconds later, you are truly moved to a different world altogether as Caribbean/African flavor in the song becomes much more visible. A beautiful song that has a brief element of full blown title song 'Salaam-E-Ishq' which comes later in the album.

Track 2 Saiyaan Re reminds you in spirit of Mahi Ve from Kal Ho Na Ho. And of course when it has Shankar Mahadevan as one of the singers, there’s bound to be some classical raga based stuff thrown in too. Well, there’s tabla colluding with the drum-n-bass. Some manjeera sounds are mixed too. A talented singer in Shilpa Rao displays her decent singing skills. The end result of Saiyaan Re is a mixed one. For at one hand you like the superior musical talents merging together. It will have a mass impact too. But Shankar Ehsan Loy shouldn’t be expected to deliver a Kajra Re in every album. S-E-L have set high standards and when they try to repeat themselves, it’s a bit of a let down. With Govinda in the film, Saiyaan Re seems to be tailor-made for him and if that indeed is the case then it is good news for his fans!

Track 3 Mera Dil After two well done experimental numbers, listener gets to hear a kind of composition that has Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy stamp all over it. Titled '', it is a sugar coated love song with fantasy ingredients to it which makes it a feel-good number to croon around. Sung by Shaan, the song is also special for Nihira, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa finalist, who had earlier played a supporting role to Sunidhi Chauhan in Dhadak Dhadak of Bunty Aur Babli. With Mera Dil she makes a confident entry to the big arena and gives a good account of herself as someone who can croon for a girl in her teens or someone just out if it. Is this melodious track the one which has been composed for Ayesha Takia and Akshaye Khanna?  

Track 4 Salaam-e-Ishq the title track  once again carries a staple SEL stamp with the regular tabla-dholak combo and a Punjabi flavour that has come to be associated with most of their albums. There’s nothing outstanding about the melody but what makes this song special is superb production values, wonderful chorus sections and marvelous music arrangements. A plethora of talented singers share credits. They include Sonu Nigam, Kunal Ganjawala, Shreya Ghoshal, Sadhna Sargam and Shankar Mahadevan. Salaam-e-Ishq is a song for the masses. But not the best from the masterful trio.

Track 5 Tainu Leke is a Bhangra number with obvious musical references to a marriage mood. It goes without saying that the intention is to grip the listeners at the first listening itself. I am sure there must be people who’d patronize this song to a certain extent as well. But personally Tainu Leke is a disappointment. Sonu Nigam and Mahalaxmi Iyer’s singing is fine but in an attempt to parody the marriage bands with the loud-n-garish trumpet blowing, the song goes haywire. In an endeavour to recreate the melody of the title track, this song gets monotonous. And one feels like bypassing it for the next song.

Track 6 Babuji Dheere Chalna The remixes of Khaike Paan Banaraswal and Yeh Mera Dil in their last release ‘Don’ didn’t live up to the expectations. But when you listen to the lounge mix of yesteryear classic Babuji Dheere Chalna from the film ‘Aar Paar’ you end up eliciting a sigh of fascination. It starts off with an English hook line….What’s on your mind…Nihira’s slim-n-sensuous vocals do full justice to this fabulously well produced number. There’s a liquid energy that flows effortlessly as the crafty rhythm progression wins your heart and mind. Salubrious Flute and the heightened rhythm built up at the crescendo stage is a treat for the music lovers as well as the young-n-impressionable. This track is one of the best remixes I’ve ever heard in a long time. Play it again baby…

Track 7 Ya Rabba With Kailash Kher's name on the credits, one expects a full throated number that is high on spirits. What instead comes a surprise is to actually hear him sing on a medium pitch as he goes about rendering, a thoughtful number about 'a problem called love'! A sad song that moves at a slow pace while creating the much required impact, it doesn't drag for a single moment and should be quite engrossing when appearing  at different points in the film.

Each of the songs of 'Salaam-E-Ishq' boasts of high quality music. There are some new sounds interspersed with the kind of music that goes well with the Bollywood scheme of things and the final result is something that is going to stay with you for many more months to come. Music of 'Salaam-E-Ishq' is yet another winner before an eminently successful 2006 comes to a close. Also SEL can assure themselves a hat-trick after two back to back successes in the form of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' and 'Don'