The last hit album that Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy brought to the world was Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in 2011. The biopic by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra on champion athlete Milkha Singh might be their ticket back onto the charts. The eight tracks on the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag soundtrack are penned by the multi-talented trio and lyricist Prasoon Joshi. BollyCurry presents our insights on the album, and a hint of what the movie, slated to release on the 12th of July, has to offer.

The album opens with the soulful and enlightening "Gurbani", a short Sikh devotional track sung by Daler Mehndi. The track brings about a tone of peacefulness and sets the mood for the rest of the album, as well as the film.

Shankar's son Siddharth Mahadevan sees his debut in the music industry with the high energy "Zinda". Prasoon's lyrics are inspirational and compliment Sid's promising

vocals. Aided by a rock chorus comprising singers like Suhas Sawant, Rawan Mahadevan and Mani Mahadevan, the track is forceful and catchy, and has all the makings of an inspiring and passionate anthem.

Well-known sufi qawwali artist Javid Bashir helms the next track, and his energetic vocals are just the thing to turn the sufi-rock "Mera Yaar" into a rare phenomenon of lyrical poetry and seamless guitar melody. This rustic love song is a warm and innovative high point of the album.

Already the favourite of many youngsters since it's release, the fun "Maston Ka Jhund" is entirely situational, and should bring about much foot tapping and dancing in our seats. Sung by Divya Kumar, the track retains its earthiness despite the use of western instruments like the guitar and drums.

The title track of the movie, though inspirational lyrically, does not have the high adrenaline twist of the rock version of the song. Arif Lohar's vocals are a treat, but the music could be more awe-inspiring. Siddharth Mahadevan shows once again, on the rock version, that he is someone to look out for. The track is catchy and fast-paced, making up for the lackluster original version of "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", and Sid shows he has the chops to pull off such a high voltage and energy song.

"Slow Motion Angrez" is, at its essence, a country song with roots in the famous English classic "If I Were To Marry". Transformed into an interesting composition with help from Prasoon's superb lyrics, this retro fusion track is possibly the best track on the album. Loy Mendosa begins the track in English, but the song picks up even more with Sukhwinder Singh's Hindi vocals as he teaches how to woo, 'desi' style.

The last track on the album is a treat for the ears. "O Rangrez" is a love ballad with Javed Bashir and Shreya Ghoshal lending their voices. The semi-classical slow piece uses simple Hindi to convey emotion. The beauty of the track lies in the harmony - the use of tabla, harmonium and violin to create an arrangement that gradually builds a wonderfully romantic atmosphere.

The album is infused with life and story, and on the whole, we certainly think Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have come up with a winner! Do check the it out when you get the chance!

Writer: Aradhna K.
Editor: Fatima W. and Gunia M.
Graphics: Saraa K.

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