Harem [Import]

So what is it like? Well, on the whole the album is built upon the same formula as the last three Sarah albums (Classics, La Luna, Eden) and Sarah's crystalline voice is prevalent and gorgeous as ever, but she has taken a new direction, as roughly half of the tracks are much more up tempo with a handful having a disco/synth/pop foundation - drawing on some of the digital sounds of much current pop music. Others are more anthemic, rock-influenced tracks echoing her earlier work (the albums Divé, and Fly).

The title means "forbidden place", and the Arabic theme runs throughout, blending well with the up tempo tracks as well as the ballads, and making the whole album generally more dramatic and energetic than its two predecessors.

The album opens with the title track - which acts as an overture, setting the Middle-Eastern precedent from the outset, with an orchestral and foreboding first half which erupts into a euro/disco flavoured Turkish dance. Next is an unlikely cover of the Louis Armstrong classic "What a Wonderful World", which seems slightly out of place and is arguably the weakest track on the album.
"It's a Beautiful Day" is a futuristic/Arabic hybrid of an original soprano score from Puccini, with added lyrics and vocals, and a slight rock influence. Almost quite radical, but works well - perhaps indicating the direction Sarah wishes to move in. "What you Never know" follows, a simple and gentle ballad along the lines of "So Many Things" from the Eden album.
"The Journey Home" is a reunion of Sarah with Andrew Lloyd Webber, and although the West End Musical influence is clear the track is no worse for it - a mysterious Eastern opening featuring female Arabic background vocals in the distance, which grows into a moving and filmic ballad. The next Track "Free" is a more pensive love song (co-written by Sophie B Hawkins), with a melancholy and gentle sound; a more European flavour and a little like the sound of Enigma; less Arabic flavoured than much of the album.

Mysterious Days is heavily influenced with Middle Eastern traditional dances, with the swirling mystical strings and Arabic instruments creating a lively and exciting sound. This is followed by The War is Over Now a duet with Kadim al Sahir - which is essentially a fairly ordinary ballad, but moving nonetheless.

This is followed by a short and sweet choral interlude with an excerpt from "Misere Mei", which serves as an intro for "Beautiful" - an ethereal and brilliant cover of the original by Mandalay. This melts into an 8-minute epic "Arabian Nights" which is Sarah's mini interpretion of the original - made up of 5 segments, with a different mood and tempo for each, but returning to the traditional Arabic flavour with full force.

"Stranger in Paradise" starts with a gentle oboe, and is much more like the classical sound we are used to from Sarah, with her soprano vocals sounding divine. This is nicely followed by another ballad - "Until the End of Time", which again is more like the sound of La Luna et al, but with a subtle Eastern echo adding a mystical edge. The finale is another gentle ballad called "Gueri de Toi", sung in French and actually identical musically to the earlier track "Free", again featuring a solo violin from Nigel Kennedy.

On the whole the album is a triumph - varied yet consistent, and a rare example of an artist developing and experimenting freely whilst retaining the essence of style that makes her so unique. Fans will not be disappointed, and new listeners couldn't ask for a better introduction to Sarah Brightman - as the album shows just how creative and diverse she is.

Brilliant!

The song HAREM takes you on a fantasy-voyage into the Arabian Nights (1001 nights fairy-tales). The song has a mysterious Oriental sound. The song “Cancao do Mar” is used for HAREM. Sarah’s voice is so beautiful, very bright and crystal-clear. Great rhythm.
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, same lyrics as with Louis Armstrong but in a new style. Sarah sings passages from Puccini’s “Un bel di vedremo”, from Madama Butterfly during IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY. It would be phenomenal to hear Sarah sing the original versions of “Vissi d’arte” by Puccini and “Casta Diva” by Bellini.

WHAT YOU NEVER KNOW, is a very beautiful song - when you get to know it. THE JOURNEY HOME from the Indian musical “Bombay Dreams” has a fresh rhythm. Sarah sings it incredible with her lovely voice. FREE, is a marvellous song with Nigel Kennedy playing violin at the end of the song

MYSTERIOUS DAYS, fantastic song. Ofra Haza (a Jewish female singer, who sadly passed away 3 years ago) has a fabulous beautiful voice too. Ofra’s and Sarah’s voices suit each other perfectly. The song has a great dance beat.
THE WAR IS OVER (fortunately). Sarah sings it marvellous. She sings duet with an Iraqi singer Kazem Al-Sahir. He sings in Arabic: “Welcome all people of the world”.

MISERE MEI is an interlude to BEAUTIFUL. Two very beautiful songs. ARABIAN NIGHTS. Great beat. Again a voyage-song, like you are travelling on a flying carpet and seeing exotic places. Sarah sings even in Hindi (Indian). Wonderful.

STRANGER IN PARADISE is from “Prince Igor” (Polovtzian Dance). A magnificent song and melody. Sarah sings it superior.
UNTIL THE END OF TIME, is like a fantasy-voyage. You travel in your mind to the sound of Sarah’s amazing voice.

YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY (USA bonus track) taken from Sarah's old album FLY - same recording.

When you buy a CD with Sarah, you always get MUCH MORE than you pay for. This album is not just another brick in the wall, but a milestone in the music-universe – like the other Sarah-albums.

The song HAREM takes you on a fantasy-voyage into the Arabian Nights (1001 nights fairy-tales). The song has a mysterious Oriental sound. The song “Cancao do Mar” is used for HAREM. Sarah’s voice is so beautiful, very bright and crystal-clear. Great rhythm.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD, same lyrics as with Louis Armstrong but in a new style. Sarah sings passages from Puccini’s “Un bel di vedremo”, from Madama Butterfly during IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY. It would be phenomenal to hear Sarah sing the original versions of “Vissi d’arte” by Puccini and “Casta Diva” by Bellini.

WHAT YOU NEVER KNOW, is a very beautiful song - when you get to know it. THE JOURNEY HOME from the Indian musical “Bombay Dreams” has a fresh rhythm. Sarah sings it incredible with her lovely voice. FREE, is a marvellous song with Nigel Kennedy playing violin at the end of the song

MYSTERIOUS DAYS, fantastic song. Ofra Haza (a Jewish female singer, who sadly passed away 3 years ago) has a fabulous beautiful voice too. Ofra’s and Sarah’s voices suit each other perfectly. The song has a great dance beat.

THE WAR IS OVER (fortunately). Sarah sings it marvellous. She sings duet with an Iraqi singer Kazem Al-Sahir. He sings in Arabic: “Welcome all people of the world”.

MISERE MEI is an interlude to BEAUTIFUL. Two very beautiful songs. ARABIAN NIGHTS. Great beat. Again a voyage-song, like you are travelling on a flying carpet and seeing exotic places. Sarah sings even in Hindi (Indian). Wonderful.

STRANGER IN PARADISE is from “Prince Igor” (Polovtzian Dance). A magnificent song and melody. Sarah sings it superior. Rhythm and style a bit like TIME TO SAY GOODBYE. UNTIL THE END OF TIME, is like a fantasy-voyage. You travel in your mind to the sound of Sarah’s amazing voice.

When you buy a CD with Sarah, you always get MUCH MORE than you pay for. This album is not just another brick in the wall, but a milestone in the music-universe – like the other Sarah-albums.