Customer Reviews

Closer Than Veins

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Outlandish is an unusual and really original band. Their music is something absolutely unique. This album is quite different from the previous one "Bread and barrels of water":less rap, more melody and singing. There are strong songs against war("Look into my eyes" is amazing), others about religion ("Calling you", "I only ask of God"), about life (wonderful "Beyond words", great voice of BurhanG): every song deserves to be listened!
These guys are exstraordinary talented: they deserve to break through in international musicbiz!
A note: listen also to "Try not to cry", a powerful song written and sung by Outlandish and Sami Yusuf on Sami's last album "My ummah".

Where to start?...I guess like this: What kind of music so eclectic and unique would have listeners and fans spanning continents from South America, to Europe, to middle East, to Central Asia and beyond uniting different tounges and cultures?-- Outlandish from Denmark of course!
I first saw these guys on LinkTV's world music. Their songs are mostly in English and Spanish but have a fair amount of Danish, Morroccan, and Pakistani.
Their music is just as diverse. They're mostly of the Hip Hop genre, but is originally European, and not American Hip Hop wannabe at all! However, they insert influences of Argentinian, Arabic, and Eastern European music -- truly a product of the Music Earthchild!
Personality? They are quite vocal in their lyrics, not just entertaining, but soothing to the soul no matter what religion or faith you are. If you're sick of curses and booty-calls in regular Hip Hop music, this is a good alternative. Two of their members are muslim, Isam and Waqas, and no doubt they incorporate their faith in it, but they are harmonious with their Catholic member, Lenny, producing an awakening and uniting message (esp. during these troubled times).
Isam and Waqas were born and raised in Denmark with Morroccan and Pakistani descent, respectively. Lenny emigrated from Honduras.
They have received the SoPot Award 2006 from Poland, and were nominated and won as best Danish music for 2006 MTV Europe Awards.

I loved the mix in the music. A bit of Arabic instrumentals, Latin influnece and every thing in between. The message is also great and inspirational. I loved the music about occupation and resistence.

I LOVE the cd Closer Than Veins and so do my kids. It has Very Good messages from religion to current world events. I recommend Everyone to check out this cd. I tell my friends about it and let them listen to the songs so hopefully they'll buy and support their music because they deliver good messages And their music And voices are Good! I'm looking forward to buying more of their cd's! I already have two of them.

The rhythm, the sound, the lyrics - all awesome! A must hear for all outlandish fans.

With a wide variety of songs, this colection is a must have. Don't forget, the message is clean and positive. Highly recommended for parents to give to their kids.

I love Outlandish and I love this album. The convergence of Moroccan,Amazigh, Indo-Pakistani, and Latin music influences are simply amazing. Unlike most R&B/Hip-hop/Rap artists out there, these guys have great, responsible, purpose-driven lyrics and they are proud of it. They are extremely talented and I'm surprised they are not well know in the States. Hope that changes soon.

I stumbled across this group on YouTube and was really impressed by their R & B/Hip-Hop style and the fact that they're not afraid to express an opinion. This album is more politically oriented then another one of theirs that I bought, and lyrically it may not be for everyone. 2 of the 3 group members are Muslims and their experiences as Muslims in Europe and their political stances are expressed in their lyrics. If you're not afraid to listen to their point of view, then you can enjoy their skill with words and melody and mixing--all are very tightly done. This was a great buy that depending on the mood I'm in, can make me want to dance, sit back and chill, or think about the world and how complex it all is. Fantastic.

the group offers so much more than the typical R&B/rap group. they have the inner message of reflecting to God, Almighty and living a life of truth and the constant need to struggle against one's evils. awesome mixture of beats, perspectives; creating a familiar but yet fresh vibe!

In the Name of Allah, The Source of all Grace, The Source of all Mercy,

Many greetings of peace to everyone. I live in the United States of America, so I only got exposed to Outlandish through Sami Yusuf's album "My Ummah." However, their singing on the song "Try Not to Cry" got me hooked and so I got their album "Closer than Veins." Let me tell you something: This is my favorite album, because they don't try to sugarcoat anything. They tell it like it is, and I am among many who appreciate a different viewpoint other than what Fox News and other mainstream channels give us. My favorite songs are, in particular order, "Look Into My Eyes", which talks about the unfortunate situation in Palestine, "I've Seen", which laments the condition of the Muslim community as well as the world community, "Callin' U", which is a beautiful devotional song to God Almighty, and "Una Palabra," which talks about the discrimination that Muslims go through on a daily basis, both here and in Denmark, apparently, as well as many other non-Muslim countries around the world. That's just the tip of the iceberg, because they cut out the cursing that has infested hip-hop/rap, and instead have given dignity to women, which is lacking in mainstream hip-hop/rap, and shows that, whatever religion you are, we are all human beings who God Almighty created to live in peace and justice on the earth in preparation for the certainty of death and the Last Judgement in the Hereafter. The beauty of the group itself is that Isam Bachiri and Waqas Ali Qadri are Muslims, and Roger Lenny Martinez is Catholic Christian. My father was born and raised in Colombia of Lebanese parents, so I can identify with Lenny to a certain extent, just as my Muslim faith makes me identify with Isam and Waqas Ali. If you don't have this album, just get it! It's a must-have for any avid music fan, period.Closer Than Veins