Subramani worked with Idea Cellular for a span of six years in various capacities of VAS (value added services) acquitting him with caller tunes and marketing music products.

He says, “After working at Idea for six years I was looking for a change. I am very passionate about music and working with a music label is working for music a product which is pure fun.”

Talking about his role at UMG Subramani states, “I will be taking care of creation of new mobile based products which will not only be operator based but also app led. We will be working on the lines of embedding apps in devices like HP’s Connected Service launched by Universal Music.” Subramani insists the road map for next three to six months is yet to be set up, when asked about what new products in pipeline from the UMG stable.

He will be reporting to Vinit Thakkar, Vice President – Digital. As the digital landscape of the industry is growing, the focus to build robust and experienced team is must to enable optimisation of the catalogue and engage consumers with unique brands. Recently the industry saw Sony Experia-Sony Muisc tie-up, Universal Music and Hungama tie-up with HP and many more in making.

Prior to Singer Association of India (SAI),there was Cine Singers’ Association. What happens to that body?

Cine Singers’ Association was in existence,but non-existent for us. We are still part of CSA but it was never a designated forum. Chorus singers are also part of the body, so we decided to take up the bigger issues of the lead singers in SAI. The movement started 50 years back, when Lataji had a tiff with Rafi Sahab. There have been efforts to form an association for a longtime, but in vain. So, in 2004, I started holding meetings in my house, pursuing singers such as Shaan, Kailash Kher, Kunal, Alka Yagnik,Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Suresh Wadkar and Sunidhi Chauhan among others.Now with the amendments to the Copyright Act, it was the right time to get started.

So, SAI is focused on Hindi film singers for now?

All the singers are part of it, and we are not just catering to playback singers, we want Shubha Mudgalji from classical background to join us and I have also spoken to Yesudasji, SP Balasurbamium and other singers in south. We want to set an example in Mumbai and then take the same model regionally.Everybody should be part of the association and that is when the strength comes in. In 2010, we had a meeting with all the young singers too. The major thing I requested is not to use the association as a mafia to ban Pakistani singers or other causes. The moment you start using associations to threaten the industry, negative vibes come in.

Do you believe the Act empowers the singers?

The problem is, if a singer rebels against the system, there is someone else to fill in for him.They take advantage of the fact that you are not indispensable. Anybody can sing today,even the actors. Singing is not a big deal in films frankly and they take advantage of this fact, but of course, they lose out on the long term credibility of the songs. It’s only when we have the right lyrics, right music and right voice that songs become hit otherwise they are visible till promotions are on and vanish.

How have things changed with the amendments?

The amendments to the Copyright Act have brought in some rights we are entitled to.We have to strategise and create a system.Considering the biggest lawyers are behind producers and music labels, they put us into these contractual obligations. We want the producers to get their money, and at the same time ensure performer royalties flow in too. I don’t want to name the sources, as we are yet to decide. I would be able to shed light more next month after SAI’s meeting in May.Earlier, composers had asked Lataji to not fight for royalties, creating an animosity between composers and singers. It took sometime to get both the fraternities together, and today, SAI works in tandem with MCAI. Legally, you cannot collect royalties individually, so you have to register as a bodyand we have applied for registration of a copyright society. ISRA (Indian Singers Rights Association) will take care of royalties for all singers.

Royalty being prime, could you talk about the other challenges that singers face?

The biggest challenge today, more than royalty, is getting credits in a film. For example, in the latest Bombay Talkies theme song, uploaded on T-Series’ YouTube channel, they have given credits to all the actors but not the singers. They called us three months back to croon the numbers, so all the singers recorded the tribute song. I am sure nobody asked for money, and yet instead of listing our names, they have mentioned‘Various Singers’.Also in films, credits to singers are given in the end. This is a country where the actors lip sync to the voice of the singers. This system has been in place for the last 70 years, so they should at least appreciate the fact that they cannot sing. In other countries, the songsare played in the background. So, why follow the Hollywood system of crediting in the end here?

Random Access Memories, electronica duo Daft Punk’s new offering went live on iTunes on 14 May and shot to the top of the iTunes charts within a few hours of its release.

It’s the duo’s first album in eight years to break Spotify records too.

The current record for fastest selling album in its first week is held by Oasis, who sold 600,000 copies of their 1997 album ‘Be Here Now’ in the seven days after its release.

The album had been leaked on the internet earlier and is their fourth studio album. Unlike their other albums they got musicians to record live instrumentation in professional studio locations.

Daft Punk have been working on Random Access Memories since 2008, and the album will be out on May 21st.

 ———-

The moment Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani’s song Badtameez Dil, sung by Benny Dayal and Shefali Alvares, hit television screens, everyone fell in love with Ranbir Kapoor’s dancing skills. Sound Box makes you meet the man behind Kapoor’s choreography: Remo D’Souza, who has earlier given many hit dance sequences. Speaking about the sequence, D’Souza says, “To choreograph a beautiful song one should have a good music and the songs of the film are too good; one can match the steps with the songs. Badtameez Dil is Ranbir’s second entry in the film. It’s a reintroductory track held in a marriage party, so Ayan Mukherji (director) wanted everything grand from costumes to dance steps. The moment I heard the song, I knew I can make it more stylish and incorporate more steps into it.”

D’Souza says Ranbir is a born dancer and the track also includes dubstep moves that have been done brilliantly by the actor. Shot in five days, the song also showcases similarities to Shammi Kapoor’s dancing styles. On the close resemblance, Remo says it was not a deliberate attempt. “I guess the song has yesteryear’s feel to it and people see the connection because Ranbir possessed unparalleled energy like that of Shammiji when it came to dance. The song has mix steps in it. I think the shake that he does have little inspiration from Shammiji.”

Commenting on the actresses Deepika Padukone and Kalki Koechlin’s dancing sequence D’Souza adds, ”Deepika is a brilliant dancer but she hardly has any dance moves. Whereas, Kalki is not very comfortable dancing, but whatever she does, she looks cute so her steps are such that it doesn’t need much grooving.” D’souza has also choreographed the holi track Balam Pichkari. “Till date, it’s the toughest song to choreograph. Holi song is difficult because it has colors and you have to be careful with it. Colours should be of good material and the steps should not include the colors going in anyone’s eyes. It’s the first holi song shot in night and it took six days. Deepika and Ranbir have done a brilliant job,” he concludes.

Produced by Dharma Productions and UTV Motion Pictures and directed by Ayan Mukerji, the film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani features Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapur in it. The film hits the theatres on May 31,2013.

————– You have been doing a lot of jazz based collaborations recently… do you plan to move to more jazz based playing?

I love jazz music which is why I have been doing a lot of it but I haven’t decided to move completely into jazz based playing. There will be jazz and many others as well.

Tell us about the Crossroads Guitar festival that concluded recently with a star line up – what prompted you to establish it? What is the idea? What are the plans for it in the coming years?

It is basically a benefit concert. The festival benefits the Crossroads Centre, which I founded few years ago. The concerts are also intended to be a showcase for a variety of guitarists. I try and handpick them myself.

The album has cover versions of songs that have inspired you. What kind of alterations and personal influences will one find on these cover versions?

Well this whole album is a tour from my childhood till now, from the thirties till date. The songs which I heard while growing up to songs I hear today. It’s a reflection of this cycle. Moreover there are songs dedicated to my family so you will also find the emotional touch.

The album also features a collaboration with Paul McCartney and Steve Winwood.. how did these tracks come about?

Oh these tracks are amazing. These songs have a different element to it. I love the songs personally.

Will you be doing more of film and TV work post Men In Black last year?

Of course we will, provided we are satisfied with the kind of work they want us to do and the prospect of the job. That has always been the most important thing for our band and me personally.

Is there any more new material coming up?

Not immediately but yes eventually you will see more of our work. Actually in terms of work, we are always making music but it’s just that we need to feel its right enough to go out there.

Strumming Away

• Eric Clapton has sold more than 38.5 million albums in the USA
• Fans have used the major search engines to find Eric Clapton lyrics, tab, discography, stats, CD’s etc. over 124,000 times in a recent one month period
• Clapton played a Martin 000-42 acoustic guitar for much of this performance, and in 2004, the guitar sold for $791,500 (£434,400) in auction

————– Continuing the musical legacy of their parents, progeny of Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, Loy Mendonsa, Kavita Krishnamurthy — L Subramaniam and Lesle Lewis are coming together on one platform for a musical project conceptualised by Lewis.

The project will be an electronic dance music (EDM) album, featuring collaborative tracks of Akshay and Karan Hariharan, Siddharth and Shivam Mahadevan, Shane and Alyssa Mendonsa, Divya Lewis and Bindu and Ambi Subramaniam along with Lewis.

Though an EDM album, it won’t be totally instrumental, but will have a fine balance between music and lyrics. The project head and composer Lewis says, “The album won’t be typically EDM that we hear in general, but will have a personal touch of each singer’s musical background. We have a collaborative track with each singer and they have their own unique style. I will try to polish that style and mould it into EDM music. It will feature the strengths of each and every singer on the album. The whole process will be quite tricky as I am trying to achieve a cross-mix of EDM and Bollywood.”

Commenting on his young brigade, Lewis states, “These kids are the future of the music industry and they have acquired training from the best. Their parents were masters in their respective genres. My basic duty in this project is to guide these kids on their musical journey. This is the first time that the children of star musicians and singers are coming together under one roof and working together on the same project.”

With the increasing number of EDM acts being featured through various fests, the EDM space in India is rapidly growing. “The EDM space is burgeoning with various international artists performing EDM in India. So, the whole idea behind this album is to bring Bollywood into EDM. We will improvise with the tracks and include some of our touches to it. For example, Akshay and Karan Hariharan might do some beat-boxing or it may also have Ambi playing violin,” Lesle’s daughter, singer and songwriter Divya asserts.

As claimed, the album will highlight the musical style of each and every singer, the youngest of the lot being Shivam Mahadevan, who hopes to become an all-rounder like his father. He will sing a remixed version of his father’s track Mere Piya Tere Bina.

Artist: Ram Sampath

Label: T-Series

Ram Sampath has a lot of great ideas and his execution is often right on the mark. Fukrey is another soundtrack that really captures the excitement of the youth; flawlessly mixing electronica with bhangra and usual Bollywood music.

The title track starts like a usual bhangra based dance track. But once the melody comes in with heavily distorted guitars playing the chords, you are hooked. The lyrics are just too catchy and powerful. In the middle of the song a heavy dubstep beat comes in and you are floored. We had earlier reported that Mr Sampath lifted the dubstep part off of another song (read our story here) But despite that, it fits in perfectly with the song.

Beda Paar is also a great song. The bassline is amazing and comes in right from the start. And the electronica and bhangra fusion maybe overdone but is done quite tastefully here. Unfortunately Lag Gayi Lottery continues the same theme but is slightly more clichéd and usual. It has the same house music vibe, though the vocals are exceptional with pleasant harmonies. Rabba also has exceedingly interesting vibes and beats but the vocals are a little letting down.

But the most interesting song is Karle Jugaad Karle which somehow without any warning mixes qawwali with rock. Distorted guitars and clapping swing beats is a great combination and works great in the song. Kailash Kher’s voice is worth a few paragraphs at least. Hitting impossible notes with ease and drawing the interest of people with his mastery, he makes the song work. This album is a part of the new era in Bollywood music and Ram Sampath’s ideas and mastery of execution are all present in this album.

Something Relevant

The theme of the video is basically what the title suggests- dance along and have a good time. At the start of the video there is a message that says that they wanted to see if they could make people dance despite the rules prohibiting them from doing so. The video includes the band getting into vehicles with their equipment and generally setting the obvious exposition (that the band is on tour). The video then moves from shots of the band in performance, the venue of which varies from shot to shot, and then to shots of the band doing their shenanigans.

The music is extremely danceable and has a subtle Latin vibe to it. You cant help but tap your foot along and the band’s charm in playing around and general aura of tomfoolery leaves you happy and excited. The casual shots of Stuart DaCosta dancing very strangely in a variety of strange locales ( like the bottom of a swimming pool…yes I mean underwater) are funny and getting a bunch of actors to dance in slums and other bizarre areas is weirdly engaging. You don’t know why you enjoy the video but you do so immensely. It’s fun, carefree, unpretentious, and has good enough camera work to make this an exceedingly watchable video.

Madhuri Dixit may be looking stunning all the same but does she really sizzle? Well, sadly, the picturisation entirely fizzles out of our public memory – the jhatkas et all aren’t enough to term this as an ‘item number’. Farah Khan seems to have focussed on the grace forgetting too soon her very own hits like Sheila Ki Jawani. And that is exactly what is expected out of the once Ek Do Teen star.

Pritam, who has been the master of party hits like Tum Hi Ho Bandhu has been rather mellow on this one. Keeping the feel rural, the instrumentation is way too minimal – a few dhol beats could have added to the rhythm and upping the scales with variations would have done justice. Rekha Bharadwaj’s rendition is technically perfect but not sensuous enough, or atleast naughty per se. It’s only Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics that are the catch out here – with usage of puns like ‘via-agra’ he has given the track the much needed oomph.

The track might garner TV rotations but radio plays are something that might take time to catch up. With Aashiqui 2 and Fevicol Se riding the charts, it seems to be quite a task. How this will do on the CRBT front also, only time can tell. There is Jumping Zapak to compete with out there.

Artist: Imagine Dragons

Label: Universal Music

Bursting on the pop scene, Imagine Dragons have rethought what a pop album should be. Filled with imaginative songwriting and catchier-than-thou hooks, Night Visions is an album to contend with.

The first song, Radioactive, is their first big hit off the album. Starting with an acoustic guitar line, the song quickly changes into something bigger and more powerful. It suddenly breaks into a dubstep inspired beat, with glitchy bass and a slow paced beat. The chords are uplifting, and Dan Reynolds’ rhythmic vocals with their interesting phrasing really hit the spot. Their next big hit — It’s Time — has the catchiest melody line and uncomplicated instrumentation. A pop song through and through, it easily gets stuck in your head.

On Top of the World stands out with its beat and (very danceable) groove, and has a very easy-going and island-party feel. It’s instantly likeable. Hear Me on the other hand, sounds more like a rock song, with the simple structure to go with it — chilled out verse-big chorus-solo-end. The chorus sounds larger than life, but overall the song sounds a little clichéd. Working Man hits the bull’s eye, with a stop-and-go beat, a captivating vocal line and a head-bobbing chorus.

The album ends with Fallen, which showcases them as a rock band again. The guitars are prominent with a marching bassline. The guitars provide a subtle line here and there and the overall sound is very big and powerful. The album is a must listen, and proves that pop can be different and highly experimental while appealing to the masses.

This designation is because of his role in the Amendments and the Copyright Act in Parliament. The Board also recommended the name of French electronic music artist Jean-Michel Jarre to succeed Robin Gibb, who passed away last year, as President of the global body.

Once confirmed by the General Assembly, Javed Akhtar’s role will represent the 3 million creators registered with the 231 Authors’ Societies and Guilds in 121 countries and, based on his experience in India, help mobilise and lobby for their rights with governments and in various international forums.

In 2011, worldwide royalties collected by CISAC members on behalf of creators reached $10.3 billion (INR 56,430 crores).

Bebo will see the tracks being sung by Alfaaz with rapping and compositions by Honey Singh. Currently, we have learnt that three tracks have been finalised. The release will be under the banner of Mafia Mundeer Productions, his own record label. Date of release is yet to be announced and the singer has not apparently zeroed down on one.

Singh and his management refused to divulge any more details about the album on being contacted.

Yo Yo Honey Singh had shot to fame with his 2012 release, International Villager, which had his popular tracks such as Brown Rang, Angreji Beat and Dope Shope. It also saw him collaborating with artists such as Diljit Dosanjh and Gippy Grewal among others. Singh’s recent single Bring Me Back, released for MTV’s new show Spoken Word has also been garnering hits on YouTube.

Devoid of advertisements, the service believes in a healthy blend in strategies of ad driven and listener funded models (subscription). The balance will be fine tuned soon, Singh insists. “As a content creation company, we will design, create and distribute audio content for marketers in a targeted and engaging fashion and this revenue source will be one of many that will make up the revenue base.” The same shall apparently help them de-risk the model and thus allow them to place their eggs in a different basket. The consumer research has revealed to them that ads are a major friction point (in its current form) of FM radio and people are willing to spend some money on ad integrated content.

The company is the authorised importer and distributor of the car audio, accessories and mobile entertainment products in India. Ground Zero is also a manufacturer of subwoofers, amplifiers and high quality speaker systems.

Speaking of his association with Ground Zero, Hrithik Roshan says, “Ground Zero is all about superior sound quality with focus on the customers, like no other brands. I am proud to represent Ground Zero, a brand that is futuristic and boasts of high-quality German technology. My love for music and the brand’s vision together will be a mutually rewarding collaboration.”

The company plans to initiate 360° marketing campaign with Hrithik Roshan to expand Ground Zero’s consumer base in India. “Hrithik Roshan was the obvious choice as our brand ambassador. He truly reflects the classy, hi-end charismatic persona of the brand Ground Zero. He is a true embodiment of the brand’s philosophy and we are thrilled to have him on-board”, states Sahil Sani International MD and the Indian representative for Ground Zero.

While, Mirchi hiked its advertising rates by 20 per cent, Big FM has increased its rates by 15 per cent across all the stations. Fever FM has also amplified its ad rates by 20 percent across the four markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. The stations explain the move as a natural correction after taking into consideration the demand for radio.

Sound Box digs further to find out whether the hike in radio ad rates is a positive and justified move for the sector.

The radio inventories had witnessed a down fall since 2008 but post the second half of 2012, the tables have turned. Justifying the move, Ashwin Padmanabhan, Business National Head, 92.7 Big FM explains, “It’s a correction on our part, as for past five to six years, the demand for radio was low. But now, as the market is witnessing a spike in radio sector, the demand from clients as well as inventories have also seen an upward trend.”

Agreeing with Padmanabhan, Ashish Pherwani, Ernst & Young LLP, Partner, Advisory Services, also states that the hike in ad rates is well justified as for past few years the rates for radio were discounted. Although there are positive signs for radio, Pherwani sheds light on the poor ad spends. He includes, “As the overall inventory for radio was low since 2008, the total ad spends are merely three and a half per cent of the whole pie. The major chunk is invested in television and out of home (OOH) promotions.”

While the radio business might seem as the most undervalued, with the pity share of ad spends, Hitesh Sharma, COO, Radio Mirchi thinks otherwise. The advertising business is not isolated from the general economy environment.

According to Sharma, the factor of no new capacities and lack of variation in content is also one of the main reasons for the slowdown. But after Phase III, he is certain that the industry will undergo changes and will work as a catalyst for the sector. “Post Phase III, the business will see changes again, as it will depend on the spectrum fee and launch price for the station. If the spectrum fee is high, it will ultimately affect the ad rates. The introduction of new frequencies will be a challenge, but it will benefit the sector in terms of advertising. The new frequencies will lead to an expansion of the sector, which would benefit the consumer and increase the significance of radio. Once the value of the platform is increased, it will automatically pull in new advertisers,” he concludes.

Fresh from the release of Aashiqui 2, T-Series head honcho Bhushan Kumar is basking in the glory of the remake. Sony Music actively pocketing recent Hindi films doesn’t bother him, as he says. Kumar gets talking with Sound Box about the competitors in the music space and the labels’ film forays

 T-Series had back to back two film releases, so will the label release a movie every two months? And would that be mix of small and big budgets?

I hope so, because we are planning around seven to eight films in a year. A mix of small and big budgets…

Yes. We are targeting 80 crore films, 40 crore, 20 crore, 15 crore and eight crore films. In an 80 crore film, you will lose 30 crore and earn only eight crores. That is the thumb rule. But in a small film, I will lose only two to three crore, which is 20 to 30 per cent.

So will music acquisition take a backseat?

No. I have relationships with production houses for the past eight to nine years. No one has left us and gone. If we cannot do it for some reason, then we don’t take up a project or sometimes the price doesn’t match.

You had partnered Eros Music but their recent releases Go Goa Gone and Ranjhanaa have gone to Sony Music. So some production houses are now leaving T-Series…

As I said, the production houses such as Viacom 18 and Fox Star and Big Pictures and the big banners such as Dharma Productions, Rakesh Roshan, Ritesh Sidhwani are with me. Aashiqui 2, as I told you was very close to me and earlier Go Goa Gone was releasing on the same day. So at that point of time I was not very keen to take another film. Had it not been for Aashiqui 2, I would have taken Eros’ films. But I wanted to take more efforts for Aashiqui 2, as I am emotionally connected to it and did not aggressively acquire anything else.

Whichever film has gone out of T-Series, the producers have first come to us. It cannot be that it was not offered to us and straightaway went to some other label. So, Eros did offer us Ranjhanaa and Go Goa Gone, and Balaji Production’s films also came to us. Sometimes, the price structure also deters us. We have so many productions and if I don’t foresee that a film’s music is worth a certain price, then I withdraw. But I don’t do so with my regular producers, there is an understanding there. And they compensate too. But you cannot do so with the corporates.

Today Sony Music is actively picking up projects and Yash Raj Music has entered the fray with Yamla Pagla Deewana 2. Is the space getting competitive?

Competition is healthy, and I wanted competitors in this space. You have to target quality music and I have done that for years. Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 was also offered to me and I did hear the songs. I also heard Ek Thi Daayan, Shootout at Wadala and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. We have decided that this is the price structure we are comfortable with. So if other label buys at a higher price, and the music doesn’t perform to that extent, we know that our decision was right. It’s not about owning 70 per cent of the market, but owning the right music. This year, T-Series has a huge line up and I don’t have time for any other film.

Given the Copyright Act and the revenue streams which are drying up, MG deals in the industry should be replaced with revenue share deals?

First of all, the Copyright Act should be implemented. Copyright Rules are out there, but still in the court. The Supreme Court is yet to decide if the publishing rights on radio, TV and ringtones are for all. As of now, the High Court ruling of common bench says that the publishing right is only on live performances. Music directors and lyricists will get royalties, only if revenue comes from that publishing right. No implementation of the Rules will be seen till September, when a date will be set in the Supreme Court to decide its implementation. Recoveries have come down because of TRAI guidelines and other avenues, but we are working in the same fashion as before.

Even the radio arrangements haven’t changed?

No. They have changed a bit, but are still the same for us. Radio players had gone to the court and got the order, but that is not applicable for us. We are still getting good rates and following the earlier Rs 660 per needle hour rate.

Some companies have actually seen a dip of 70 per cent in radio revenues…

We have also witnessed a dip, but not to that extent. We are still getting the rates, which we have managed through our legal team. For other labels it is a different rate, but for us, we are getting the one which the Copyright Board had decided initially before being challenged by the radio stations.

So, there is a need for price correction given the changing dynamics?

I don’t know how labels are operating. If you buy a film for six to seven crore Rupees, you cannot expect to earn that much. That much recovery is impossible. I am in profit, because of the catalogue we have built. The entire catalogue taken together with a bouquet of compilations is what works for us.

You have a musical with Madhur Bhandarkar… any details you could share?

We are still working on the script and will start work on it this year. I spoke to Madhur and he has two to three ideas.

Has the composer been shortlisted?

The composer isn’t as important today, if you understand what music will work. In Aashiqui 2, we have two three different composers… we will do the same thing with many of our films now.

The posts on their page fall in to two broad categories —posting videos and songs from YouTube (usually using their signature ‘good morning froggies’), and posting about the shows and events happening (or to happen) at the club (accompanied with the event’s posters and images).  There are also links to blueFROG’s YouTube channel (FROG TV), which consists of videos taken during performances.

The links to blueFROG’s website are few and far in between. The page is more or less an entity of its own, which people rely on to know which event is happening when.

Unfortunately, the page does not promote every event, and only the major ones. This could be looked at as a huge flaw in their Facebook promotion, as their footfall would reduce for their not-so-major shows. However, the posting is quite regular, and sees about six to nine posts a day. The page looks visually appeasing, as every post has pictures or some visual content with it.

In a nutshell, it’s a page with a large amount of content with high value.

Label: T-Series

Pritam has undeniably entered a new era of music with great panache. After the award winning sound track of Barfi!  Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani mixes melody and fun in a very modern way.

Badtameez Dil is the first song and starts with a jazz trumpet, which goes into a very party-in-Rio-de-Janeiro mood. Benny Dayal’s vocals are cheeky and the vibe is very joyful and exciting. Balam Pichkari is a holi song, with unparalleled vocals by Shalmali Kholgade and the chorus section with Vishal Dadlani is also well sung. The music is a little predictable —a usual fusion of Indian and western beats. The bass and floating accordion lines are remarkable.

Ilahi is the most well composed song. The fast paced acoustic guitar strumming is marvelous, and the phrasing of vocals is spot on. The uplifting melody steals the show. Unfortunately, Dilliwali Girlfriend is very clichéd, with minimum originality. The party and club-hit mood with Punjabi tinged vocals are overdone.

Ghaghra is a great song, with a musical mood harking back to folk and qawwali days. Rekha Bharadwaj’s sassy vocals are well complemented by the tight music and unconventional lyrics. The last two songs are different versions of previous songs. Kabira (Encore) is very subtle and subdued with a soothing melody and feel. The Ilahi (reprise) is also nice, though not too dissimilar to the original. Only this time, Mohit Chauhan is singing with his flawless vocals. Some of the added instrumentation is also nice, especially the mandolin and the strangely pleasing bridge section.

A great album by Pritam, which has a song for every kind of listener.

Music Expo happens to be the international trade platform which brings together buyers and sellers of the pro audio, lighting, stage equipment, live sound, install sound, music production and AV integration industry. Scheduled to take place from May 30 to June 1 this year, Anil Chopra, managing director at Diversified Communications which organises the event, speaks to Sound Box about the innovations this year and the changing industry

What new innovations shall we be seeing this year at Music Expo?

The Piano Hall, a special area designated to showcase the latest in pianos, a much sought after musical instrument in India, for its high class image and preference for the middle class to introduce their children to this sophisticated music learning.

This year, the Music Expo’s special emphasis will be placed on Indian instruments at the ‘Indian Acoustic Instrument Village’, where renowned Indian musical instrument manufacturers will showcase their products.

Another important step to innovate the face of Music Expo is the trade focus and attention on expanding the dealerships across India, to broaden the sales of musical instruments (MI). So the first two days of the Expo will be reserved exclusively for trade and institutional buyers. Musicians and students will be allowed to test and play the exhibited instruments on day three. This is to avoid disruption of business, due to the sound of musical instruments being played at nearby stalls.

 How many exhibitors have registered for the Indian Acoustic Instrument Village segment and which brands will be on display?

Music Expo 2013 has cultivated itself as India’s largest and the only trade show for the musical instrument market. This year, Music Expo takes the onus to promote Classical music, by adding a special segment on the exhibit floor ‘Indian Acoustic Instrument Village’. Classical Indian instruments such as the sitar, tanpura, sarangi, or the pahkhawaj seem to be losing popularity among the younger generation of musicians, who are now opting for electronic instruments as per the market trend.

Music Expo being the only show in the Indian MI market, will showcase the Indian Classical instruments and will focus on tapping the potential overseas markets for Indian MI manufacturers.

We expect 70 to 80 brands to be displayed. We may not see too many exhibitors, but the main players will attend, those that will participate will represent many brands. For example, top international brands such as Gibson, Mapex, Laney, Korg, Taylor would also participate along with leading domestic dealers such as Furtados which has up to 61 brands under it and Bhargava Musik, which will represent GBA, Godin, Meinl and Orange. Srujan Musicals will be display Mukund flutes (Indian bamboo flutes) and feather-weight scale changer — Srujana harmonium. There will be other brands also such as Hidersine, Faith, Musik Lounge etc., on the exhibit floor.

Since you have been analysing the music instrument (MI) scenario, how have you seen the gross total sales graph change as compared to last year, both for Indian and Western MI?

As the industry convention the Music Expo is the center point for the musical instrument trade, our team closely studies the growth of the market and consumption. Growth in India is focussed on the Western musical instruments, traditional musical instruments are losing popularity among the younger generation of musicians, who are now opting for electronic instruments such as guitars and drum sets, which are mainly growing.

Wind instruments also do not witness growth, being difficult to learn and play and more difficult to afford as mere 5 per cent of Indian customers ask for classical instruments and so, the prices of these instruments have gone up by 50 per cent in the last five years.

In total, the growth of musical instruments is around 12 to 15 per cent per annum CAGR.

What are the hindrances faced by players in the MI sector?

The difficulty is that sales at present are not growing at a pace at which other costs such as rental, utilities, and advertising costs are growing. Hence it’s a difficult business, which does not allow prime rental property investment. Indians as a rule are focused only on increasing income but do not believe in a better life or fulfilling one’s creative desires.

MI business depends upon the youth who need to devote time to learn music and this is not appreciated by our society. So sales of musical instruments happen only when the customer is truly committed and the number of such youth is increasing but not as much as it should. Otherwise, there are no hindrances in terms of import. It would be good if musical instruments not attract import only and also VAT is exempted. This would be good for the human resources in India.

Artist: Alex Gaudino

Label: Sony Music

This Italian DJ and producer has been making waves in the house scene since the last few years. His brand of intensely catchy melodies and pop mentality are well known and very hard to ignore. This album is a very refined approach to house-pop and his skill as a musician really shines through, though a lot of the songs seem repetitive.

The album starts and it’s already at the best song of the album. I’m In Love has been playing on radios and TV screens for a while now. The album version is a lot more impressive and the subtle programming plays around with the flawless vocals. The melody is so uplifting that it is impossible to not sing along (despite the clichéd lyrics-“I’ll always be yours and you’ll always be mine”). It is a very simple and no-nonsense song which pulls you in with its melody and doesn’t let go. The next song, What a Feeling (featuring Kelly Rowland) is another winner. The music is much darker and beats are heavier. This song also relies heavily on melody and Kelly Rowland does a magnificent job with her soaring vocals. There are very clear piano lines which carry the melody and the stop and go beats only add to this well composed and brilliantly structured song. Even Is This Love(featuring Jordin Sparks) is a similar formula to the previous track. Great melodies with an interesting beat.

Magnificent (featuring Polina) is refreshing change of pace from all the other very clear-cut house songs. The beat is more tribal and down-tempo. The atmosphere is dark which is complemented by the heavy bass and haunting melodies. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album. Unfortunately from this point on, the album goes a little downhill in terms of originality. Some of the songs are repetitive like All I Want (feat. Niles Mason) and Promise (feat. Jay Sean). Both are great songs but sound alike and have a closely similar vibe.

The last two songs on the album are remixes of some of the album songs. Putting them at the end of the album was a great idea. They bring in a very fresh and new flavor to Gaudino’s songs and let you see another side to the music. Is This Love (feat. Jordin Sparks), the Benny Benassi remix is especially amazing and adds a much darker mood to the music. The contrast between the dark music and very melodic vocals is stunning. The album finally ends with Simon de Jano’s remix of I Don’t Wanna Dance (feat. Taboo) which also brings a significantly different flavor and lets you end the album on a big high.