Note: The rating of this soundtrack is solely based on the one original track and its corresponding remix.

Are you ready to experience yet another intense angle of Vishal Dadlani and Shekhar Ravjiani? Are you ready to be captivated by a traditional genre entrapped in modern-day arrangements and enlivened by a soulful, authentically real voice? Well, brace yourself. Because we’ve heard many “modernized” qawwalis, but none quite like this one.

Composers Vishal and Shekhar, vocalist Hamsar Hayat, and lyricist Panchhi Jallonvi seamlessly come together to extract a number that will top the charts and redefine the genre of “contemporary qawwalis.” The song in question is Allah-O-Ali, and the venue…well, your spirit!

“Chadte toofan mein, uthar sakta hoon. Naam lekar tera kuch bhi kar sakta hoon. Aaj sajde ki laaj rakle varna, main bandagi ke hadh se guzar sakta hoon.” – Panchhi Jallonvi

The number is lit with the inaugural voice of Hamsar Hayat, a grandmaster vocalists who hails from the Nisamuddin Mosque in Delhi. Reference his album “Apni Masti” to witness the powerful skills and unmatched talents this man possesses. Nonetheless, after we are so delicately introduced to the vocals, V-S impeccably slither their ingenious rhythms underneath Hayat’s sultry rendition. And magically we have this liquid amalgamation of eastern percussion, dholak, a very effective Slap Bass (or what seems to be), and rhythmic “claps” that up the enjoyment level.

“Hawa pe rukh pe diya rakha hai, hawa ko tevar badalne honge. Meri aqidar ki aanch pe ab, tere faislon ke paththar pighalne honge.” – Panchhi Jallonvi

A bit past the interval, Hayat further impresses with his brilliant rendition of alaaps and swaras, liquefying with the music once again to create a truly phenomenal experience for the dedicated music lover. Towards the latter portions of the song, V-S up the adrenaline and Hayat puts it into overdrive, and we now realize what Vishal Dadlani meant when he referred to the piece as “an intense qawwali.” Another facet that makes this piece high in appeal is its aggressive nature. What I mean is, sometimes you can have rather “passive” quality tracks that take their time to grow on you. However, Allah-O-Ali is quite aggressive/intense in that you’re hooked midway through your first exposure. Now, is that Vishal-Shekhar or is that Vishal-Shekhar? Apart from the chemistry shared between V-S and Hamsar Hayat, Panchhi Jallonvi has truly outdone himself with some splendid poetry here. I hesitate in commenting further on his words, as they surely do no justice to the gorgeous meanings that are intertwined within each and every elegant line of the song.

After finding out that the album contains a “remixed” version, many listeners will be immediately turned off, as its unfair to butcher such a phenomenal number. However, the industry has been infiltrated by such cheap and lackluster remixes that we have begun to typecast all such mixes as “bad,” without realizing that, if done with style and class, a remix can be quite entertaining; as is the case here.

It goes without saying that this is a very intense remix on more levels than one. The renovated composition is very characteristic of some of Vishal-Shekhar’s past works: A heavy composition with a vast array of synths and beats. Furthermore, Hayat’s rehashed rendition still contains the energetic passion that the original endures. Panchhiji’s lyrics are the one constant in this very enthusiastic equation that should be heard all over the discs.

Although Tathastu embodies only the one original piece by Vishal-Shekhar, it showcases some similar (I use this term loosely) qawwali type songs from various films of various time periods, none of which quite capture the passion that is emitted by Allah-O-Ali.

It’s safe to say that Nitin Manmohan and Anubhav Sinha have themselves a very anticipated project in Tathastu, and this solo piece only heightens the frenzy. Vishal-Shekhar are breaking barriers these days with their unconventional styles and fearless approach to trying their hands at new genres. And it would be any man’s honor to work with such poised, talented, and laid-back men; for whom music is nothing but fun!