Music: Jeet Gannguly, Bobby-Imran, Naved Jafar & Ankit Tiwari Lyrics: Sayeed Quadri, Rashmi Singh &…  

<b>Music:</b> Jeet Gannguly, Bobby-Imran, Naved Jafar & Ankit Tiwari<br> <b>Lyrics: </b> Sayeed Quadri, Rashmi Singh & Abhendra Kumar Upadhyay<br> <b>Music Label: </b> Sony Music<br><br> <b>Expectations: </b><br><br> This is a musical thriller from the Bhatts, and we have gargantuan expectations, especially after <i>Aashiqui 2</i> and <i>Citylights</i>.<br><br> <b>Music: </b><br><br> The album begins with the soulful title-track, <b><i>'Khamoshiyan'</i></b>, sung by Arijit Singh, exquisitely written by Rashmi Singh and composed by Jeet Gannguli. A true-blue flight of imaginative fantasy, the song compares <i>khamoshiyan</i> (silence) with everything from a sky to a silent river, with the peak in the <i>mukhda</i> itself - '<i>Khamoshiyan aawaaz hai / Tum sunne ko aao kabhi</i>'. Arijit is soulful, even toning down his flawed pronunciation of words with the '<i>ta</i>' syllable. The guitars are soft and thus very pleasantly carry the depth of the melody. <br><br> The piano notes make a masterly effect in this song's unplugged version. Singer Arijit, composer Jeet and lyricist Rashmi Singh strike again with some different but equally effective lyrics. <br><br> The Bhatts have a wonderful and '<i>vishesh</i>' (pun intended) way of emotionally connecting with the song mukhdas itself. This is also the pattern with the next track, <b><i>'Tu Har Lamha'</i></b>, again by Arijit Singh, composed by Bobby-Imran and written by Sayeed Quadri. Sayeed, who was in a low creative phase in the last few years, regains form with this poetic number as he writes '<i>Tu Har Lamha/ Tha Mujhse Jooda (linked) / Chahe Door Tha Main/ Ya Paas Rahaa</i>'. <br><br> The impact of this melody is spoilt in the superfluous remix version done by DJ Angel, but what works is <b><i>'Subhan Allah'</i></b> the Anupam Amod version with the same tune but completely different lyrics. This time, for some inexplicable reason, the orchestration seems a shade cluttered vis-à-vis the earlier version. <br><br> The next song, <i><b>'Baatein Yeh Kabhi Na'</i></b> (Arijit Singh) is very consummate, and Sayeed once again is in complete command as he writes from his heart. The <i>mukhda</i> ('<i>Baatein Yeh Kabhi Na Tu Bhoolna / Koi Tere Khatir Hai Jee Rahaa</i>') is magical in its simplicity and the simple antaras are also riveting. The lovely tune (Jeet again) and emotional singing (Arijit Singh) also elevate the song. <br><br> The female version by Palak Muchhal has a slightly different approach to orchestration. Her vocal delivery, while sweet, is not as soulful as the demand of this composition - this is a song that called for a far more experienced and unfettered singer like Shreya Ghoshal. <br><br> Naved Jafar - a voice reminding us of Mohit Chauhan's - composes and sings the Rashmi Singh-written <b><i>'Kya Khoya'</i></b>, which again boasts of a profound philosophy in the mukhda itself (<i>Kya Khoya Kya Paaya / Itna Kyoon Soche Hai / Tu Hai Nadiya, Tu Hai Dariya /Kyoon Khud Ko Roke Hai. </i>') The rock treatment and the slight emphasis on Hindi over Urdu work big time to make this number more appealing. The relentless yet smooth-paced beat hooks us within seconds and the arrangements are cerebrally done even when they get into the rock zone. <br><br> Prakriti Kakar is a fine chip off the Akriti Kakar sibling block. Her seductive nuances and the uncanny resemblance to the heroine's voice are all strong pluses for <b><i>'Bheegh Loon'</i></b>, a lovely number with composer Ankit Tiwari using the violin imaginatively. Abhendra Kumar Upadhyay writes excellent lines for what is clearly a passionate paean. The male version by Ankit himself has his usual vocal gimmicks. But despite this missing softness, the song makes a mark of its own. DJ Angel also remixes the Prakriti version, this time without damaging the soul of this song. <br><br> <b>Overall: </b><br><br> This is a musical triumph from the Bhatts again after <i>Aashiqui</i> and <i>Citylights</i> in 2013 and 2014 respectively. When aesthetics and commerce meet in a wholesome union, nothing can stop the torrent of acclaim and success. Once again, this score proves that lyrics, no matter how good the compositions, are the true mainstay of any musical score. <br><br> <b>Our Pick: </b><br><br> <i>'Khamoshiyan', 'Tu Har Lamha', 'Baatein Yeh Kabhi Na', 'Kya Khoya', 'Bheegh Loon'</i>