While the word "platinum" in the title might suggest to the potential buyer that this album is yet another compilation of
Asha Bhosle's recording highlights, in fact it is a new album, and the word is meant to signal its relationship to the singer's 75th birthday in 2008. To mark the occasion, composer Nitin Ramesh Shankar has written nine new songs for her to sing. In keeping with her status as Bollywood's leading "playback singer" (i.e., one who dubs in the singing voices of non-singing film actresses),
Bhosle gets to apply her still supple voice to a variety of styles of music, from the pop-jazz of "Yeh Nazar Jo Jhuk Rahi Hai" to the outright jazz of "Kamsin Kamsin Main," the dance pop of "Kyun Chalti Hava," and the reggae of "Main Asha Hoon." It is only on the closing song, "Hai Rama," that something of a traditional Indian sound emerges, and even then it is accompanied by keyboard programming that wouldn't be out of place on a
Michael Jackson track.
Bhosle has made her reputation on her versatility, and she never sounds fazed by what's going on around her on this disc, sticking to the work at hand, which is to provide sweet and appropriate vocals over whatever music may be accompanying her. She's a pro, and 75 years on, she doesn't seem to have lost much of her ability. ~ William Ruhlmann