The obvious tie-in for this collection of modern Middle Eastern funk is "{|Desert Rose|}," Sting's collaboration with Algeria's prince of rai, {|Cheb Mami|}, which was a hit car commercial before becoming a hit single. But the deserts of North Africa and the Levant are lush with Oriental pop, from Cairo's movie music to the ancient Berber funk of Morocco, and this...
Read moreThe obvious tie-in for this collection of modern Middle Eastern funk is "{|Desert Rose|}," Sting's collaboration with Algeria's prince of rai, {|Cheb Mami|}, which was a hit car commercial before becoming a hit single. But the deserts of North Africa and the Levant are lush with Oriental pop, from Cairo's movie music to the ancient Berber funk of Morocco, and this compilation runs the gamut from the exuberant Egyptian heartthrob {|Hakim|} ("Esma Yalli") to the gritty snarl of French Algerian provocateur {|Rachid Taha|} ("Qalantiqa"). Following the lead of the titular single, Desert Roses includes nods to Arabic rhythm from diaspora diva {|Natacha Atlas|} (representing with the seductive "Mon Amie La Rose"), her old U.K. bandmates {|Transglobal Underground|} (the dubby "Pomegranates"), and Colombia's {|Soraya|}, who rode the incipient wave of Middle Eastern/Latin groove (cf. {|Shakira|}) on her '97 hit "I'm Yours." As the titles alone indicate, this crossover-friendly mix is just right for turning hot nights at home into French Riviera fiestas -- thoughtfully included is a special Club Med-style remix of "Desert Rose" by house DJ Victor Calderon.
Brand: ARK 21
