Algeria music reviews

In case you have already read my review of Cheb Mami's later album "Meli, Meli", you would know that I was completely impressed with the music on that CD. However, his cd "Saida" is even better! For anyone new to the musical genre of Rai, either one of these albums makes a wonderful introduction, but the beauty of the melodies on "Saida" is priceless. Cheb Mami's musical range, both vocally and in his diverse styles, is amazing to observe and he deserves to be better recognized in the musical world. I believe that we will eventually see/hear more from him.

I recommend this album with the highest praise. For years I have been a hardcore fan of Spanish, Greek and Turkish music, so adding a new style to my collection was a treat. Cheb Mami is a musical wonder to my ears.

Sheikha Remitti, after listening to her album, this album, has changed the way I look at modern Rai music. Modern Rai is all about copying the old stuff and root and fooling around with some guitars, bass and production effects.. Khaled has proven pioneer in that.. but who gives a goddamn hoot or credit to the people who first created those compositions and inspiration ? none,, none of those new singers on top of which is Khaled have given credit to Sheikha Remitti. This is outrageous ! Please listen to this album, it will show you this cool scotch like voice of Remitti but so powerfull, so old, so vaccined with morality and honesty. Rabbi m3ak a Remitti ! laytawwallak fla3mer alalla. Fi Khater Hmida dyal Paris!

The music on this CD is magical in its way of taking you to sacred places, to see in your mind's eye the spirits that live around us. Listening to this music on a hot summer evening is a truly heart and mind touching experience! It is a rare CD indeed that keeps me listening to it over and over again! The similarities and differences of religious music around the world makes for excellent doctoral dissertation stuff, and I won't go there now, but the rich tapestry of sounds presented here make me want to go immediately to North Africa and the Middle East. Magnificent!!

This music is great. I heard the song titled "Sahra" back in 1997, when my dad played it in his car. I was like who is this guy? I love REGGAE, SOCA, CALYPSO, ZOUK, COMPA, & AFRICAN MUSIC. All those six big genres and their sub genres fall under what I call The "REGGAE CATEGORY." This music is a mix of tropical, arabic, reggae funk, and true african falvors that reach through all borders. Khaled is truly a talented perfromer,singer, and writer. I am just surprised that he is not popular in America. If he had a RAI concer North America, I guarantee, many americans would have a "RAI" craze. Anyone reading this, I strongly recommend you buy this cd, if you do not like it, sell it back or give it to a friend. But give it a chance and it will grow on you. This music is great, it falls right under African-Algerian music. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Reggae Forever!

For me, this is THE quintessential Khlaed album of all time. It combines many different styles of music from around the globe, each piece masterfully written. The gritty voice of Cheb Khaled is unbelievably beautiful, and highly entertaining. I do not speak Arabic, but the lyrics are great to listen to. What's nice about this album is that Khaled combines some Spanish (Ki Kounti with Saul Hernandez) and French (Aicha and Oran Marseille) into the record. The title song is particularly good. Sahra combines strings of an Arabic flare with some upbeat dance rhythms that make it a very catchy tune, along with the synthesizers and percussion. I do not particularly care for rap, but the IAM solo on "Oran Marseille" is REALLY entertaining. Plus, it's not offensive when you don't understand a word of French rap. Other notable songs on this alum include the classic "Aicha", the beautifully orchestrated "Mektoubi" (complete with a great horn section and sax solo) and "Ki Kounti" which combines traditional Arabic music with typical Spanish music with a funky flare. This is a great album. Every tune is very catchy, and it's gtreat music for the heart and soul.

There is a subtle jazzy sound to this CD when compared to some of Khaled's other releases, as well as a mix of styles, but this master of the rai genre excels at them all. Some superb musicians are included, and I especially like "Detni Essekra", which reminds me of a tango, with its emphasis on piano (Boyan Zulfikapasic), stringbass (Bernard Paganotti) and accordion (Philippe Eidel).
"Ki Kounti" is another gem; recorded in Los Angeles, it is a duet with Saul Hernandez, composer and lead singer for Mexico's well known rock band Jaguares, and is sung partially in Spanish.
Three tracks were recorded in Jamaica, and have a marvelous bouncy reggae feel to them: "Lillah" has a terrific brass accompaniment, "Ouelli El Darek" nifty background vocals by the "I Threes", and "Mektoubi" is an all-out big band number.

My two favorites would be "Wahrane Wahrane", which like a traditional Arabic pop song has a string arrangement similar to what one would have heard backing the classic Egyptian singers of a generation ago, and the final track, "Hey Ouedi", with its mystical quality, is quite thrilling, with instruments seeming to imitate the sound of ululation.
"Oran Marseille" with rap group IAM, only works half-way for me (I like the Khaled parts and the instrumentation), but perhaps that is because I do not care for rap music. "Aisha" is a signature song for Khaled, and always great to hear.

Khaled is a pioneer of rai music, and his title of "King of Rai" is well deserved; with his gritty expressive voice, he has brought this music to every corner of the earth. Also recommended is his CD "Kutche", and the live performance album with Faudel and Rachid Taha, "1, 2, 3 Soleils".
Khaled co-wrote all the songs except "Hey Ouedi", which he wrote alone, the sound is excellent, the insert foldout has recording info but no liner notes or lyrics, and total time is 51'51.

This music is great. I heard the song titled "Sahra" back in 1997, when my dad played it in his car. I was like who is this guy? I love REGGAE, SOCA, CALYPSO, ZOUK, COMPA, & AFRICAN MUSIC. All those six big genres and their sub genres fall under what I call The "REGGAE CATEGORY." This music is a mix of tropical, arabic, reggae funk, and true african falvors that reach through all borders. Khaled is truly a talented perfromer,singer, and writer. I am just surprised that he is not popular in America. If he had a RAI concer North America, I guarantee, many americans would have a "RAI" craze. Anyone reading this, I strongly recommend you buy this cd, if you do not like it, sell it back or give it to a friend. But give it a chance and it will grow on you. This music is great, it falls right under African-Algerian music. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Reggae Forever!

For me, this is THE quintessential Khlaed album of all time. It combines many different styles of music from around the globe, each piece masterfully written. The gritty voice of Cheb Khaled is unbelievably beautiful, and highly entertaining. I do not speak Arabic, but the lyrics are great to listen to. What's nice about this album is that Khaled combines some Spanish (Ki Kounti with Saul Hernandez) and French (Aicha and Oran Marseille) into the record. The title song is particularly good. Sahra combines strings of an Arabic flare with some upbeat dance rhythms that make it a very catchy tune, along with the synthesizers and percussion. I do not particularly care for rap, but the IAM solo on "Oran Marseille" is REALLY entertaining. Plus, it's not offensive when you don't understand a word of French rap. Other notable songs on this alum include the classic "Aicha", the beautifully orchestrated "Mektoubi" (complete with a great horn section and sax solo) and "Ki Kounti" which combines traditional Arabic music with typical Spanish music with a funky flare. This is a great album. Every tune is very catchy, and it's gtreat music for the heart and soul.

There is a subtle jazzy sound to this CD when compared to some of Khaled's other releases, as well as a mix of styles, but this master of the rai genre excels at them all. Some superb musicians are included, and I especially like "Detni Essekra", which reminds me of a tango, with its emphasis on piano (Boyan Zulfikapasic), stringbass (Bernard Paganotti) and accordion (Philippe Eidel).
"Ki Kounti" is another gem; recorded in Los Angeles, it is a duet with Saul Hernandez, composer and lead singer for Mexico's well known rock band Jaguares, and is sung partially in Spanish.
Three tracks were recorded in Jamaica, and have a marvelous bouncy reggae feel to them: "Lillah" has a terrific brass accompaniment, "Ouelli El Darek" nifty background vocals by the "I Threes", and "Mektoubi" is an all-out big band number.

My two favorites would be "Wahrane Wahrane", which like a traditional Arabic pop song has a string arrangement similar to what one would have heard backing the classic Egyptian singers of a generation ago, and the final track, "Hey Ouedi", with its mystical quality, is quite thrilling, with instruments seeming to imitate the sound of ululation.
"Oran Marseille" with rap group IAM, only works half-way for me (I like the Khaled parts and the instrumentation), but perhaps that is because I do not care for rap music. "Aisha" is a signature song for Khaled, and always great to hear.

Khaled is a pioneer of rai music, and his title of "King of Rai" is well deserved; with his gritty expressive voice, he has brought this music to every corner of the earth. Also recommended is his CD "Kutche", and the live performance album with Faudel and Rachid Taha, "1, 2, 3 Soleils".
Khaled co-wrote all the songs except "Hey Ouedi", which he wrote alone, the sound is excellent, the insert foldout has recording info but no liner notes or lyrics, and total time is 51'51.

This was my first Cheb Mami cd I purchased and he quickly became one of my favorite artists. Even if the listener doesn't understand what he is saying due to the language difference, Mami's voice still speaks to the audience and is just incredible. The tracks called Parisien Du Nord are some of my favorites since it is done with a French rap artist. I highly recommend this cd to Cheb Mami fans new and old.

Cheb Mami is quality and talent. This cd is my favorite of his. This cd seems to contain some more "traditional" rai and middle eastern rhythms. #3 is magical and so is parisien du nord. The tracks on this cd are diverse and magical to listen to again and again. Gotta love his voice.

Cheb Mami has one of the most appealing voices today. I played this CD in my car for weeks before I wanted to listen to anything else. I am currently choreographing to Aswah (#11); next I may get to #8 (I am a bellydancer) Rai can be described as a head-on collision between traditional middle eastern music with rock'n'roll and a good dose of rap. Ain't it funny how fusion can often bring forth the best (in people and in music.....my philosophy for the day)

This was the CD that started Putumayo's Groove series;so far,it's one of the best.While many of the songs are about unrequited love,they are also incredibly danceable&upbeat.

Highlights-
1)Moi et toi-This has a funky beat.
2)Galbi-Another great song about unrequited love.Abdy is truly talented.
3)Leiley-A remix by Transglobal Underground.Dania's song of longing is amazing.
4)Kidda-This song introduced me to the great Natacha Atlas.I now have 3 of her CDs.This song,of course,is about unrequited love&is quite raw&powerful.
5)Ne me jugez pas-A boy band from Morocco sings a great song remixed by Volodia.


If you want a bazaar of music,try this one!

I absolutely loved this CD! It was refreshing and i could definitely listen to it over and over again!
I am in love! This CD brings out the beats that i would never have expected for arabic music.

Putumayo is the finest place to hear music which takes you by the collar and shakes you until your teeth fall out. We heard Arabic Groove in an upscale electronics store, bought it on the spot, and have, since then, purchased a cd by almost every artist represented. From there we have found other groups and types of music, all of which can be traced by back to this Putumayo collection.

If you like this (and who wouldn't?) give North African Groove a try, in addition to the Sahara Lounge, and perhaps broaden your listening a bit, and step into African Groove. The world is full of music, and Putumayo is helping us find it.

Faudel is one of rai's brightest stars, but in this first CD, he only partially succeeds; a partial success from Faudel however is probably better than the best from many singers. He has an excellent voice, and in these songs sounds youthful and sweet, and not what one usually associates with rai music. He tends to sing in a higher register than he does in his subsequent albums, and his voice does not have the colorations and mature musicality that it has on his 2nd effort, "Samra".

Favorite tracks: "Omri": A flamenco flavored number with terrific guitar work.
"Abadou": Faudel sings in a throatier voice on this track and sounds great, and the song has the feel of a more traditional Arabic melody.
"N'Sel Fik": Here Faudel is joined by Samira Cherraj for a rousing version of the song made a hit by the duo of Fadela and Sahraoui; this track is terrific and "real rai", with no "pop" sugarcoating.
Faudel fans will also like his hit "Tellement n'Brick", which is given a second "hip hop" version on track 12, and the title song is given an "oriental" version on track 13.
If you're looking for an authentic sounding rai CD, you will only like "N'Sel Fik", if you're a devoted Faudel fan, you'll enjoy it.
Sung in a mix of Arabic and French, the sound is good, and total time is 57'58.

Baida is excellent album from Faudel that spotlights this young singer's exceptional talent. The CD is fused with Arabic rhythms, North African beats, French lyrics, R&B, pop, and a host of other musical stylings. This has got to be one of the best CDs that represent rai music.

"Anti" opens the album with an upbeat tempo and is followed by the uplifting "Eray." "Tellement n'Brick" is Faudel's breakthrough French single that best highlights his talent. "Dis-moi" is a political outpouring expressing the frustrations of the beur generation in France. "Omri" is yet another great song with Spanish influence sung entirely in Arabic. "La valse" is not a high-point and "Baida" is another generally good song. "Miskin" is an up-tempo song that is almost reminiscent of Culture Club beat fused with Indian rhythms. "Abadou" is a slow yet soothing piece and "N'Sel Fik" is a fast beat duo with a girl. "Ma vie" is yet another take on frustrations of the beurs. The remix for "Tellement n'Brick" was really unnecessary and very inferior to the original track. Yet the remix for Baida is better orchestrated on the final track remix.

The fusion of the all the different sounds is very innovative and it is what makes the opus truly groundbreaking. This is a must have for anyone who needs a little flavor in his music collection.

Our western aproach to music is very different than eastern ways, sometimes even when you are not understanding a damn thing what singers are saying, you can feel that they are so close to true emotions and that they are really bare souls searching for non-terrestrial comunication.
Fortunately once Khaled passes away, we'll have another "chosen one" among us, and it's this boy.
The first time I listened to the tittle song, I felt so vulnerable that I was even ashamed of myself.
Buy this cd and prepare yourself for a sublime experience, half of it it's a bit edgy since he mixes hip-hop, techno-pop and other western styles with rai (now an essence within the style) but the other songs are so great that you will never regret.

Faudel is one of rai's brightest stars, but in this first CD, he only partially succeeds; a partial success from Faudel however is probably better than the best from many singers. He has an excellent voice, and in these songs sounds youthful and sweet, and not what one usually associates with rai music. He tends to sing in a higher register than he does in his subsequent albums, and his voice does not have the colorations and mature musicality that it has on his 2nd effort, "Samra".

Favorite tracks: "Omri": A flamenco flavored number with terrific guitar work.
"Abadou": Faudel sings in a throatier voice on this track and sounds great, and the song has the feel of a more traditional Arabic melody.
"N'Sel Fik": Here Faudel is joined by Samira Cherraj for a rousing version of the song made a hit by the duo of Fadela and Sahraoui; this track is terrific and "real rai", with no "pop" sugarcoating.
Faudel fans will also like his hit "Tellement n'Brick", which is given a second "hip hop" version on track 12, and the title song is given an "oriental" version on track 13.
If you're looking for an authentic sounding rai CD, you will only like "N'Sel Fik", if you're a devoted Faudel fan, you'll enjoy it.
Sung in a mix of Arabic and French, the sound is good, and total time is 57'58.

Baida is excellent album from Faudel that spotlights this young singer's exceptional talent. The CD is fused with Arabic rhythms, North African beats, French lyrics, R&B, pop, and a host of other musical stylings. This has got to be one of the best CDs that represent rai music.

"Anti" opens the album with an upbeat tempo and is followed by the uplifting "Eray." "Tellement n'Brick" is Faudel's breakthrough French single that best highlights his talent. "Dis-moi" is a political outpouring expressing the frustrations of the beur generation in France. "Omri" is yet another great song with Spanish influence sung entirely in Arabic. "La valse" is not a high-point and "Baida" is another generally good song. "Miskin" is an up-tempo song that is almost reminiscent of Culture Club beat fused with Indian rhythms. "Abadou" is a slow yet soothing piece and "N'Sel Fik" is a fast beat duo with a girl. "Ma vie" is yet another take on frustrations of the beurs. The remix for "Tellement n'Brick" was really unnecessary and very inferior to the original track. Yet the remix for Baida is better orchestrated on the final track remix.

The fusion of the all the different sounds is very innovative and it is what makes the opus truly groundbreaking. This is a must have for anyone who needs a little flavor in his music collection.

Our western aproach to music is very different than eastern ways, sometimes even when you are not understanding a damn thing what singers are saying, you can feel that they are so close to true emotions and that they are really bare souls searching for non-terrestrial comunication.
Fortunately once Khaled passes away, we'll have another "chosen one" among us, and it's this boy.
The first time I listened to the tittle song, I felt so vulnerable that I was even ashamed of myself.
Buy this cd and prepare yourself for a sublime experience, half of it it's a bit edgy since he mixes hip-hop, techno-pop and other western styles with rai (now an essence within the style) but the other songs are so great that you will never regret.

Faudel is one of rai's brightest stars, but in this first CD, he only partially succeeds; a partial success from Faudel however is probably better than the best from many singers. He has an excellent voice, and in these songs sounds youthful and sweet, and not what one usually associates with rai music. He tends to sing in a higher register than he does in his subsequent albums, and his voice does not have the colorations and mature musicality that it has on his 2nd effort, "Samra".

Favorite tracks: "Omri": A flamenco flavored number with terrific guitar work.
"Abadou": Faudel sings in a throatier voice on this track and sounds great, and the song has the feel of a more traditional Arabic melody.
"N'Sel Fik": Here Faudel is joined by Samira Cherraj for a rousing version of the song made a hit by the duo of Fadela and Sahraoui; this track is terrific and "real rai", with no "pop" sugarcoating.
Faudel fans will also like his hit "Tellement n'Brick", which is given a second "hip hop" version on track 12, and the title song is given an "oriental" version on track 13.
If you're looking for an authentic sounding rai CD, you will only like "N'Sel Fik", if you're a devoted Faudel fan, you'll enjoy it.
Sung in a mix of Arabic and French, the sound is good, and total time is 57'58.

Baida is excellent album from Faudel that spotlights this young singer's exceptional talent. The CD is fused with Arabic rhythms, North African beats, French lyrics, R&B, pop, and a host of other musical stylings. This has got to be one of the best CDs that represent rai music.

"Anti" opens the album with an upbeat tempo and is followed by the uplifting "Eray." "Tellement n'Brick" is Faudel's breakthrough French single that best highlights his talent. "Dis-moi" is a political outpouring expressing the frustrations of the beur generation in France. "Omri" is yet another great song with Spanish influence sung entirely in Arabic. "La valse" is not a high-point and "Baida" is another generally good song. "Miskin" is an up-tempo song that is almost reminiscent of Culture Club beat fused with Indian rhythms. "Abadou" is a slow yet soothing piece and "N'Sel Fik" is a fast beat duo with a girl. "Ma vie" is yet another take on frustrations of the beurs. The remix for "Tellement n'Brick" was really unnecessary and very inferior to the original track. Yet the remix for Baida is better orchestrated on the final track remix.

The fusion of the all the different sounds is very innovative and it is what makes the opus truly groundbreaking. This is a must have for anyone who needs a little flavor in his music collection.

Our western aproach to music is very different than eastern ways, sometimes even when you are not understanding a damn thing what singers are saying, you can feel that they are so close to true emotions and that they are really bare souls searching for non-terrestrial comunication.
Fortunately once Khaled passes away, we'll have another "chosen one" among us, and it's this boy.
The first time I listened to the tittle song, I felt so vulnerable that I was even ashamed of myself.
Buy this cd and prepare yourself for a sublime experience, half of it it's a bit edgy since he mixes hip-hop, techno-pop and other western styles with rai (now an essence within the style) but the other songs are so great that you will never regret.