Customer Reviews

Bellydance Overdrive (Dig)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Turbo Tabla is a fusion of traditional Arabic music with modern Electronica and Techno; it's Arabic music "re-imagined" so to speak. Founded and performed by native Egyptian Karim Nagi -- a classically trained Arabic instrumentalist who was inspired to fuse the rhythms and beats of the techno, dance, and hip hop he grew up with in the West with the Oriental rhythms and instrumentation of his native country he returned to visit each year.

The best way to describe Turbo Tabla's music is "Arabic Techno." Karim's high level of musical proficiency, he teaches classical Arabic music at the conservatory level, gives his modern musical interpretations a feeling and sound of authenticity that couldn't be there otherwise. The Egyptian Tabla (goblet drum), Riqq (tambourine) and Segat (brass castanets, aka finger cymbals) aren't just musical accents, nor is this traditional music played against a techno bass track. These songs were created with the traditional instruments playing the modern rhythms blended with the electronic music in Arabic tempo. In this marriage of styles the traditional instruments actually drive the electronic music, making the distinction between the two seamless.

Make no mistake here, this isn't an Arab grandfather's music, nor is it for anyone who ideas of Arabic/belly dance music wish to remain firmly planted in the past. These songs are grooves designed for the dance hall, modern style belly dancer, and the Arab House enthusiast. Those who've embraced the popular Belly Dance fitness trend will also delight in the driving beats and high energy present on each track. In fact, Turbo Tabla contributed four songs to the soundtrack of Bellyqueen's instructional DVD "Bellydance Jam," two of which, "Turbo Tabla Two" and "Telegrafin Telleri" are also on this album. The self titled "Turbo Tabla 3" is a track on the "Bellydance Superstars Vol. II" album as well, proving that Karim's music is one part of the sweeping trend helping create hordes of enthusiastic American belly dance and Arabic music enthusiasts.

Last month I got this this album as a birthday gift. It's awesome!It has an excellent variation of traditional belly dance music and techno/arabic one. Turbo tabla 2 and 3 are a brilliant drum solo made for the professional dancer who will keep up with the beat. It allows you an amazing opportunity to experiment with different moves or show off the moves you've mastered. Another great song is the first one (longa). Listen to it while your eyes are closed and imagine the universe as your stage. I am really thinking of performing it without coreographying it. It forces you to dance and move like a QUEEN!!!! If you know Flaminco, you can mix in a few steps in both songs 4 and 11. I also know that my finale will be song no. 10 coz of the energy of the music and the space it creates for the professional dancer. I buy a lot of belly dance music. In most cases I like maximum of 2 songs from the entire album. This is the only one so far that is INVIGORATING AND BRILLIANT in its entirety!

The versatile dancer will find that the traditional and the modern go hand in hand in this new CD. For those who like to slither and undulate across the floor or do some fast spins accompanied by serious hip-drops while knocking out a rhythm on the segat/finger cymbals, this is a dancer's album. If you are giving a house party or if chilling out is your thing, "BD Overdrive" is a must have for your music library. It's all here. Peace.

I bought the CD to add variety to my bellydance/Middle Eastern CD collection which is heavy in tradtional Egyptian and Middle-Eastern pop, but I am not sure how well I like it even after a couple of months. The constant beat and rhythms within the songs make this CD appropiate to practice reptitions of moves. However, personally there is little to work with if you want to use the songs to create your own dances, with the exception of track number 5, Turbo table 3, which would be perfect for an American tribal number. The CD is good to listen to if you have busy work to do and cannot be distracted, but hate to be working in a quiet setting. I also did find that it works with lifting wieghts, since it contains mainly moderate beats and drums.

This CD has the potential to be one that I listen to often in the future. If you are interested in techno style music, I think you would really enjoy the CD. If you do not like techno or unsure of you like techno I would advise against this CD.

Sometimes a dance mix tends to grab at too many of the same samples, resulting in a rather generic result. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the tunes all had a certain uniqueness about them, which can give a dancer's act some personality. It's really great for suspenseful performances, such as those where balancing or another great or unusual skill is showcased. It may sound a little too "Far Out" or "Wierd" for some~ (both dancers & audience members).
This CD may be a little better suited to those who would like to take a chance with more unusual sounding instrumental pieces. Those who like to place dramatics into their performance should have no trouble taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the pauses and inflections of the musical mixes.
Caution: Some tracks may seem a little too repetitive at times, and could possibly bore the audience if the act isn't strong enough to carry them.

World music enthusiasts: If you're reading this review to decide whether or not you want to buy this CD, you're already losing out. You should have bought this CD long ago. If you don't buy any other world music CD this year, buy THIS ONE! You will be so impressed with the fluidity and personality of it. It moves from a thumping techno vibe -- to cool, sexy, eerie melodic vocal tracks -- to kick-ass get-down belly dance grooves. When you spin these tracks with your other stuff, your friends will most certainly ask, "What is this?" or "Where can I get this?" You'll be the envy of all the cool kids on your block. This isn't just world music or belly dance music... this is just good, fun music.

Belly dancers and BD enthusiasts: If you're a fan of the new wave of energizing, modern belly dance music, this is a must-have for your collection. And/or, if you're more of a traditionalist with more classic tastes, you'll enjoy this CD, too. Karim weaves traditional Oriental elements in with his zesty modern percussive rhythms to create brilliant dance music. It's enticing for new students who are beginning to enjoy our belly dance culture for the first time. (As an instructor, I can attest that my students love to improvise to this CD - it makes them excited to dance - and it helps them to appreciate the traditional elements of the music, as well!) Karim and Turbo Tabla breathe new life into deep-rooted percussion belly dance elements. Don't hesitate to add this unique and wonderful CD to your collection of dance music.

I picked up Turbo Tabla Bellydance Overdrive, which (I thought) I'd heard good things about...and it's not what I was looking for. I was hoping it would be a little more "bolstered by the driving beats of House, Hip Hop and Techno dancefloor grooves" as it claims on the back of the CD. It would be nice for warm-ups or drills, but there are few (if any) tracks on it that I'd want to perform to, much less spend a gajillion hours listening to while working up a choreography. The last few tracks on the CD start to sound a little more like what I thought I was getting, but there's still nothing I would dance to at a restaurant, show, or hafla.

If someone is looking for techno-style ME music for bellydance, I would recommend Galactic Caravan's Intergalactic Bellydance or Cairo Trip Hop Underground, which was very recently recommended to me (after I complained about this CD to friends). Said Mrad's Mille & une Nuits (One Thousand and One Nights) is a wonderful collection of old bellydance standards, done with upbeat techno stylings.

Bellydance Overdrive is, unfortunately, perhaps a little too influenced by the House music it claims connection to. The songs lack melody, memorable drum arrangement, or anything that would differentiate them from unassuming background music.

This is not for a beginner belly dancer. But a must have for professionals.

This is original middle eastern music that will get your performance noticed! I am the amateur Bellydancer USA 2006 winner and I danced to Turbo Tabla II when I won. It goes great with Raks Sharki as well as sword, zils, or even veil work. This cd is a must have for any serious bellydancer's music collection. It will make your performance memorable. Shimmy-on.

The music on this cd is very catchy and "clubby". I taught bellydancing classes, and the participants really enjoyed this music.