EXPECTATIONS There are decent expectations from the music of Prince. Since this is a film from the house of TIPS, certainly quality is expected from the soundtrack. Moreover, the man at the helm of affairs is debutant director Kookie Gulati who has many a music video to his credit. It can well be expected that for his first full length feature film, he would have at least a couple of chartbuster songs up his sleeve. However, since the film has taken a little time in reaching towards the finishing line, there is a slight apprehensive factor that sets in. Nevertheless, one goes on to play the soundtrack of Prince which is made of an astonishing 16 tracks, half of them being remixes. Sachin Gupta composes while Sameer writes.

MUSIC It's a techno start for the album with 'O Mere Khuda' giving a high energy start to Prince, something which was pretty much required for the film belonging to action genre. Atif Aslam, who has been known for singing romantic melodious songs, finds a new space for himself as composer Sachin Gupta puts him in a situation where he has to replicate an effect similar to that of the title song of 'Dum'. The common factor here? Vivek Oberoi. While the opening lines of 'O Mere Khuda' are a cracker, especially with the accompanying sound of 'Aa Bhi Ja Sanam', the 'antara' is a little loose. Still, one doesn't mind the overall effort primarily because of the out and out Western setting of the song which appears again in the 'Dance Mix' version. Later the song is heard again as 'Aa Bhi Ja Sanam' which basically has the same tune as 'O Mere Khuda' but is paced on a slightly slower note. This time around the song has a love setting to it and one can sense that Atif feels a little more in the 'zone' here! With a lounge feel to it, 'Aa Bhi Ja Sanam' makes for a good hear as well and so does the 'Dance Mix' version which is obviously more upbeat.Remember the chartbuster track 'Ho Jaata Hai Kaise Pyaar' from Sanjay Dutt and Manisha Koirala starrer Yalgaar? A couple of lines from the middle of the song are used as a basis to kick start 'Tere Liye' which comes on its own within a matter of seconds and turns out to be a smashing love song that gets the hook on in the very first listening. Atif Aslam and Shreya Ghoshal make for a good pair here as they keep the techno mood of the album on. Despite the Western setting that 'Tere Liye' carries, there is an touch of melody to the proceedings that ensures that if coupled with good visuals (which should be the case), 'Tere Liye' will succeed in keeping the audience's attention on. Such is the confidence of the makers in 'Tere Liye' that the song appears in as many as four versions. After the original, the next to come is the 'Dance Mix' version which has a club feel to it. The 'Hip Hop mix' which comes later is softer in appeal, has a sensual feel to it and is a much better bargain. The best is reserved though for the 'unplugged version' which impresses primarily due to its unadulterated presentation. With just a guitar in the background, composer Sachin Gupta also brings himself behind the mike and comes up with a good solo version. Now this one can be given a repeat hearing. A theme song centred on the protagonist who is struggling to find his own identity, 'Kaun Hoon Main' has a rock setting to it and takes some time before it leaves an impression for the listener. Of course the sad setting of the track as well as an inherent situational appeal means that 'Kaun Hoon Main' is not the next chartbuster in the making. Still, the Western arrangements to the song helps it from turning into a complete pushover as 'Kaun Hoon Main' (which later appears in a 'Dance Mix' and 'Lounge Mix' version) holds on reasonably well and ensures that it goes well with the narrative. Prince gets an item number for itself in the shape of 'Jiyara Jiyara' which has the kind of lyrics that Sameer has been living with for decades now. Though there is nothing novel about the words that are handed over to Alisha Chinoy, credit to her and composer Sachin Gupta who save the number from turning into a complete disappointment. Together, they give a Western treatment to the song (and later do a good fusion in the 'Bhangra Mix' version), hence making it sound contemporary at the least. Expect soaring temperatures when the song is played on screen, especially due to the way Alisha Chinoy goes about singing this number with Hard Kaur coming up with her rap inputs. Monali Thakur gets a solo for herself in the form of 'Ishq Mein' which keeps the upbeat mood of the album intact. There is a sense of seduction prevalent right through this song which doesn't boast of any path breaking lyrics but yet again finds a place for itself courtesy the composer and the singer. A love song where the female protagonist is craving for attention, 'Ishq Mein' gels well with the overall mood of the album and turns out to be a decent inclusion. Later arrives the 'Prince - Mega Mix' which is indeed a mega version considering its running length of 7 minutes. A dance floor track that has to be put on blazing volume to be enjoyed, it is an amalgamation of number of songs from the album and hence sees Atif Aslam, Shreya Ghoshal, Alisha Chinoy and Hard Kaur coming together all over again. It would be interesting to see if a music video is built around 'Prince - Mega Mix'. Prince concludes with a 1 minute theme track titled 'Prince - Theme' which plays its role of 'rounding up the album' quite well. A high energy close to an overall high energy album.

OVERALL As stated earlier, the USP of Prince is its high energy. Regardless of the lyrics or the heard before feel of a couple of songs, Prince works because young composer Sachin Gupta ensures that there is an upbeat mood to each and every song, whether it is the theme track, sad track, love song or an item number. He never lets the tempo slow down for Prince which goes well with the thriller mood of the film. No, Prince is not an album which would be heard six months down the line. However, when heard with the narrative of the film, Prince should do well for the moment.

OUR PICK(S) Tere Liye, Aa Bhi Ja Sanam, O Mere Khuda

Sheniz Janmohamed is a freelance writer, poet and spoken word artist. She completed her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at The University of Guelph, and was mentored by GG nominee and National Bestelling author, Janice Kulyk Keefer. Her thesis is a collection of essays and poems reflecting her triune identity as a Canadian, South Asian and Kenyan. She has also completed a manuscript of ghazals in English, and is collaborating with international dub/electronica artists on numerous musical/spoken word projects. She has written for South Asian Living magazine, City Masala Magazine and Anokhi Magazine. She is the President and Founder of Ignite Poets, an spoken word initiative that allows young poets and spoken word artists to work together for peace and partnership. She recently travelled to Kenya to work with Kenyan poets on a collaborative show that raised money for Hawkers Market Girls Centre in the slums of Nairobi. She has performed at various venues across Toronto, including the Strong Words Reading Series, Toronto Poets’ Saturday Night Love, The Mini Shebang High School Tour and Masala! Mehndi! Masti!

About the MMM! Performance, The Universe Within:

On Saturday, February 20th, 2010, Sheniz Janmohamed performed as part of the MMM! Winterfest. The Universe Within, a collaborative poetic performance produced by Sheniz Janmohamed, featured Awais Jaffery on acoutic guitar, Kumail Khan on dumbek and Sediq Danesh on harmonium/vocals. The audience experienced the mystical poetry of Rumi and the timeless wisdom of Allama Iqbal as well a sufi inspired piece,"We Are", written and performed by Sheniz.

To watch clips of the performance, visit:

We Are:

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Breathe My Name/Finale:

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To find out more about Sheniz and her upcoming performances, visit:

Myspace: www.myspace.com/shenizpoetics
Facebook Fan Page: Sheniz Janmohamed