Artiste: Mohit Chauhan,

Label: Universal,

Rating: 4/5,

We may have missed Silk Route all these years – one of the most amazing ensembles the Indian pop was proud of. Though some of their compositions still remain in our subconscious, they have pretty much frizzled away. Meanwhile, front man Mohit Chauhan made a mark for himself in the bollywood industry after they split. Chauhan sang for some of the best music directors – but we couldn't get to hear the songwriter in him for almost eight years. Through this debut solo album Fitoor, you'll most likely hear him in totality.  

In all, this album has 10 tracks, and has a sound that is a mix of popular genres like rock, blues, country and Indian folk. Fitoor maintains the rawness of what Silkroute was known for, but the ambience and treatment speaks more of what to expect from singer- songwriter Mohit Chauhan. And be assured, the music is meaningful – lyrically – which is another plus. Here's a low down on some of the best.  

The title track Fitoor (meaning, a kind of madness) is a chill out track and an out an out rock song decked with wah guitars, and some great slide guitar work. The title track is definitely one of the best tracks as far as arrangements go. Though Mohit Chauhan sounds same as what we hear of him in films, the track does generate a lot of curiosity of what's in store. The next track Challeya is more on the ambient side and starts of with a catchy guitar riff. Challeya is a Punjabi track were Chauhan sounds the most natural, and this is when you actually start enjoying the album. He does some great vocal improvisations on the track and brings a lot of ghazal inspired semi-classical elements into the song, which surprisingly, fit in quite well. A must hear 

Our Pick

1-Fitoor

2-Challeya

3-Uff Yeh Nazara

4-Jeene De

5-Babaji

6-Musafir

7-Meri Tarah

Most tracks on the album build up gradually and so do retrospective tracks like Meri Tarah and Uff Ye Nazara. These tracks are supported by some great lyrics that are carried forward by clean and simple progressions – must add to the list of addictive tracks. The track that deserves a mention for its folk oeuvre is Mai Ne Meriye. This song, in its lullaby air, speaks about the beauty of north (a place where Chauhan was brought up). Babaji (don't go by the song title) is another interesting track that stands out for its intelligent mix of folk and reggae. There are hardly any tracks on the album that miss the beat which makes the entire album a must hear.

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