I have on occasion toyed with the idea of putting together a compilation of RD Burman instrumentals. It would, inevitably, be a fantastic collection, and 'Dance Music' from 'Mukti'[review] would be one of its finest tracks.
I've played it non-stop since obtaining the soundtrack a few months ago. If Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini and Lalo Schifrin had ever worked together, the result might have sounded like this: A multi-faceted masterpiece, with a jazzy Euro-bossa vibe, wordless vocals à la Edda Dell'Orso (c/o Usha Iyer?), swirling strings that remind me of Scott Walker's great 'Plastic Palace People', cool lounge-funk, breakbeats (toward the end); all serving to enhance a perfectly sublime, haunting melody.
Initially, the rest of the album didn't interest me much, but it's grown on me immensely on subsequent listens. Low-key throughout - there's Rafi's wonderfully soulful 'Pyar Hai Ik Nishan Qadmon Ka', Asha's sweet and poppy 'Dil Sajan Jalta Hai' (with a neat ska-tinged break in the middle), the melancholy sounding 'Lalla Lalla Lori Doodh Ki Katori' and 'Suhani Chandni Raten', and finally the fun and playful 'Main Jo Chale Pee Kar'. And did I mention the instrumental?
Well worth grabbing, this.
Track listing:
1. Mohd. Rafi: Pyar Hai Ik Nishan Qadmon Ka Part I
2. Asha Bhosle: Dil Sajan Jalta Hai
3. Mukesh: Lalla Lalla Lori Doodh Ki Katori
4. Mohd. Rafi: Pyar Hai Ik Nishan Qadmon Ka Part II
5. Mukesh: Suhani Chandni Raten
6. Lata Mangeshkar: Lalla Lalla Lori Doodh Ki Katori
7. Asha Bhosle & Kishore Kumar: Main Jo Chale Pee Kar
8. Dance Music