Vada Chennai music review: Santhosh Narayanan delivers an earthy soundtrack in his first collaboration with Vetrimaaran

After delivering a crowd-pleasing album in Superstar Rajinikanth’s Kaala this year_,_ composer Santhosh Narayanan has now churned out an utterly earthy soundtrack for filmmaker Vetrimaaran’s highly-anticipated gangster drama Vada Chennai. The project marks Santhosh’s second collaboration for a film starring Dhanush in the lead role. Earlier, Santhosh produced a minimally beautiful OST for Dhanush’s Kodi which also had interestingly constructed melodies like ‘Ei Suzhali’ and ‘Sirukki Vaasam’. Now, in Vada Chennai, he has unleashed the beast in him with a liberating soundtrack that brims with rooted, heart-rending tunes and majestic themes. [caption id=“attachment_5310861” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Dhanush in a still from Vada Chennai. Image via Twitter[/caption] Sandhanatha ‘Sandhanatha’ brings back folk sensation Gaana Bala to the fore with great support from Ka Ka Balachander, who has totally dominated the entire track with his sparkling rendition. Except for the energetic vocals of KKB, ‘Sandhanatha’, tune-wise, is a generic folk song and there is nothing special to rave about. The lyrics penned by Gaana Bala suggest that the song, which is written for a puberty ceremony in the story, will go well with the visuals. Goindhammavaala  Dhanush’s delightful singing, Rokesh’s (Dangamaari fame) native lyrics in North Madras slang of Tamil, and Santhosh Narayanan’s simplistic tune produce a highly entertaining vocal harmony in ‘Goindhammavaala.’ SaNa’s piano and Ganapathy’s kanjira make for a gentle tune, which is quietly bolstered by Dhanush’s lively rendition. Kaarkuzhal Kadavaiye  ‘Kaarkuzhal Kadavaiye’ is an enchanting melody, spearheaded effortlessly by the ever-dependable Sriram Parthasarathy. The song kicks off with the mind-blowing flute of Vishnu Vijay before Sriram Parthasarathy makes headway with his pristine vocals. The heady mix of guitar, tabla, and flute in the interludes spark off a concoction so delicious and rapturous it makes ‘Kaarkuzhal Kadavaiye’ the second best song of the album. Maadila Nikkura Maankutty ‘Maadila Nikkura Maankutty’ has Gaana Bala stamp all over, but the song gains strength only after the entry of Dhee’s peppy vocals. With a perfunctory tune, the track sticks out like a sore thumb in an otherwise impressive album. While Gaana Bala and Santhosh Narayanan have delivered memorable chartbusters in the past such as ‘Aadi Pona Aavani’, ‘Kasu Panam’, and ‘Nadukadalula’ to name a few_, ‘Maadila Nikkura Maankutty’_ is definitely not the duo’s best. Ennadi Maayavi Nee Sid Sriram’s addictive vocals produce a profoundly affecting track in ‘Ennadi Maayavi Nee’. Santhosh Narayanan’s arrangement is achingly beautiful and makes ‘Ennadi Maayavi’ the best track of the album. Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra’s strings add soothing texture to the song and elevate it to a sweet-sounding experience on ears. Epadiyamma ‘Epadiyamma’ is a superbly catchy number enhanced by singer Sindhai Rev Ravi’s dynamic vocals. Shenoy Nagar Shanmugam’s eulogy is expected to evoke the right kind of emotions when it is watched with the visuals on screen. Mathiya Serayila Constructed skillfully with live sounds, ‘Mathiya Serayila’ is a deeply stirring track, written and crooned by Arivu with a pitch-perfect rendition. The song, which throws the spotlight on the trials and tribulations of being in a jail, takes you back to the Jail Gaana track composed by AR Rahman in Shankar’s Boys. The rhythmic tune and Arivu’s grief-stricken vocals provide an air of melancholy that the song requires. Alangaara Pandhal The lively sound of Ganapathy’s dholak and the touching vocals of Dholak Jegan make for a winning combination in ‘Alangaara Pandhal’, the lyrics of which evidently suggest that the song will be played at a funeral in the film. King of the Sea & Vada Chennai Theme King of the Sea, undoubtedly, is one of the best theme tracks ever composed by Santhosh Narayanan. The motley assortment of sounds produced by trumpets, trombones, and the strings of Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra induce sheer goosebumps. Ananthu’s vocals fittingly heft up the track to a majestic level. Vada Chennai Theme, which has already gone viral in teaser and promo videos, is equally brilliant in Ananthu’s quirky rendition and Santhosh’s terrific orchestration. Stars: 3.5/5