Be choosy with the soundtrack of 'Dangerous Ishhq' (IANS Music Review)

Film: 'Dangerous Ishhq'; Music Director: Himesh Reshammiya; Lyricist: Sameer Anjaan and Shabbir Ahmed; Singers: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Tulsi Kumar, Himesh Reshammiya, Anweshaa, Amrita Kak, Shreya Ghoshal, Shahab Sabri; Rating: ***

Himesh Reshammiya sets the mood right with the music of 'Dangerous Ishhq', which marks the return of Karisma Kapoor to the silver screen. Yes, there is an overdose of songs and the lyrics are quite ordinary but the extensive use of loops and electronic beats that made Himesh a household name do the trick for the soundtrack.

The first song in the album is 'Tu hi rab tu hi dua' sung by Rahat and Tulsi Kumar. Although the piano sounds good here, the run-of-the-mill wordings underutilize the Pakistani musician's voice and fail to deliver.

However, the R&B version of the track comes as a pleasant surprise. Earlier, there have been rock versions and elements of new age sounds, but this is something different that Himesh has tried by mixing Rahat's romantic tone with something so like R&B.

Clearly, Bollywood music is coming of age but wish there were more English lyrics in this version. It starts off well but is not able to build the momentum. There is also a reprise version by Tulsi, which is just average.

Next on the play list is 'Naina re' which deserves kudos as it manages to blend the voices of Himesh, Rahat and Shreya to near perfection. There is no overlapping of tones and the piano supports the trio in the song.

It also has a reprise version, which is slow and more comforting than the original number. Its remix version, however, is passe.

The soothing sound of the sarangi greets you in 'Ishq Mein Ruswaa' with the fresh voice of Anweshaa setting the mood right. The song has elements of qawwaali and both the composer and the singer have done justice to the track. It also has a remix version.

Next up is a beautiful composition 'Umeed'. It starts off slowly but then you are served with rock and techno beats reminiscent of Himesh's previous hits in Bollywood. There are elements of Indian music too and the track has lot of twists and turns, giving it a mysterious touch.

While singer Amrita Kak pulls it off really well, credit should also be given to Sabri's backing vocals. The remix too is an absolute delight and is tailor-made for clubbing. With groovy beats, Himesh has done a good job with this one.

Last but not the least is 'Lagan laagi', which starts off as a kind of love ballad but changes its course with fast beats. It's a decent romantic number with the use of dafli adding an Indian flavour.

All and all, there is pretty much on the platter but if one can get choosy and pick out the right options, 'Dangerous Ishhq' is a fine album whose songs will click with a lot of people.