Music Review: Out of Sync

The album opens with High heels, a popular 2012 number by Honey Singh and Jaz Dhami, which has been reworked for the film. It’s difficult to like the Honey Singh brand of music because everything sounds the same, but it’s also difficult to get rid of the addictive hook he delivers. Meet Bros have tried to play DJs by mixing the existing track with a slew of beats and some vocals by Aditi Singh Sharma.

Like all other Honey Singh songs, this will be a hit in the clubs for days to come. The burbling synth and drums in the background add to the piece. This is followed by Ji hazoori, which is actually one of the better moments in the album. Composed and sung by Mithoon, its rhythmic pattern on the tabla is what pulls the cart. The melody is interesting but the problem here is his voice. In an attempt to sound like Adnan Sami, Mithoon deviates from the tune often. There is also a strange vibrato to his voice, and not in a good way. Also, the shehnai interlude is so out of sync that one wonders if he really sat in for the recording session.

The best bit about Most wanted, sung by Meet Bros Anjjan and Earl Edgar, is the lyrics and a strings interlude. The lines are funny and have been punctuated with massive manufactured sounds. It is not a brilliant melody but will work in the film. The song may remotely remind one of Maa da laadla from Dostaana. Pump it is from the same category. The guitar riff stretching almost through the song is a surprisingly interesting addition in an extremely ordinary piece.

Ilaiyaraaja’s only melody in the album, weirdly titled Foolishq, is certainly not the kind of melody one expects from him. Drum loops from the ’80s and synths have been paired with Shreya Ghoshal and Armaan Malik’s voice. It sounds like an incomplete song and one wonders if Ilaiyaraaja really sat through this one. That the music may not even be a blip on the charts, won’t be surprising at all.

Ki & Ka is an unimpressive album, especially for a film that claims to challenge gender stereotypes. Pritam is the composer Balki needed to get this one right. Even his most underwhelming tunes could have lifted this one.

Will the songs make some sense in the film? We’ll have to wait and watch.