Koimoi rating: 3/5 stars
Koimoi rating: 3/5 stars
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The OST of Don 2, composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, contains only 9 tracks, out of which two tracks are remixes (Hai ye maya by Usha Uthup and Mujhko pehchaanlo, sung by KK). Let me remind you that in the prequel, Don (2006), Mujhko pehchaanlo was sung by Shaan. The Don album, also composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, had a lot of commercial hits, some of which were remixes of songs from the original 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer Don.
On the other hand, the Don 2 album has elements of R.D. Burman’s songs, mixed with electronica and generous use of different synths. The good news is that all the songs stick to the identity of the Don franchise. On the whole, the album is a good work by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
The album starts with Aa raha hu palat ke which is a 30-second dialogue track. The next track is Zaraa dil ko thaam lo which has vocals by Anusha Mani and Vishal Dadlani. This song has a lot of electronic and synth sounds along with filters. In parts, the lead line sounds a little acid. The female vocals by Anusha are airy, breathy and soothing. The chorus is a mild hook and Vishal Dadlani’s vocals have the right style and energy. However, this song will not be a mass hit.
Hai ye maya has an electro-jazz kind of a feel with a little bit of funk. The trumpet and other winds add a lot of breath to the song. The vocals rendered by Usha Uthup are warm. The remix of this song is also well done with the vocals are more processed with effects like stutter and auto tune.
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Dushman mera is full of R.D. elements mixed with electronic. The track starts off with percussions like congo bongo and djembe. The female vocals by Sunitha Sarathy are peppy and have an element of fun. On the other hand, the male vocalist, Shankar Mahadevan, has tried to sound a little like Kishore Kumar. But Mahadevan is lower in pitch than usual in this track. The sound of the male vocals sounds boxy because of the vocal processing of the song which is almost semi-telephonic. In all, the natural warmth of Kishore Kumar’s voice could not be replicated by Shankar Mahadevan. A good track, but it could have been better.
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The King is back is the theme song of Don 2. It is packed with energy, pump, punch and pace. It is pulsating! It goes melancholic and sad in the middle when the piano takes over along with addition of keys later on and builds up a gradual graph gaining strength as the song progresses.
The Don waltz sounds similar to an old western classical track. It is melodic, smooth, soothing and has a great flow.
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Last but not the least, the song which defines Don. Mujhko pehchaanlo has a lot of style and this time is slower and more deliberate. KK has done a very good job. There is also a remix track of this song which is a dance track fully techno-electronic.
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Overall, the Don 2 album falls short of expectations. Songs like Zaraa dil ko thaam lo and Hai ye maya show a lot of potential but cannot be termed as great mass hits. All the other songs are good too but, on the whole, they don’t add up to a mass hit.
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Vivek V Warrier is a keen listener of music, has worked as a sound recordist and currently writes, acts and sings for the internet comedy show Jay Hind.