Songs at the end.
That Shreya Ghoshal is behind the mic delivering the song, and the fact that it seems to be based at least partly on reethigowla raga, are likely to take your mind back to one of the biggest Malayalam hits of last year (incidentally the song we adjudged as the top Malayalam song last year in our Annual roundup) that featured the same combo – Jeevaamshamaayi – while listening to Kunkumanira Sooryan (written by B K Harinarayanan). Of course, the song is composer Vinu Thomas’s own for most part, and quite a nice one too – well arranged, and beautifully sung. Interestingly, every song in Neeyum Njanum is a solo performance (barring the occasional backing vocals). Najim Arshad’s Ishq Kondu feels a bit Bollywood-esque in its disposition, and not because of the Hindi lines – it is perhaps more to do with that Ethu Kari Raavilum-evocative beats. A nice listen, this song too – I really liked lyricist Salauddin Kecheri’s “ishq kondu thunnum urumaalo” phrasing.
Kecheri does even better in the soul-stirring Aalam Niranjulla that belongs to the maappila paattu sub-genre of katthu paattu (literal translation, letter-songs – check this thread from @goonerblues for a quick primer on this beautiful genre) and comes in two versions, sung respectively by Mridula Warrier and Arun Alat. Composer keeps the backdrop fairly minimal, letting the spotlight rest on the prayer-like verse and its traditional-sounding melody that both the singers deliver splendidly. The talented (but under-utilised) Amal Antony gets two songs in the album, both fine compositions from Vinu Thomas. The breezy Thedunna Theeram Nee is the better one among the two with its charming melody, the Rahman-esque flourishes in its interludes et al. I might have rated En Roohin higher, if only it hadn’t lasted just over a minute, leaving one wishing for more. The final song Koottilai sung by Abhirami Ajai is also a short piece, and a rather situational one, going by its momentous tone. Doesn’t make much of an impact as a song per se, particularly owing to its length.
Vinu Thomas’s first soundtrack since Kavi Uddeshichathu in 2016; more importantly, his first solo soundtrack since Doctor Love in 2011, and the man makes a strong case towards handing him more of the latter. Neeyum Njanum is impressive stuff from the composer.
Music Aloud Rating: 3.5/5
Top Recos: Kunkumanira Sooryan, Aalam Niranjulla, Ishq Kondu, Thedunna Theeram Nee
