Indian Ocean is my personal favourites. With Kandisa their last album, the foursome arrived with a concrete sound, away from the free-flowing eclecticism of their previous two efforts. Renoo is a rank newcomer. Together they make an interesting combination. Sanjeev Sharma, who had written the lyrics of Kandisa, also figures in Renoo's eponymous debut credits.

The refreshing part first. The arrangements are novel. The synthesizers are largely silent. Dholak and harmonium make themselves heard together with ghunghroo and other natural sounds. ‘Thirakti Kyoon Hawa' is another love song, and have I been destined to hate each and every one of them. No, it's not so. ‘Thirakti Kyoon Hawa' is a ‘hatke' love song. If art never changes and only the material does, then it's the finest example that art evolves and if not so becomes repetitive, boring and finally moribund.

‘Yeh Yaraana' another bitter-sweet song is another such song where the interpretation makes all the difference. The concern with voice quality that affects most Indians might come in handy for the purists, as Renoo is susceptible to lapses in the higher octaves. A five-minute song ‘Kal Kya Ho' starts with a piano intro, leading to a guitar solo with good bass lines by Rahul Ram. Carnatic violins meshed with drums and guitars don't confuse and the optimism in the song is lent urgency by Renoo.

Rahul Ram accompanies the piano into in the final Side A song ‘Zaalim'. And Renoo shines through here. The inherent contradictions of Love could not be put more succinctly and unsentimentally thereby making it eternally optimistic. This is Sanjeev Sharma's song and Indian Ocean would have made Shailendra proud;
Pal, pal chale har pal dil yeh chaal belagaam
Ji ka jangal ji ko, zindagi haraam.
And even though sounding like ‘Kaali Nagin Si' (Mann) which itself was a copy from an East – Asian tune, it's originality lies in starkness and simplicity.

Side B starts with the seemingly pedestrian ‘Oye Oye Oye'. The masti song honours its genre and the slow pseudo-jazz section flanked by Indian styles makes it worthy of being the first song of the Fi side.

A hardcore ballad, ‘O Jaane Jaan' is that mellow number that makes the Indi – Pop repertoire so boring and bathetic. Surprisingly emotive, Renoo manages to hold on to the nearly five minute song on her own with the excellent support of Sanjeev Sharma. ‘Kai Na' at first seems silly, but it has an interesting groove. It also shows where Renoo is comfortable and where she needs to work out. A learning experience this, as much for the singer, composers, music company as much for the listener.

Renoo ends with ‘Ishq Ishq'. Sanjeev Sharma suddenly seems to have run out of words. Kai Na and then ‘Eeyeh'. Well, ‘Ishq Ishq' is a regular kind of number that's more of Biddu's domain.

A decidedly different album. The songs are more real, although people can grudge the quality of Renoo's voice. Creating a right balance between the traditional and contemporary, Indian and the world, Indian Ocean and Renoo have managed a gainful entry. Will they stay?