Music review: Nellikka

Bijibal remains in form with the vibrant music of Nellikka, which has six songs with incredible range and scope.
He is innovative, uses varied genres and most of the songs are concocted to taste like mouthfuls of salted gooseberry mix ��� you taste a variety of feelings traversing their turfs.
The slow but rich and soothing melody, Chirakurummi Melle, is executed in the soft and subdued vocals of Aparna Rajiv.A mini track, it is clubbed with Mazha Nanayuvaan, sung by Najim Arshad. The song is apt for the just smitten, enchanted lovers and both the tracks go over several non-uniform bits of tunes and sangathiis, but the novel arrangement is quite likeable.
The next song is a fabulously crafted Swapna Chirakilonnaai in the stirring voices of Sachin Warrier, Tansen Berney and Shilpa Raju. A likable mix of Indian classical sounds with a contemporary flavour, it is an original, fast melody.
Remya Nambeesan���s vocal prowess is on display through the third track Ravin Nizhaloram, a melancholic number that has an introspective edge to it, finely worded by Prakash Marar. Her voice is apt, and makes hearts melt.
Job Kurien, Aslam, Bijibal and Sayonara come together for Maranamillaatha, which starts off on a slow pace. What follows is a sudden upsurge in orchestration like that of popular, groovy western albums. The treatment is fresh and it is entertaining in parts, but its replay quotient is low.
Mirroring the ambience of a North Indian conservative city landscape through qawwali-like sounds, the last song Noor E Ilahi is predominantly a Hindi track sung by Nila Madhab, Berny and Thaikkudam Bridge fame Krishna Bongane. The song is penned by KJ Singh and Prakash Maraar, and also triggers nostalgia through oft-heard regional imageries like Kallayi River in the Malayalam portion. The attempt is impressive but it���s not a track that might instantly strike a chord with our listeners.
Nellikka is a winning score and definitely deserves appreciation for exploring a variety of musical possibilities.