Songs and full credits at the end (thanks to @rohwit for credits)
Bloody Hell has a lot of things going for it – the whip lash indicative of the hunterwaali whom Kangna portrays in the movie, Sunidhi Chauhan’s energy, the horns section, Gulzar saab’s colourfully utilised lyrical motif of angrezi mein – but the song still comes off as a tad underwhelming. That I the walking walk walk walk prelude bit is a definite turn-off! The other song about the protagonist, Julia, fares much better. A song that goes through multiple mode shifts a la Bismil, and for some reason brings to my mind the grand visuals of 90s Subhash Ghai songs. Sukhwinder Singh, Vishal Bhardwaj, Kunal Ganjawala and KK handle the vocals with a brilliantly employed chorus supporting them. Rekha Bhardwaj’s Ek Dooni Do is foot tapping fun that rides big time on her singing amidst a stereotypical Latino arrangement riddled with “baila baila”s and “ariba”s. Rekha also leads Chori Chori, a similarly folksy dance track that carries a more European flavour; the accordion is almost a second voice here.
It is only fitting that the soundtrack of Rangoon makes a nod to the most famous musical mention of the city, in Bollywood. Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar do it with Mere Miyan Gaye England, a filmy qawwali that picks up snatches of the Piya Gaye Rangoon melody and adapts it into a splendid new song. Rekha is in top form here too, delivering Gulzar’s flippant description of the miyan’s first flight to fight the war. VB’s arrangement is ace too, sounding almost ARR-esque at times; that second interlude with the shehnais doling out a seemingly raag bhimplasi flavoured solo is particularly beautiful. The ARR aspect is more prominent in the male version of Yeh Ishq Hai, a pensive piece sung by Arijit Singh that is evocative of Dil Se Re. Doesn’t stop it from being one of the best songs of the soundtrack though; Arijit is fab, the guitar-laden arrangement haunting. Bhardwaj takes the qawwali route (albeit with a fine bass line) for the female version sung by Rekha Bhardwaj. Less effective than the former due to the change in arrangement, but it does regain the gooseflesh-inducing quality in its quieter moments – the Allah Hoo segment towards the end is the song’s high point. Arijit gets a second, more intense solo act later in the soundtrack named Alvida. A song that to me carries almost similar impact to the brilliant Jhelum (Haider), though the song is not as dark (shades of the raga vasanthi, perhaps). And the song is Arijit’s show through and through; the man is at his soulful best in conveying the heartbreak. The background elements are kept quiet, uneventful for the first half (barring the unexpected twist of a saxophone solo) but get louder subsequently, adding to the intensity.
VB and Gulzar pick up Tap Tap Topi Topi that they created for the Indian adaptation of the Japanese cartoon series on Alice in Wonderland and expand it into an even more whimsical sounding Tippa (thanks to @invokeanand for this trivia)! The fact that Gulzar retains a large part of the original lines adds to the song’s quaintness, as do the train-based references that also make the occasional appearance in the orchestration. Doing a fine job on the vocal front are Sunidhi Chauhan, Rekha Bhardwaj, Sukhwinder Singh and the interestingly included Carnatic singer O S Arun. Vishal Bhardwaj has been making more prominent use of jazz elements in his soundtracks in recent times – in Rangoon the man presents two such retro pieces, both written by a rather unlikely lyricist, actress Lekha Washington! Be Still is a slow burner, riding on Dominique Cerejo’s sensuous voice, while Shimmy Shake goes the rock n roll way and Vivienne Pocha delivers it in style. The short instrumental theme is dominantly Chinese in its sound, something that was strangely missing in all the other songs. Effective as a theme song, nevertheless.
Call it selfish maybe, but Vishal Bhardwaj-Gulzar team has always reserved its best for Vishal Bhardwaj’s own movies. Rangoon is another such work of brilliance!
Music Aloud Rating: 4/5
Top Recos: Yeh Ishq Hai, Alvida, Mere Miyan Gaye England, Tippa
This review first appeared in the Mumbai edition of The Hindu.
Musician credits
1 – BLOODY HELL
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:SUNIDHI CHAUHAN
Choir:Neisha Mascarenhas, Marianne D’Cruz Aiman, Shazneen
Arethna, Rishikesh Kamerkar, Suhas Sawant, Vikas Joshi
& Rajiv Sundaresan.
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Choir Arrangements:RAJIV SUNDARESAN
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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2 – YEH ISHQ HAI
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:ARIJIT SINGH
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Guitars:ANKUR MUKHERJEE
Flute:ASHWIN SRINIVASAN
Strokes:TAPAS ROY
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
3 – MERE MIYAN GAYE ENGLAND
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:REKHA BHARDWAJ
Music Producers:KETAN SODHA, CLINTON CEREJO & DIPANJAN GUHA
Ac. Guitar:MAYUKH SARKAR
Shehnai:SANJEEV SHANKAR
Dholak:MOHD. YUSUF, HAFEEZ KHAN SHARAFAT KHAN &
RAJU SARDAR
Tabla:MUSHARRAF KHAN & SANJIV SEN
Rhythm Arrangements:SANJIV SEN
Choir Arrangements:RAJIV SUNDARESAN
Choir:Deepti Rege, Mayuri Patwardhan, Archana Gore,
Pragati Joshi, Aditi Prabhudesai, Aparna Ullal,
Arun Ingle, R. N. Iyer, Mandar Apte & Nitin Karandikar
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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4 – TIPPA
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singers:SUKHWINDER SINGH. REKHA BHARDWAJ, SUNIDHI CHAUHAN & O. S. ARUN
Choir: Vivienne Pocha, Marianne D’Cruz Aiman, Neuman Pinto & Rajiv Sunderesan.
Music Producers:CLINTON CEREJO, HITESH SONIK & KETAN SODHA
Violin:SURESH LALWANI
Choir Arrangements:NEUMAN PINTO
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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5 – EK DOONI DO
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:REKHA BHARDWAJ
Choir:Vivienne Pocha, Bianca Pinto, Marianne D’Cruz Aiman, Crystal Sequeira, Rajiv Sundaresan, Thomson Andrews, François Casstellino & Neuman Pinto
Music Producers:KETAN SODHA, CLINTON CEREJO & DIPANJAN GUHA
Guitars:ANKUR MUKHERJEE
Choir Arrangements:NEUMAN PINTO
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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6 – ALVIDA
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:ARIJIT SINGH
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Guitars:ANKUR MUKHERJEE
Saxophone:I. D. RAO
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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7 – JULIA
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singers:SUKHWINDER SINGH. K. K., KUNAL GANJAWALLA & VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Choir:Clinton Cerejo, Dominique Cerejo, Vivienne Pocha,
Bianca Gomes, Neuman Pinto, Rishikesh Kamerkar & Asif Ali Baig
Music Producers:CLINTON CEREJO & HITESH SONIK
Choir Arrangements:CLINTON CEREJO
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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8 – CHORI CHORI
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:REKHA BHARDWAJ
Choir:Vivienne Pocha, Bianca Pinto, Marianne D’Cruz Aiman, Crystal Sequeira
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Strokes:TAPAS ROY
Choir Arrangements:NEUMAN PINTO
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai
Mixed By:STEVE FITZMAURICE for 365 Artists
Assistant Mix Engineer:CHARLES WONG
Mixed at:THE PIERCE ROOMS, London
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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9 – YEH ISHQ HAI 2
Lyrics:GULZAR
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:REKHA BHARDWAJ
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Harmonium:FIROZ SHAH
Flute:ASHWIN SRINIVASAN
Dholak:RAJU SARDAR & NAVIN SHARMA
Tabla:NAVIN SHARMA
Chorus:Mahesh Kumar Rao, Nazim Khan, Subhan Sultani & Sonu Khan
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded & Mixed By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai. Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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10 – RANGOON THEME
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Lead Viola:SURESH LALWANI
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Orchestra Conductor:SIMON HALE
Orchestra Leader: PERRY MONTAGUE-MASON
Orchestra Contractor: ISOBEL GRIFFITHS
Asst. Orchestra Contractor: LUCY WHALLEY
Violins:Natalia Bonner, Emil Chakalov, Frances Dewar, Alison Dods, Jonathan Evans–Jones, Lousia Fuller, Richard George,
Ian Humphries, Patrick Kieman, Boguslaw Kosteeki,
Jenny Lewisohn, Perry Montague-Mason,
Steve Morris, Tom Pigott-Smith, Warren Zielinski.
Violas:Max Baillie, Nick Barr, Bruce White.
Cellos:Ian Burdge, Nick cooper, Martin Loveday, Chirs Worsey.
Double Bass:Richard Pryee, Chris Laurence.
Trumpets:John Barclav, Tom Rees-Roberts.
French Horns:Richard Bissill, Philip Eastop, Martin Owen, Laurence Davies.
Tuba:Owen Slade.
Tenor Trombones:Richard Edwards, Ed Tarrant.
Bass Trombone:Roger Argente.
Orchestra Recorded at:ANGEL RECORDING STUDIO, London
Lead Viola Recorded By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mixed By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
11 – BE STILL
Lyrics:LEKHA WASHINGTON
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:DOMINIQUE CEREJO
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded & Mixed By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
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12 – SHIMMY SHAKE
Lyrics:LEKHA WASHINGTON
Music:VISHAL BHARDWAJ
Singer:VIVIENNE POCHA
Music Producer:KETAN SODHA
Music Assistant:MAYUKH SARKAR
Recorded & Mixed By:SALMAN KHAN AFRIDI @ Studio Satya, Mumbai.
Mastered by:CHRISTIAN WRIGHT@ Abbey Road Studios, London.
