Tags: New Music
In a time where nostalgia is at a high, there is no shortage of old Bollywood covers. The problem with most of these covers, however, is that many artists and producers fail to retain the integrity of the original songs. Keerat Kaur’s new EP Pink Guava doesn’t suffer from this problem.
Kaur and producer Wisechild give evergreen hits an upgrade on the EP. There is no replacement for these songs. There will never be another Lata Mangeskhar or Mohammad Rafi, and so Kaur uses this EP to create an honest and heartfelt homage to a golden era. When you hear Kaur’s voice, technicolor clips of heavy winged eyeliner, beehive hair-do’s, and skin tight silk shalwar kameez come to mind. The musical production of each track allows us to see these visuals through rose colored, heart-shaped glasses.
The EP starts off with “Chaand Phir Nikla,” an SD Burman original starring Nutan. It’s a moody, ethereal welcome that aptly sets the tone for the rest of the journey. The captivating beat and almost futuristic synths provide a delicious contrast against the sweetness of Kaur’s voice, leaving you floating amongst the stars Nutan longingly stares at in the original video.
Gears shift from futuristic to nostalgic with “Aaj Mausam.” The track starts off with a loop of the original instrumentals with the signature old Bollywood fuzziness. Then, a very crisp and clean “tinak dhinak dhin” serves as a reminder that we are in 2019 and not 1972. Kaur comes in with the iconic humming in the beginning of the song and the original instrumentals of the introduction evolve to melt seamlessly into the atmosphere of the song.
“Kehna Hi Kya” is a bonus track as it falls slightly out of the era of the rest of the songs, but still remains very true to the sound of the rest of the EP. It’s the only song on the track with a different producer, MistaClix. It’s glittery synths are straight out of an 80s sci-fi TV score, and the sampling of the shehnai serves as a reminder that the original is composed by none other than AR Rahman.
As a whole, Kaur’s Pink Guava is a delectable treat for a hot summer day. It serves us a refreshing look into the golden era of Bollywood with a unique, delicate twist. As the summer of 2019 winds down, Pink Guava reminds that there’s still plenty of time left to bask in the sun.