Arabic pop - Khaleegi, Rai, Mixed

As far as: a DJ mix (DJ Cheb I Sabah)                Electronic mix
Darkly serious pop mixed from recordings of a variety of artists.  A
number of tracks are purely meditational, lacking much musicality.  But
there are great tracks: a sensually dramatic song by Natacha Atlas, a highly catchy hip-hop piece
by Makale, a driving bendir mix by Toires, and a political mix by the Asian Dub Foundation.  
Nothing here is suitable for pure Raks Sharki, but there is plenty danceable for fusion enthusiasts.  
Overall: Great
Danceability: Fusion only
Drum use: Not significant

Elevation / DJ Nader                                Remixed Arabic pop
This album is a collection of remixed Arabic pop songs from various genres, including Egyptian
Shaabi, Algerian Rai, and Gulf Khaleegi.  Virtually every track on the album is catchy, and the
overall tone ranges from serious to cheerful.  Songs of note include Hisham Abbas’ Habibi Da, a
hit both in Arabia and India/Pakistan; Hakim’s El Wala Wala; an Alf Leila Wa Leila with brief
snippet of Om Kalthoum (“Ya Habibi”); and a remix of Saber Al-Buba’ee’s recording of Sidi
Masour, including a mix of the saz riff heard on “Asena”.  The songs are well-chosen, the
remixes natural, and transitions carefully crafted.  All tracks contain vocals.  I recommend this
album highly to someone looking for a sampler of Arabic pop.
Overall:  Excellent
Danceability:  Good
Drum Use:  Not significant

Night Life a la Medina: mixed by DJ Karam   
Club music with Arabic, Spanish, and American flavor.  Singing are instrumentation are primarily
Arabic, but several songs include Spanish lyrics and/or congas.  Track 2, “Lalole”, is an Arabic
and Spanish version of the Animals’ “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.”  There are four songs by
Alabina, including the exuberant Salma Ya Salama.  Instrumentation is generally electronic with
support from shakers, deff, guitar, and frequent doumbek.  Altogether, the album is exciting,
catchy, and quite suitable for fusion dancing.  
Overall:  Great
Danceability:  Great (fusion)
Drum use:  Not significant

Nomad: Best of Amina            
As one would expect of a “Best of”, the album includes several different genres and
moods.  “Ya Baba” and “Ederlezi” rely on traditional Arabic rhythms (maqsum and
karachi); “Le Dernier Qui a Parle” and “Le Cercle Rouge” are slow sentimental pieces;
“Habibi 2” would fit an electronic club; “Atame” and “Lirrili” sound more like serious
Arabic pop.  Instrumentation is mainly drum set, keyboard, and electric bass, with
some doumbek, accordion, classical guitar, riq, and nei.  All tracks contain Amina’s
vocals.  I’m actually surprised I haven’t yet seen any of these tracks in Raks Sharki
fusion performance.  
Overall:  Great
Danceability:  Good (fusion)
Drum use:  Not significant

Oriental Beats                                                Arabic pop compilation
A collection of memorable pop songs, mainly of serious feeling.  Many are catchy, almost all
suitable for Raks Sharki.  Favorites include Hisham Abbas’ “Fenoh”, Angham’s “Sidi Wesslak”,
and Ragheb Alama’s Tab Leih.  Doumbek, riq, and traditional rhythms are present on most tracks.
Overall:  Great
Danceability:  Excellent
Drum use:  Not significant

Oriental Dance Mix, various artists                                Mixed Pop
A series of mixes with a very electronic sound.  The mood on most but not all tracks is serious.  
Traditional rhythms are scarce but present.  The primary instruments are drum set, keyboard, and
various electronic effects, with support from qanun and oud.  There is a bit of saz, conga,
saxophone, tabla, bendir, and doumbek.  Songs range from catchy to entirely forgettable.  
Mustafa Amra’s “Kidah ya hawa” and Dal’oona’s “Nawal el Zoughbi” are good.
Overall:  Moderate
Danceability:  Good (fusion)
Drum use:  Not significant

Rai Superstars, various                                        Rai
Rai with heavy keyboard, electronic percussion, and a fair helping of doumbek and bendir.  There
are a variety of tempos and moods, though all but one track are definitely electronic pop.  The
compilation includes a number of catchy tracks (Cheb Nadir’s “Rani Rya”, Fadela’s “Madre
Madre”, Abdou’s “Cherchi Cherchi”, and the more folkloric “Rani Alla M’Rida” by Cheikha
Remitti).  The rhythms tend to be faster and more syncopated than with Egyptian or Turkish pop,
farther from either the familiar, traditional Raks Sharki rhythms.
Overall:  Good
Danceability:  Moderate (fusion)
Drum use:  Minimal

Sabrina, Ahmad El Gebaly                                        World
This is a very sleepy album.  Electric guitar, the star, plays soothingly but without much excitement.  The other instruments (a
mainly electronic rhythm section plus keyboard, and periodic faint nei, sax, or qanun) support the guitar but don’t add much.  
The feeling, aside from being torpid, is slightly Spanish and a bit dramatic in places.  Nothing on the album is suitable for
dancing, except perhaps in slow fusion veil pieces, and I can’t recommend it for listening either.  Generally uninteresting.
Overall:  Mediocre
Danceability:  Not
Drum use:  No