Ilaiyaraaja = Young King
Ilaimai Kanavugal = Youthful Dreams
Need I say more?
Reeta welcomes the listener by chanting “Nana nana na..!” At this point, the question is what direction will the song take? Just like any other song by The Maestro, playing the prediction game is pointless as no one will possibly guess what will follow next. I see there are two types of music, one where the listener knows what to expect and the other type being the complete opposite. Then there is the Raaja Saab category, where one is correct in their prediction of what is coming up musically but then is teased as a listener to only realise that the “Real Deal” is yet to arrive.
The prelude displays a dreamy setting, where one feels awestruck by the aura. Raaja Saab sets the record straight without any hesitation by allowing Reeta to expand horizons so that listeners feel tiny and lost in her vast vocal magic.
The beat is dropped and is supported by a moog bass. It seems like the gloominess from the prelude has vanished and we’ve reached familiar grounds. Personally, I didn’t want a club beat to emerge as I was too in a trance to leave Reeta. From the cosmic soundscape generated by her, we end up in a confined space and though one can breathe, one probably feels more open and carefree when listening to the sole “Nana nana na..!” humming portion of the prelude.
As the beat builds up, so does the orchestration hence the soundscape builds up. Raaja Saab is one such composer, where you will hear endless influences from various musical genres. You can put the influence of other MDs in The Maestro but other MDs will only reflect the his touch in seldom purely because only he can touch his own sound and no one else. Then again he doesn’t have a trademark sound!
Is this his most electro orientated track? When I heard it, it immensely ticked all boxes in my check list. Listeners do not choose what song they like; it’s the song that chooses the listener. Again, we have a number here that was released in 2008 and I’ve never heard it before so whether a song is released today or yesterday i.e. decades ago, if I’m hearing it for the first time then I will judge it as I would any other recently released material.
Forget world music, fusion, etc. Unlike any other electro pop orientated club song, we have enigmatic chants, Celtic interludes but the pièce de résistance of this song lies in that “bloody hell” of a shift from Celtic to Oriental orchestration. What was that? :gobsmacked: Where did Raaja Saab pull that from and that too for a club banger like this. This piece is enough to leave anyone in a daze.
The only small query I have is that the bass in the “Charanams” should have been sung and vocal melody should have been played on the bass. The melody of the bass in the “Charanams” thoroughly expresses highland Celtic characteristics.
The beauty of this song lies in the fact that, even with an out and out beat orientated song, Raaja Saab still presses the right orchestral buttons which is rarely heard in songs of this genre.
Forever young by heart and name!
http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer...2'&lang=en
