Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Product Description
Review
Singer Natacha Atlas is now recording in London rather than Cairo, but perversely this is her most traditionally Arabic album, at least in terms of its nostalgia. Working with musical director Harvey Brough, she's chosen a classicist acoustic approach, as opposed to her usual electronic reinventions of Middle Eastern and North African sounds.
Natacha's fluttering voice is very prominent in the mix, allowing the space to savour every detail of her ornamented phrasing. Around half of the songs have a 1940s or 50s aura, sensitively interpreted by an orchestra of serpentine strings, ney flute, oud, percussion and a horn section that includes Julian Siegel. The Egyptian star Gamal Al Kordy makes a notable contribution on accordion; an apt inclusion given his involvement in many of the original recordings of these songs.
It's not all Arabic traditionalism, though. The Atlas/Brough songwriting partnership has produced four originals and a pair of arrangements, which revisit ancient folk forms, both Western and Eastern. Two of the originals possess strange echoes of other songs, with the title track evoking both Jacques Brel and James Brown's It's A Man's World.
A reading of Black Is The Colour follows Nina Simone's formula; just voice, piano and strings, sung in English. There's also an eerie version of a Frida Kahlo poem, in its original Spanish, sung as a duo with baroque guitarist and oud player Clara Sanabras, who this time opts for a pinging ukulele. And then, Brough re-arranges Hayati Inta, taken from the last Atlas album, driving all night down the highway of doom.
El Asil, from the book of Egyptian singer Abdul Halim Hafez, is followed by a lush arrangement of a tune that's at least 500 years old, with an exquisite ney/accordion conversation as its introduction. Such diversity might sound excessive in print, but the experience of gliding down these wayward alleyways produces a seamless sensation of high creativity, tastefully programmed. Ana Hina is set to be one of the year's finest albums. --Martin Longley
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Review
Quite apart from her own prodigious talent, Natacha Atlas has always been extremely shrewd in her choice of musical partners. Jah Wobble, Nitin Sawhney and Transglobal Underground are but some of them and, on her latest recording, she adds the maverick arranger Harvey Brough to the list. At first listening, Ana Hina seems to represent an abrupt left turn, as there is not a loping drum-loop to be heard and droning synthesizers are replaced by a tastefully arranged string quartet. And, while half of the tracks are Arab classics, many of the arrangements owe more to tango than raqs sharki. Not that any of this should surprise us, for Atlas has always been an unashamed magpie when looking for inspiration. The influence of Lebanese superstar Fairuz is never far away and three of the songs are by her mentors and composers, the Rahbani Brothers. However, where their orchestrations can drown you in syrupy sweetness, these renditions have a steely restraint. There have been moments in Atlas' recent albums when she has edged towards the maudlin but here we find a deeper wisdom and even joie-de-vivre in its place. She clearly enjoyed working with a new team of musicians, and most notable amongst these is the singer and guitarist, Clara Sanabras. A darling of the early music fraternity, her contributions are utterly enchanting and the duet on La Vida Callenda is pure delight. Just as Natacha Atlas' future looked a little uncertain, she presents us with something alluring, intriguing and extremely witty. (5 stars) --Bill Badley, Songlines
Natacha Atlas, whose ecstatic vocals graced many a global groove from the likes of Transglobal Underground and Jah Wobble, has found an inspired new setting for her Middle Eastern heritage. Western strings, Spanish oud and Egyptian accordion contribute to a rich acoustic context for both Arabic songs and original compositions. Natacha's voice was always an instrument to admire; here, beautifully recorded, it finds a new range of expression, curling sensuously around Arabic lyrics from Lebanese diva Fairuz, and Egyptian icon Abdel Halim Hafez, and lending an oriental touch to Black Is the Colour . Add in some big-band Arabic swing and an almost operatic duet with Spanish singer Clara Sanabras, and you have both a promising new direction and a career highlight for Ms Atlas. --NIGEL WOOD, The Irish Times, 13 June 2008
Natacha Atlas, whose ecstatic vocals graced many a global groove from the likes of Transglobal Underground and Jah Wobble, has found an inspired new setting for her Middle Eastern heritage. Western strings, Spanish oud and Egyptian accordion contribute to a rich acoustic context for both Arabic songs and original compositions. Natacha's voice was always an instrument to admire; here, beautifully recorded, it finds a new range of expression, curling sensuously around Arabic lyrics from Lebanese diva Fairuz, and Egyptian icon Abdel Halim Hafez, and lending an oriental touch to Black Is the Colour . Add in some big-band Arabic swing and an almost operatic duet with Spanish singer Clara Sanabras, and you have both a promising new direction and a career highlight for Ms Atlas. --NIGEL WOOD, The Irish Times, 13 June 2008
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Although a very singular work, "Ana Hina" calls to mind a number of unique (and very different) albums including Bim Sherman's re-recording of a number of his old songs in the acoustic reggae-meets- Bollywood "Miracle" album, Joanna Newsom's "Ys" in which the baroque ornateness of Van Dyke Parkes met Steve Albini's minimalism with wonderful results and, thirdly, the Greek singer Savina Yannatou's Primevera en Salonico disc "Sumiglia" which showcases songs from Greece, Corsica, Italy, Sicily, Galicia, Palestine, Albania, Bulgaria, Armenia, Moldavia and the Ukraine. Like Yannatou, Atlas celebrates the differences between various musical traditions while highlighting their commonality.
"Ana Hina" is, however, also very different from these recordings as Atlas and Ensemble re-record some of her old songs, showcase new ones and interpret traditionals and cover principally Lebanese and Egyptian famous songs. This diverse selection is embellished with varied instrumentation which is full of colour and texture while Atlas's voice is at her most emotive and, even in the saddest numbers, there is a greater warmth than on any previous Atlas recording.
Although the highlights are too many to name, from the opening Lebanese song "Ya Laure Habouki" (Oh, Laure my love to you), the standout for me is the only song in English, the traditional "Black is the Colour", variously claimed as Irish, Scottish and Appalachian, which shames a host of mawkish versions by "authentic" Celtic artists. It is a slowburner par excellence, full of dignity, restraint and pure emotion.
Elsewhere "Hayati Inta (Reprise)" is a fantastic reworking of a track which appears on Atlas's "Mishmaoul" album reinvented as (to quote the informative liner notes) "The Doors meets Mingus meets Miss Atlas" as a wickedly noir-esque bass collides with energetic accordion.
I would like to think that this album would appeal to anyone with a genuine and open-minded interest in music. It is has a richness and maturity in which playfulness and vitality are not sacrificed, a rare combination in world, jazz, fusion, pop, traditional and every other form or genre of music. This deserves to be a huge hit with critics and the music-buying public alike.
"Ana Hina" is, however, also very different from these recordings as Atlas and Ensemble re-record some of her old songs, showcase new ones and interpret traditionals and cover principally Lebanese and Egyptian famous songs. This diverse selection is embellished with varied instrumentation which is full of colour and texture while Atlas's voice is at her most emotive and, even in the saddest numbers, there is a greater warmth than on any previous Atlas recording.
Although the highlights are too many to name, from the opening Lebanese song "Ya Laure Habouki" (Oh, Laure my love to you), the standout for me is the only song in English, the traditional "Black is the Colour", variously claimed as Irish, Scottish and Appalachian, which shames a host of mawkish versions by "authentic" Celtic artists. It is a slowburner par excellence, full of dignity, restraint and pure emotion.
Elsewhere "Hayati Inta (Reprise)" is a fantastic reworking of a track which appears on Atlas's "Mishmaoul" album reinvented as (to quote the informative liner notes) "The Doors meets Mingus meets Miss Atlas" as a wickedly noir-esque bass collides with energetic accordion.
I would like to think that this album would appeal to anyone with a genuine and open-minded interest in music. It is has a richness and maturity in which playfulness and vitality are not sacrificed, a rare combination in world, jazz, fusion, pop, traditional and every other form or genre of music. This deserves to be a huge hit with critics and the music-buying public alike.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A slight departure from previous, but still compelling. Another truly excellent piece of work from this highly underrated artist, in my opinion the finest of all vocalists. The Union Chapel concert was quite amazing.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Just an appreceation
The first time I heard this disc I was in New Zealand. The melody and singing intrigued me. I just had to have this disc. Read more
Published on 9 July 2009 by Norman G. Foster
Voyage into a land of dreams
I do not speak Arabic, Perhaps I should. Because I do think that in today's multicultural world one should make an effort to familiarize oneself with the cultural accomplishments... Read more
Published on 7 July 2008 by biltmans
unspirited
Yes, the review published above (from Songlines) is right enough: the arrangements here are restrained and 'tasteful'. And also her singing...but too much so, for my taste. Read more
Published on 30 Jun 2008 by Paul Callick
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
