Algeria music reviews

Picture Algerian, Middle-Eastern music mixed with Western pop and you have Abdel Ali Slimani. Thanks again to Peter Gabriel's RealWorld label, we get to hear music that matters. Nine tracks all sung in Abdel's native language with some guest vocals by Sinead O'Connor make this a classic "world music" recording. Passionate and refreshing this cd is a must have for any rock collector.

Incredible vocals slide over a heavy Middle Eastern beat to create an airy, beautiful album. Guest vocals by Sinead O'Connor make a few tracks shine.

Since I acquired XM radio, I've discovered new worlds of music - specifically, the "World Music" channel. Heard the title song of this CD and had to buy it. Thought the rest of the cuts would be throwaways, but was stunned by the power of some of the other songs, such as "Nakhla."

This CD is an education for someone with feet glued to the United States.

The legendary Cheikha Rimitti is thought of as the "mother of rai", and has been recording since the early `50s. Born in 1923, her life would make a fascinating film or book, and her style of singing is a mix of North African music and rai, with a dash of some soulful blues. Her deep, strong voice (I assumed it was a man when I first heard the title song) is earthy and perfect for her rhythmic music. She wrote all of the songs on this CD, co-writing 6 of them with the great Mohamed Maghni, who has produced music for Khaled and Sahraoui, among others, and who has weaved his magic on this CD as well.

Rimitti is known for her somewhat raunchy material, and most of the songs on this album are about passion and lust, but my favorite track is "Rassoul Allah", with words of soul stirring piety, humility and devotion. I am deeply moved by the simplicity and meaning of this piece.
The title track is a fabulous melodic song, but the rest are more in the percussive, tribal mode, with exotic instrumentation. I love the gasba (a type of low-pitched flute) on many of the tracks, and Bellamou Messaoud's trumpet on "Hak Hak", "Osman", and "Khalouhom". Also included is a lot of ululation, a sound I find thrilling.

This is raw, primal music that gets better with each hearing; a tantalizing slice of world music, and a major piece of rai history.
The booklet insert has the lyrics in French and English, the sound is excellent, and total time 59'52.

There are so many compilations out there, and this is one of the best. Regardless of how "important" or "representative" the songs chosen here are, they all sound great! A wonderful addition to any world or African music collection, and great for a beginner in African/world music!

This album is the sixth in a series of introductions to the world's great musical traditions. Each volume is built around a geographical theme and produced by an acknowledged expert in that area.

The African journey commences in Algeria and then heads South, stopping off in Cape Verde, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar, before terminating in South Africa. The 14 tracks are representative but slightly atypical of their regions; most share a semi-acoustic yet modern and edgy esthetic. While a single CD cannot possibly showcase the music of an entire continent, these examples are a good way to get acquainted - or reacquainted - with Africa's stunning musical diversity. The set culminates in a moving rendition of the South African national hymn "Nkosi Sikilele I'Afrika," as performed by the Imilonji Kantu Choral Society, who sang it at former President Nelson Mandela's inauguration.

A smooth and delectable release by this great duo, the production and arrangements are polished and cosmopolitan, making this a big transition from their early days as pioneers of rai in Oran, with a sound that is more accessible to a wider audience.

Some of the highlights are "Bab Wahran", about the love of their homeland, "Dance the Rai", a fun and joyful piece with a touch of disco feel to it, "Hasni", a rap tribute to their friend, the popular singer Cheb Hasni, who was assassinated outside his Algerian home, "Mani", which has a traditional African influence, the sensual "Dougih", and they finish with their big hit "N'Sel Fik", though the original, earthier version, on the "Rai Rebels" CD, has the edge on this one.

Total time is 51:20, and the informative booklet insert has some rudimentary English translations of the lyrics, an interview with the couple, a history of Algerian music and the instruments used, and even some recipes ! The pear custard sounds yummy.

Sahraoui, who's voice has a timbre that goes straight to my soul, is a superb singer, and Fadela's rich, powerful voice blends so well with his. Though no longer a team, they left us some marvelous recordings, and continue on their separate paths. Recommended also is Sahraoui's recent solo CD, "Un Homme Libre".
For anyone who has yet to listen to the beauty and wide range of styles of Arabic music, this wonderful CD might be a good place to start.

7) "Walli"-Chaba Fadela & Cheb Sahrawi (1997). If you only want to buy one 'ra�' CD-this is the one. This is one of my all-time favourites. Finely and heavily produced by Bill Laswell. Just about every cut is unforgettable. They have even translated the Arabic lyrics into English for those who like to read lyrics. Track 2, "Walli" starts off like a Brazilian rumba but then swings into Arabic, big bass, and the Tijuana Brass sound. There are definite Laswellian bass lines in this cut that sound awfully familiar to those in Aisha Kindisha's "Shabeesation" CD. Flamenco guitar, darbuka and Laswell on bass start off the next dancey track-"Dance the Ra� " A brilliant booklet that is provided is worth the price alone. It details the progression the 'roots of ra�', translates the lyrics into English, it has a cooking section, description of the musical instruments of Algeria, books and further recordings from Algeria. Track 6, "Hasni" has heavy bass lines, tape loops, scratch and is a brilliant tribute to their friend--the late Cheb Hasni. This is almost done in the tradition of a dub remix like the kind Abdel Ali Slimani does on his (1995) CD "Mraya". On "Hasni", we hear Moroccan 'Gnawa' artist Hassan Hakmoun reciting a traditional Moroccan refrain for the dead-"Make room in the grave (for comfort in death), and perhaps in the afterlife, too." On track 7, "Wayala", traditional 'qaregeb' clappers and West African harmonies lead into this cut with George Benson on guitar! "Waadi" starts out with Cheb Hasni keyboard work and this leads into a great song, which translates into "Just My Luck". They end the Cd with a pretty lame version of their most famous track to date-"N'sel Fik".

I have a lot of world music samplers and a consistant problem with them is that they are not consistant. But this album has 7 diffrent tracts from 7 diffrent cultures and every one of them is a gem.

I highly recommend setting time aside to listen to this cd. Warda's voice is timeless, clear as crystal and her intonations punctuate her emotion seemlessly. Recorded live in Beirut, one feels as if he/she is in the audience. I am touched by Warda each time I listen to her voice.

This CD is an excellent blend of rai music. The flavour is distinctly Gnawa....Arabic, Moroccan, French, Reggae, African. Wonderful beats, intrigueing lyrics, and downright enjoyable!

This CD is an excellent blend of rai music. The flavour is distinctly Gnawa....Arabic, Moroccan, French, Reggae, African. Wonderful beats, intrigueing lyrics, and downright enjoyable!

I have a CD called "The Best of Rai" that has the exact same tracks listed as this CD, so I can only assume they are the same. It's great high-energy Rai with a lot of variety. Simply a must-buy at the price.

One insomniac night in 1995 listening to BBC World Service I heard a track which made me sit up & glue my ear to the muffled MW signal to desperately catch the name of the artist. Remember that feeling?! I scribbled it on piece of paper & ordered the album the next day. It was from 'New Moon' by Abdelli, a Berber musician exiled in Belgium. If you can wear out CDs, my copy needs at least a buff-up with the Brasso. So at last, 8 years later, more music from this man with the one-off voice. 'New Moon' had a character all its own, combining rhythmns and scales from an ancient tradition with contemporary keyboards and western instruments. Above it all, Abdelli's soaring, imploring voice as the extraordinary commonality. 'Among Brothers', 3 years and 4 continents in the making has quite a different character. It eschews overt western sounds for a broader, richer palette of strings, woodwinds, reeds & percussion, recorded outdoors in many cases using specially-developed microphones. The result is a more diverse-sounding album but with a new edge of colours and sounds. I would also say with more consistent, developed material than 'New Moon'. It is, in truth, a fantastic recording, full of the detail Peter Gabriel hints at but here it's all real, from a real world. Neat eh? I know I'll play this record for years. How can you put a price on music like this? In a world where 'soul' music now lacks that very essence, music like this created with such love, joy, sadness, yearning & fun is literally priceless. Thanks to all the 'brothers' who played on this; thanks Thierry Van Roy for producing & playing, and thanks again Abdelli for your eternal voice.

I gave my copy of this CD to a friend living at the other end of the planet before I found out that it would be hard to order a new copy for myself :( Deplorable, because this CD is one of the best in its sort (pop rai, late eighties, early nineties). It contains only 6 tracks, 6 jewels though. Rightly named 'best of', it is.