Raja's Gems - the latest one you heard...Part 3

**Sunil_M88** · 15th September 2012, 05:27 AM

Ilaiyaraaja = Young King

Ilaimai Kanavugal = Youthful Dreams

Need I say more?

Reeta welcomes the listener by chanting “Nana nana na..!” At this point, the question is what direction will the song take? Just like any other song by The Maestro, playing the prediction game is pointless as no one will possibly guess what will follow next. I see there are two types of music, one where the listener knows what to expect and the other type being the complete opposite. Then there is the Raaja Saab category, where one is correct in their prediction of what is coming up musically but then is teased as a listener to only realise that the “Real Deal” is yet to arrive.

The prelude displays a dreamy setting, where one feels awestruck by the aura. Raaja Saab sets the record straight without any hesitation by allowing Reeta to expand horizons so that listeners feel tiny and lost in her vast vocal magic.

The beat is dropped and is supported by a moog bass. It seems like the gloominess from the prelude has vanished and we’ve reached familiar grounds. Personally, I didn’t want a club beat to emerge as I was too in a trance to leave Reeta. From the cosmic soundscape generated by her, we end up in a confined space and though one can breathe, one probably feels more open and carefree when listening to the sole “Nana nana na..!” humming portion of the prelude.

As the beat builds up, so does the orchestration hence the soundscape builds up. Raaja Saab is one such composer, where you will hear endless influences from various musical genres. You can put the influence of other MDs in The Maestro but other MDs will only reflect the his touch in seldom purely because only he can touch his own sound and no one else. Then again he doesn’t have a trademark sound!

Is this his most electro orientated track? When I heard it, it immensely ticked all boxes in my check list. Listeners do not choose what song they like; it’s the song that chooses the listener. Again, we have a number here that was released in 2008 and I’ve never heard it before so whether a song is released today or yesterday i.e. decades ago, if I’m hearing it for the first time then I will judge it as I would any other recently released material.

Forget world music, fusion, etc. Unlike any other electro pop orientated club song, we have enigmatic chants, Celtic interludes but the pièce de résistance of this song lies in that “bloody hell” of a shift from Celtic to Oriental orchestration. What was that? :gobsmacked: Where did Raaja Saab pull that from and that too for a club banger like this. This piece is enough to leave anyone in a daze.

The only small query I have is that the bass in the “Charanams” should have been sung and vocal melody should have been played on the bass. The melody of the bass in the “Charanams” thoroughly expresses highland Celtic characteristics.

The beauty of this song lies in the fact that, even with an out and out beat orientated song, Raaja Saab still presses the right orchestral buttons which is rarely heard in songs of this genre.

Forever young by heart and name!

http://www.thiraipaadal.com/tpplayer...2'&lang=en

**Google Adsense** · 15th September 2012 05:27 AM

**app_engine** · 15th September 2012, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by kiru

Why are you laughing ?

ayyO Kiru sir, I wasn't laughing for the Malayalam-like lyrics

It was for the 'uLi' use

**app_engine** · 17th September 2012, 08:51 PM

A friend took the NEPV disk from the car...so switched to other disks on hand...kAsi this morning.

'mAnuththOlu koNdu, manjakkadambu koNdu' on repeat...simply for the urumi mELam and the terrific wind instrument sounds!

Authentic rAsA!

**Vinodkumar** · 19th September 2012, 12:36 PM

Here is a clip from Selvi. See how good it sounds. The main reason for getting original ACD... http://soundcloud.com/raja4ever/selvi-ilamandhu . Once you hear this, you will not like the MP3's anymore

KV · 20th September 2012, 02:15 AM

Thanks Vinodkumar; the basslines in this song... motta boss

But for that irritating lallallaa chorus, this song'd be a perfect 10/10!

**V_S** · 20th September 2012, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by Vinodkumar

Here is a clip from Selvi. See how good it sounds. The main reason for getting original ACD... http://soundcloud.com/raja4ever/selvi-ilamandhu . Once you hear this, you will not like the MP3's anymore

Vinodkumar,
Supreme bliss.

Thank you sir. Yes after hearing this, we can hear the vast difference in the quality. Still I believe this sample is also ripped to mp3 out of ACD, right? Did you do any mastering or this sample is ripped straight out of ACD? In case it was mastered, how are you achieving it? It is better you should get copyrights and remaster Maestro's soundtrack if that is not expensive.

**Vinodkumar** · 20th September 2012, 06:47 AM

Hi V_S... Thanks for the kind words.. Its a painstaking effort. Yes, this is bit perfect rip of ACD in AIFF format(16bit/44.1hkz). It is done with a CD drive which has C2 error correction. I have so far ripped around 450+ cd's and is stored in a hard disk in AIFF format. I then route this music to my DAC which does resample it to 24/88. I then apply a plugin which I tweak based on my liking and that is what you hear. Yes.. the sample that you hear is down sampled to MP3 and so you are not hearing the true output. I will load the file to show its full potential. We do have listening sessions out here every now and then and you have to see people's reaction. All that hard work is paid off when you sit in front of the system and listen to the music.. Its very personal. Its like a concert being performed just for you...

**Vinodkumar** · 20th September 2012, 07:11 AM

Hi V_S.. Here is the sample clip which is up sampled to 24/88.1. http://soundcloud.com/raja4ever/selv...ndhu-fullglory . The file size is more than 10 times that of the MP3 version. If you hear them via good headphones, you will see the difference between MP3 and AIFF...If I can get hold of the original masters, I can only imagine the quality of the output... Vinod

KV · 20th September 2012, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Vinodkumar

Hi V_S... Thanks for the kind words.. Its a painstaking effort. Yes, this is bit perfect rip of ACD in AIFF format(16bit/44.1hkz). It is done with a CD drive which has C2 error correction. I have so far ripped around 450+ cd's and is stored in a hard disk in AIFF format. I then route this music to my DAC which does resample it to 24/88. I then apply a plugin which I tweak based on my liking and that is what you hear. Yes.. the sample that you hear is down sampled to MP3 and so you are not hearing the true output. I will load the file to show its full potential. We do have listening sessions out here every now and then and you have to see people's reaction. All that hard work is paid off when you sit in front of the system and listen to the music.. Its very personal. Its like a concert being performed just for you...

adEngappa!

some dedication you've got, Vinod! :Poraamai:

**sakaLAKALAKAlaa Vallavar** · 20th September 2012, 03:27 PM

Vinodkumar, Whoa Whoa, 450 CDs !! Thala suthifying! Kindly upload ulterior sounding bits whenever u find time, the ones which we have heard but still didn't get hold of the hidden unheard pure sound quality!

One doubt, how do you take an already downsampled 16bit/44.1KHz and resample it to 24bit/88KHz?!? Or i understood wrong? Passing a soung to DAC will increase its quality?!? Enna pOttOmO athu thaane varum?!