G.V. Prakash Kumar - Latest Sensation

[Scale]

The prelude begins with subtle reverbed hip clicks/snaphs accompanied with a stuttering low-fi keyboard synth which seems to me as a low pitched sine wav. (This continues as a backdrop throughout the song.) This is followed by Harini and Tippu respectively coming together and humming, hey ye hey ye. The humming comes along with chords played on the e-piano which dominates the ambience of the track. Along with the e-piano a ghatam and tambourine also support the humming

When Harini sings the first stanza, a plucked instrument is also present. The tabla beat is pleasantly dropped and it offers a similar sound usually heard in mellow ghazals. However the reverb effect on the tabla causes the feeling of sitting at a classical concert in a large hall or standing on top of a hill overlooking a lake or river. Though it is self-explanitary that a reverb effect creates this feeling regardless of the instrument being played, but with all due respect, all the credit and respect is due to GVP who places the right effect at the right time.

Conversely, GVP hasn’t used a variety of instruments though with the instruments he has used, his improvisation is highly effective. Strings pop up occasionally in the song, while the bansuri is given the most importance in the interludes. I would like to add, the second interlude displays majestic correlation between the bansuri and the alaap.
All these aspects contribute to the beauty of this number. Lastly, the effect of polyphonic/additional voices is what I believe makes the most impact on the listener. Although the additional voices are relegated to the back seat, if you do listen carefully with your eyes shut they do provide the most enchanting experience compared to any of GVPs previous output.

BUT IT IS THE MELODY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS HERE . TO HEAR A MELODY LIKE THIS IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS TRULY A DIVINE GIFT.

GVP has worked his socks off and it clearly shows. I hope from here onwards he keeps surprising us with numbers like this, that make us say, “Wow, is this really GVP”.

All the best to him, in selecting the right subjects as well as providing consistency.

Thank you so much for taking your time in explaining it. Now I can enjoy this song much more passionately and it has been on an infinite loop. Wow the backdrop tabla strokes are masterfully done throughout the song.

Very much appreciated.