A. R. Rahman
"The Best Of A. R. Rahman"
(Sony-Legacy/Bollywood Records)
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With the amazing Academy Awards sweep by the film "Slumdog Millionaire," Bollywood music stands to make new inroads on the global popular culture, and composer A. R. Rahman -- who got an Oscar of his own that night -- has become a household name around the world, even in the United States. Rahman is one of India's best-known and most highly regarded contemporary songwriters, and this is a top-notch collection of his work, as interpreted by various popular Indian artists . The disc opens with an irresistible dance number, "Rang De Basanti", performed by Chitra Daler Mehndi, and branches out into a variety of styles. It's a great introduction to Rahman's work (there are several others to be found as well...) and an enticing doorway into the world of modern Bollywood pop. Recommended! (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To World Music)