Hit and Miss

Rip-offs, on the other hand, are right up his alley. Which is why you have one of Kevin Lyttle’s dance numbers Turn Me On, which he passes off as Chalke Chalke. But this one

too will catch on like a virus, considering the original was a monstrous hit.

Aisi Umar Mein is a seamless combination of three tracks by Shaan, Kunal Ganjawalla and Krishna. All three are quite boring, especially because of Sameer’s uninspiring lyrics.

Life, Ricky Martin
Sony Music
Sound like Life has mellowed Latino dancebuster Ricky Martin. This is the Livin’ La Vida Loca man’s first English release after five years and he doesn’t disappoint. The album kicks off with the surprisingly rockish yet minimalistic Till I Get to You.

Big names such as South Bronx rapper Fat Joe in I Don’t Care and half of The Black Eyed Peas in Drop it on Me add that sexy hip hop touch. In fact, the bass-heavy I Don’t Care was produced by Scott Storch who’s been a producer for the likes of dance sensation Justin Timberlake.

Halfway through the album, and you’re itching for a tailored-for-Ricky raunchy number (read Shake Your Bon Bon), but you don’t feel let down when you don’t find one. Ricky’s truly managed to get some world feel to the album, recording it across Brazil, Egypt and, what do you know, India.

Some of the string arrangements were recorded in India, and the violin section in

Save The Dance sounds suspiciously like an interlude in a Jatin-Lalit track. For a change, the dhol isn’t overpowering in Rishi Rish’s Punjabi cut in I Don’t Care. Only classy, understated bhangra.

Certain dud notes like the old-time ballad Stop Time Tonight with work by Grammy-winning Latin popstar Jon Secada have crept into the album. But even if you don’t dig Ricky, you might want to check out the album. Less bump, more bang.