Identités [Extra tracks, Import]

Idir | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: Saint George / Sbme
• ASIN: B000031X18
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,660 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #18 in Music > World Music > Africa > Algeria

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Un nation trouve son identite., April 12, 2001

By 

La Vrai Kabyle (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Identités (Audio CD)

This CD is one of the best ever to come from Idir. While the majority of the songs are remakes of his originals, i.e, A Vava Inouva, sung with ethereal voiced Karen Matheson from the Scottish group, Capercaille, and Daghrib (Exile), sung with Ugandan star Geoffrey Oryema, the newer and original songs, like the haunting cry for Amazigh unity, Tizi Ouzou sung with Maxime Le Forestier and Kabyle chanteur, Brahim Izri, are superb in their own right. The significance of this album rests upon the fact that Idir, himself Kabyle, from the Djurdjura Mountains of Algeria, makes a stellar success reaching out to many different cultures and their music, thus becoming one of the first maghrebians to compile a CD with such diverse international ambience. This album is an embrace for all cultures that have touched the identity of Algerians, including Berber, West African, Arab, French and Spanish. By accepting and acknowledging the many different facets of our colorful and resonant background, Idir accomplishes defining an identity for not only those of us who are Algerian, but all who are a part of our global community.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely superb album, March 10, 2002

By 

"skak1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Identités (Audio CD)

This album is one of my favorite of all time. I originally bought it simply because it contained collaborations with Manu Chao, whose music is fantastic, and Zebda, an exciting group from Toulouse. The Manu Chao collaboration later resurfaced in a much weaker form as 'Denia' on Manu Chao's 'Proxima Estacion Esperanza'. The version here is just superb (probably my favorite Manu Chao song) and has an excellent French lyric about the position of women in Algerian society. Basically this Idir album puts the Algerian singer in collaborations with artists from hugely different musical backgrounds (Scottish folk, Flamenco, French Chanson, etc). A common thread is that most of the artists have a sense of dual identity- Idir himself is Algerian but lives in France, Geoffrey Oryema is Ugandan but forced into exile in France, Manu Chao is French but his parents were Spanish refugees forced to flee the Franco regime, etc. The result of these combinations is hugely original. Even if you don't understand the lyrics you'll want to try and sing along.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Shelf Pick., August 22, 2003

By 

M. Levesque "mootopia" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Identités (Audio CD)

Before happening upon this CD at my book and music store (in California), I didn't know much about Idir... it was the little sticker that mentioned Manu Chao and Zebda that actually brought me to listen to it... I found I loved all the tracks and bought it without a second thought. 2.5 years later and an ocean apart, I am still enjoying the music-- every single track, and I proudly share it with everyone with an open ear for great music and rythm.