The interesting thing about Jagjit Singh’s new album Muntazir is that besides giving music to two songs himself, he’s used a variety of composers like Ajit Merchant, K L Sehgal, Roy Venkatraman, Lalit Sen and Vishal-Shekhar.

Despite this fact, there’s a certain uniformity in sound throughout the album, which probably indicates that the other composers have tried to adapt to his style, rather than come up with their own flavour.

Muntazir is like most other recent Jagjit Singh albums. His voice is as rich as ever and the rendition is smooth, though stylistically, the songs offer nothing new.

The poetry he’s chosen is rather simple – though those who’ve followed his career will feel that it is half as effective as the poetry of Qateel Shifai and Sudarshan Faakir, which he regularly used earlier in his career. However, what’s welcome is that most of these songs can be identified by lay-listeners.

The album begins with Raat Khamosh Hai, on which Hari Ram Acharya writes: “Raat khamosh hai, chand madhosh hai, thaam lena mujhe, jaa raha hosh hai.”

It’s a simple tune, sung sensitively. Poetically, another beauty comes in the form of Rukh Se Parda, where Anwar Mirza Puri writes, “Rukh se parda utha de zara sa kiya, bas abhi rang-e-mehfil badal jaayega, hai jo behosh woh hosh mein aayega, girnewala hai jo who sambhal jaayega.”

Well-known poet Nida Fazli chips in with four contributions – Yun To Guzar Raha Hai (which has wonderful lines like “Yun to guzar raha hai har ek pal khushi ke saath, phir bhi koi kami si hai kyon zindagi je saath”), Teri Ankhon Se Hi, Bahut Khubsoorat and Benaam Sa Ye Dard. Jagjit also sings Jigar Moradabadi’s Yeh Kiska Tasavvur Hai and B K Puri’s Gumsum Yeh Jahan Hai with immense control.

Compared to albums like Forget Me Not and Soz, which have been released in the past three or four years, Muntazir is far more consistent.

However, it’s too routine a Jagjit album, which not really make it a fan’s favourite. Try it out anyway, whether you’re a long-time admirer or someone who’s been recently initiated into his music.