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`Ab Ke Baras`

Suneeta Rao is back with a bang. Her latest album, `Ab Ke Baras` presents her most mature effort to date. Rao has tried to weave diverse musical influences in her songs. So there`s a dash of salsa, a hint of Arabic music and lots of folksy melodies from Rajasthan thrown in. Stirred together with Suneeta`s more than competent voice, the result is a musical smogarsbord.

`Ab Ke Baras` makes a departure from Rao`s earlier albums that were largely monochromatic musically. From the rather gauche, `Suneeta Senorita` to `Dhuan` to `Talaash`, Rao has come a long, long way. Unlike her contemporaries, she has constantly evolved her style. The vocals on this album are much more supple and versatile than her earlier efforts. Thankfully, the songs on this album are far removed from the synthesised bhangra pop churned out by everybody North of the Vindhyas. Instead, infectious folk tunes from the desert state of Rajasthan are brought to life by Suneeta`s lilting voice. While most of the tracks have a breezy, catchy rhythm to them, the standout is the title track, `Ab Ke Baras.` Full of energy and joie de vivre with an earthy, rustic charm, the song sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Rating: Anaida? Alisha? Mehnaaz? Forget about them. Rao is the undisputed fairy goddess of Indipop.