Customer Reviews

Gedida

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pop singer Natacha Atlas is one of the best voices in Arabic pop music, both in Egypt and in the west. Because she sings in Arabic, English and French, her music is both beautiful and easily approachable to western ears. Although at times she does play up the stereotypes, making her music "more Egyptian", she is one of the most talented pop stars around. From the romantic opening song "Mon Amie la Rose" to the stunning tracks "Kifaya" (enough) and "One Brief Moment", she enthralls you, making you want to dance, listen and even sing along. This is probably her best CD, and I strongly recommend you check out her other works if you appreciate this. Aside from the aforementioned songs, I also am particularly fond of "Bastet", "The Righteous Path" and "Bilaadi" (My Country). Check her out, especially if your new to Arabic/Egyptian pop music. She is definately an easy introduction for westerners who may be unused to Egyptian music or the Arabic language.

I picked up this album on a whim while searching for some new middle eastern music to dance to. By the third song (Mistaneek) I was completely in love with the music and Natacha's beautiful, passionate voice. This album is truly a rare gem -an exquisite mix of traditional middle eastern instruments and rythyms with modern sounds. AND it actually works! I have since bought her previous efforts, Halim, and Diaspora, and while I recommend those as well, with Gedida she outdid herself. Natacha, I anxiously awaiting the next album!

This is a great album. Most of the songs are sung in Arabic, which is a beautiful language, but Natacha displays her versatility by also including a song in French and one in English. This is something she has done on other albums. On GEDIDA, the opening song is the French one, and it's very mysterious and smooth: she sounds a little bit like Liz Frazer of the Cocteau Twins. But the following songs show that she has a wider range than Liz. They are suffused with the Egyptian tradition, with insistent but subtle rhythms and evocative melodies. This is exuberant music, very tightly orchestrated and cleverly arranged, the various instruments held together by Natacha's astonishing voice, which can swoop or be breathy or fierce. Natacha is marvellous.

This is arguably the best showcase for the talents of Natacha Atlas, with its combination of Egyptian seductiveness, traditional instrumentation, and modern grooves built around that enchanting voice. Close your eyes and you can almost smell the air and taste the mysterious aura of the Egyptian culture.
The first half of the disc is the best, with Aqaba, Bahlam, Ezzay, and the irresistible Mistaneek shining the brightest. The second half of the disc is much weaker, but still contains interesting tracks such as The Righteous Path. But the power of the first part of the disc makes up for the weakness of the second, and is still worthy of being heard. So do yourself a favor and pick up this disc, especially if you are a fan of world music.

This album is so very fine, for the music, but even more so for the VOICE of Natacha Atlas ! I mean that, sincerely... I have listened to this CD sveral times; I did not want to rush with a review, just on first impact... It gets better every time ! Two titles, in this album, stand out, "Mon Amie La Rose", and "Mistaneek": great inspiration, superb talent ! I can only say that I feel lucky in my life, beacaue I heard her voice ! That's all, I cannot say more.....

This is my new favorite cd. She has a beautiful voice full of emotion and energy. A good mixture of slow and faster paced songs. a great addition to any bellydancer's collection.

Gedida is a excellent album for middle eastern dancers looking for a modern sound for performances. I especially liked the smooth melody of "Mon Amie La Rose", with its perfectly dancable rhythym for more accented moves. A must buy!

This has become a staple of my bellydance music collection. Most of the dance music I own is acoustic, using traditional middle eastern instruments such as the oud, tabla and kanoun. I am so pleased that Natacha Atlas successfully blended the traditional with the contemporary and created this wonderfully danceable CD. Aqaba and Mistaneek are funky medium-tempo beledi rhythms, while Bahlam and Mahlabeya pick up speed and are probably better suited for the advanced dancer. The "rap" track, Bastet, just doesn't work for me, probably because it sounds slightly stiff and unnatural from Atlas. Overall, an excellent addition to the CD collection of any world music fan, and a must-have for the contemporary bellydancer.

This CD is incredible, and Natacha's voice is beautiful - full of passion. My only regret is I do not know Arabic so have no idea what these songs are about (except the last cut, which is in English). Particularly good listening is Bastet and Kifaya. If anyone knows the English translation to these tunes please send them along to me!

Gedida is a really great blend of Middle Eastern music and modern pop. There are strings, flutes and other indigenous instruments that have a pop flavor. Natacha Atlas has a background in both European and Middle Eastern music. So her Egyptian music really sounds authentic because she works with Middle Eastern musicians. Some songs are fast and catchy, and some are calm and deep, but never boring. There are some popular elements (percussion, electronic sounds, etc) and there is also some atmospheric sounds to provide an excellent balance.
If you are interested in Arabic music at all, you should try it because it is modernized to suit a new audience.