Music I Liked: April 2023

Behold, the first cousin of my End of Month List feature!

A.R. Rahman - Ponniyin Selvan 2

I don't know what I was expecting for the sequel to one of my favorite soundtracks of last year, but Ponniyin Selvan 2's soundtrack is probably not it, but not necessarily in a bad way. If the PS-1 soundtrack thrived on larger-than-life drama, PS-2 is more sentimental, and rather than being inspired by classical Indian music, the soundtrack is classical Indian music. There is hardly a weak link here within A.R. Rahman's excellent compositions, though I feel some of the later tracks feel more like demos and could use an extra minute to bring to life some of their elements to fruition.

Of all the songs, my favorites are Aga Naga and Veera Raja Veera. Aga Naga's emotive ballad notes succeed where Sol failed from PS-2, and Veera Raja Veera is one of the best Raga-sampling songs in modern Bollywood.

Dawn - Dear My Light

With the tumultuous era of Dawn and Hyuna over, where do the stars go? This question still remains, but Dawn has penned one final ode to his former fiancee, and it is his most personal track yet. An ode to what is now over, Dear My Light's beautiful guitar-strummed melodies really provide more emotional impact than expected. I just hope both Dawn and Hyuna 

IVE - I Am

IVE's latest album might be one of the best K-Pop comebacks in a while. Incorporating Eurovision influences courtesy of composer Kristin Marie, IVE's I Am may be K-Pop's best vocal-first dance-pop track since ONF's Beautiful Beautiful. The biggest appeal of I Am is the thumping vocal performances by the member. Redelegating their most popular members to the side, IVE's producers let vocalists Yujin and Liz tear into the song's melody, leading to some of the best power notes this year.

Additionally, I Am excels in the tripping grounds of many other girl group tracks. The MV nails the chique and posh aesthetic that the group was going for, and the chorus is youthful without ever talking down to its audience. Even the second verse incorporates a cheeky rap by Gaeul without losing momentum, and the halftime break by Liz actually helps rather than hurts the song.

Overall, I Am is one of the best pieces of power pop this year, delivering epic hook after epic hook. Every element leads to a thundering climax, and energy to last for months on end.

The album as a whole is also quite good. There are quite a few duds in the middle, but the opening one-two-punch of Blue Blood and I Am is where the album peaks. Blue Blood's menacing stomp, merged with anthemic melodies and Phrygian strings create a surprisingly aggressive highlight.

Lee Chae Yeon - Knock

As someone who never cared much for IZ*ONE, the various debuts after the group's disbandment showed me, and likely many others, that the various members are extremely talented, and that the group's potential was squandered. Lee Chae Yeon's Knock is a thrilling dance track, playing off many of the same tropes that IZ*ONE used. The song has some issues, such as the distracting half-time segment in the second verse, but I love the energy through most of the track, and the fun choreography and MV certainly help.

Manaka Kataoka, Yasuki Iwata, Hajime Wakai - Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Trailer Theme

Breath of the Wild's soundtrack was my favorite album of the 2010s, and by no small measure. Even today it stands head and shoulders above any album in recent memory, which makes the proposition of its sequel, six years later, all the more exciting. The latest trailer both piqued my excitement gameplay-wise, but made me once again appreciate the thrilling worldbuilding through the composition. The soundtrack merges the sounds of classic Zelda games with stirring electronic elements and naturalized world-building. This is a track that will only improve with age.

Shreya Ghoshal & Divya Kumar - Maine Pi Rakhi Hai (Prod. Pritam)

Since he is best known for his catchy pop songs and emotional ballads, many forget that Pritam can write some of the most gargantuan club anthems ever made in Bollywood. Maine Pi Rakhi Hai is from this style, with a chorus so heavy there is any room to breathe. Of the five songs from Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, Maine Pi Rakhi Hai is one of the weaker ones, never finding a melody that latches in your head. Nonetheless, the song is worth checking out simply due to its size, and Divya Kumar's sizziling vocals.

The Scarlet Opera - I've Been Waiting For You

This song has everything an epic pop-rock number should have.  Sheer euphoria? Check. Epic vocal performance? Check. A chorus to die for? Absolutely. The floating strings combined with Luka Bazullka's stirring vocals is such an effective combination.

Image Source: The Bias List