Winning the wind of music – 2011’s top 10 musicians in Kollywood

The current trend in Tamil Cinema Music is a heavily competitive one with more and more orchestrators coming to the foray. It only adds novelty and creativity to the music orchestration.

Listeners too get varied applications of voices and fusion of instruments. Every year, many films fill in the screens and each movie comes out with its robust music numbers. Not all those which get release reach the mass nor prick the heat of sound. For this, the music composers are to be gauged on their merits and demerits. Even within a musician it is not necessary or essential that there shall be consistency. For them each album is unique in a different way.

This outgoing year, 2011, has been fueled with more energy from the musicians and singers. This is chiefly due to the arrival of new technicians as director, musicians and producers. Before waving to the new year, we shall revert back to the musical notes of the 2011 albums from movies. The account will enable the prime composers to analyse their effort and the new comers can get the expectations from the listeners.

10) Sathya

This debutant Music director, Sathya, made a huge impact in his first album “Engeyum Eppodhum”. With variety of songs in the movie, he proved that he can be relied for more albums. The instruments used for some of the song are much different from the conventional and Sathya tries to implement a new dimension to the songs. “Govindha Govindha”, “Masama” & “Un perai theriyathu” were the favorites in the music channels & FM Radio stations for quite a long time which is very rare honor for a Music director in his debut film.

9) Joshua Sridhar

The resolute musician with a key note message, Unakena Iruppen as in his debut for Kadhal, Joshua Sridhar came back this year with two albums Veppam & Vithagan. Though the fate of the films is not sealed, the music is still lingering on the air. We cannot easily forget the “Mazhai Varum” from Veppam and Joshua cannot be written off at once. Veppam & Vithagan promises a major come back for Joshua.

8 ) Sharath

For Sharath, the launch pad for his venture had been this 180, a film which was a sketchy portrayal of love torn between emotions and reflections of psychic aspects. The all fresh Siddharth and the galaxy of locales for outdoor, striking similarities with Unnale Unnale, and the thrilling moments at the hospitals and the villainy are all tailor made for Sharath. Songs like “Nee Korinal”, “Vevuzula oodhu”, “Niyayam Thana” are all masterpieces for this music director in his debut in Tamil Cinema.

7) Gibran

With his debut in Vaagai Sooda Vaa, Gibran has proved that he cannot be written off as a new comer for the music composition. Compared to contemporary songs his music is better and well balanced for the Tamil movie. His debut marks a new beginning for his involved methodology and the instrumentation is simple without any fuss or exaggeration. It can be said with little amount of voices and the effective lyrics from Vairamuthu and other lyricists, Gibran has designed best tunes to reach the mass. The album is sure to secure a decent position in the hearts of people. Pats to Gibran for his soundtrack fusion which makes the songs creamy on icing.

6) Thaman

This sprouting musician on the fore with his growing upheaval for music is good to be berthed in the top slots. This year, he had to his credit, Vandran Vendran, Mouna Guru, Osthi and Mambattiyan. The numbers may sound nice but the effect of the sound should be surround. Of these, Vandan Vendran came as a project for Jeeva after his successful Ko. But these two cannot be matched on terms of songs or background score. The songs (except Anjana Anjana) were of mediocre effect that Thaman was just stepping into his industrial applications. The chips of his tunes could not lead him to the destination.

Then came the music world buster Osthi, the most determined album from Thaman. With the original Dabaang on the screens, it helped Thaman to gear up for a fierce battle on the instrumentation. Osthi made an ideal dais for Thaman to perform his skills at his will and wish. The result is the Osthi Mamey, Kala sala and STR’s Ponatti songs. Now the film is nearing a hit level and Thaman is quite contented to have contributed to this success. The background score for this fast track film from Dharani gains our attention.

5) Vijay Anthony

Vijay Anthony marveled with his Naka Mooka getting fame upto the World Cup Cricket and making some creditable numbers in Vijay starrer Vettaikkaran in the previous year. This year he ventured for two films – Vedi and Velayutham for bigger accounts, leaving his minor projects into the devil’s prey. Vedi proved to be a futile attempt from both the director Prabu Deva and Vijay himself. For a clumsy script, no one can easily trigger the tune bank. But Prabu Deva packed this movie with the songs from Vijay Anthony only to receive adverse criticism. The background score too faced lot of scrapings and the failure of the movie in the box office immersed the music flaws too.
For Velayutham, Vijay Anthony toiled much only to continue the momentum gained in Vettaikkaran. Of the numbers incorporated in this album, Chiilax was of prime quality. Other songs just filled in the slots for visuals in the movies. In a way, this album seemed better than even Kaavalan and Kuruvi, from the point of view of Vijay projects. Background score too worked out well, courtesy the director Jeyam Raja and his sibling Jeyam Ravi.

4) Vidyasagar

The once big boss of the Kollywood during the late 90s and the early 21st century, Vidyasagar has no clue as to penetrate the audience with his albums. Although his early numbers were of full credit to him, as in the case of Gilli’s Appadi Podu being lifted away by Sonu sood for a Hindi remake, of late Vidyasagar is on the waning phase. This year in some sense is a comeback year for Vidyasagar with three three key numbers of which though one is of four year old project.

The year started with Siruthai featuring Karthi, directed by the Telugu director Siva. With Tamannah in the opposite lead, director wanted to make some effect with glam and music. But songs from this album –like Na Romba Romba Nalla Pillai – were of icing on the cake. Kaavalan, a Vijay starrer came with huge expectations. After burning the finger with floppy tunes in Kuruvi, Vidyasagar received a golden opportunity to revive the lost vigor. Though the songs were not super hit as his Gilli, Kaavalan songs were well appreciated for Vidyasagar’s Melodies which is his forte.

Sadurangam & Ilaignan are other two major releases for Vidyasagar, this year of which Sadhurangam was again appreciated for his melodies & background score. Overall though not his best, 2011 is one of the important year for Vidyasagan in his carrier.

3) Yuvan Shankar Raja

2011 almost belonged to Yuvan as he had toiled much to set afoot to the top of the ladder. This year started for Yuvan with Vaanam, followed by Aaranya Kandam, Avan Ivan, Mankatha and Pathinaru. Vaanam, as the remake from Telugu film, gave much scope for Yuvan to curtail the originality. The album hit the stands and the audience with the launch of single track, Evandi Onna pethan, rendered by STR. The item number No Money was well received by all the centres. Aaranya Kandam came as a testifying project for Yuvan as the theme provided thrillers and more violence. Under no circumstances, Yuvan could take a break for this album which was filled with songs devoid of instant fame. The background score in this movie was appreciated across all quarters.

Avan Ivan was a blessing in disguise for Yuvan. After Nanda, director Bala scored his songs with Yuvan and it worked out well. Though the numbers were not that much of Nanda or a common project from Yuvan, the album got its merit on the back ground score. There was a complete portrayal of the subtle fusion of folk and traditional effect.

Mankatha was the major blockbuster for the hero, director, producer and Yuvan. All the songs of the film were evenly poised to win hearts and other VIPs. As the story would mandate, the background score needed a qualitative measure and Yuvan did an impeccable task. The other movie, Pathinaru got its due music from this versatile musician. There are few numbers but the listeners could be well satisfied with the available ones. Overall a perfect year for Yuvan Shankar Raja.

2) GV Prakash

For the upcoming musician with lot of hopes and notes in store, GV Prakash could well prove the heritage of AR Rahman. Until, Aayirathill Oruvan, GVP was not fully recognized as the Top musician. After Aayirathil Oruvan, top directors recognized him and offers came on his way. This year, the success of Dhanush starred Aadukalam made the difference in GVP. Particularly yathe Yathe was of a different genre. The background score for this movie was also appreciated by all the corners. (Though Critics charged him for Plagiarism of God Father background score)

Madarasa Pattinam’s experience made the director AL Vijay to handle GVP for his next film Deivathirumagal. This Vikram starrer melodrama needed a great deal of sorrow willed tunes and background scores. For GVP it had been altogether a new experiment but he came out successfully. Despite the average run of the movie, the songs from this album were of high average level. Since the movie dealt with the psychological means of human beings the background notes were of scattered scribbles. But GVP compiled everything in fine texture and delivered the best. (Again some plagiarism charges)

In the latest Mayakkam Enna, the ones penned and sung by Dhanush and Selvaragavan won fame and remained in the top slot for many weeks. In fact, this movie provided a better platform for GVP and Dhanush to share the technical qualities for a good album.

1) Harris Jeyaraj

In all these years, Harris has created a halo for him in that he is the creator of new frenzied tunes. Of the films which can be best attached to Harris for 2011, three numbers are quite worthy to discuss – Ko, Engeyum Kadhal and 7am Arivu.

The mystical nature of Harris is the reach at a single listening and he has never deterred the audience with any inferior numbers. The year began with a highly successful note from Ko, the songs of which were mesmerizing with fusion of music and good lyrics. Almost all the numbers from this movie were taken to the high altitude of appreciation.  Of the very numbers from this album, the topnotch tune came in Yennamo Yetho and Asli. Overall In Ko, Harris did a splendid job on background and the entire film had an opportunity to have him as the major contributor to the success of the film.

Then came Engeyum Kadhal, directed by Prabu Deva, with Jeyam Ravi and Hansika in the lead cast. In Engeyum Kadhal, the songs are of trepid nature that the story has a suspenseful of nature of magical spells. This album had the mixture of melody, fun and a sad note. But the numbers could not contribute much to the overall success of the movie.

The Deepavali spree saw the arrival of AR Murugadoss’ 7am Arivu, for which the songs were of prime importance. With variety of tunes and large scale innovations, Harris tried a scale of rings like spectrum for this album. However, except Ringa song others have not made much impact on the audience. Thus, within these three albums from Harris the top most could be Ko, followed by 7am Arivu and Engeyum Kathal.

Conclusion

It would have been a very huge and critical task to table the top 10 musicians if all of them proved their skills. Unfortunately, we have got a handful of musicians who aired their orchestration through rich voices and instrumentations. We can only listen, but not admire a few of them; we can only adore a few of them but not appreciate to a large extent. However, the survival of the fittest is always at the lesson as we cannot ignore Darwin’s evolution. This applies to music world too and the evolution of new musicians is occurring at frequent phases. We can only hope the very best from these musicians in the coming year which will be healthy and competitive for them and inspiring for us, the listeners.