Customer Reviews

Natacha Atlas: Transglobal Underground

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

 

 

This DVD has

Natacha Atlas videos
1. Mistaneek
2. Yalla Chant
3. Leysh Nat'Arak
4. Amulet
5. One Brief moment
6. Mon Amie La Rose
7. Mish Fadilak ( an Aribic version and a french version)
8. When I Close My eyes (there is also a french language version)

Transglobal Underground videos

1. Temple Head
2. Taal Zaman
3. Protean
4. Lookee here

Natacha Atlas live in concert at Union Chapel

1. When I close My Eyes
2. Fakrenha
3. Moustahil
4. Eye of the duck
5. I put a spell on you
6. Mon Amie La Rose

I really enjoyed every moment of this DVD

with out a doubt absolutelly amazing. i know what your thinking transglobal underground in the 1993 couldnt have had that much money to make a good video, well your half right. the videos may not have the biggest budget but they mad it work, the first transglobal video temple head combines clips from a live outdoor gig and shots made for the video using all sorts of good camera tricks and color and lense minipulations trust me its amazing. then taal zaman is all video with clips from the beach and all over the world, also amazing. the video for protean is images of probably india or pakistan fused with psychodelic color's and fused with other sceens. then i thought that lookee here was the most fun, they turned the whole place into a sceen right out of egypt and proceed to play their sounds with their temple masks on trust me you will be amazed and with laugh your temple head off, it all their. natacha's videos mistaneek, yalla chant, one brief moment, & mon amie le rose were not as good but but they have a verry good running theme and should be played all at once soo its worth seing. the video for leysh nat'arak by the way was extrodinary i dont even want to ruin the theme for you but deffinetelly check it out. and mish fadilak has some verry sexxy sceens. then with here latest album something dangerious that probably had the most money behind it had the video with the most money behind it, when i close my eyes and is worth every penny with an amazing boat ride down the crick. the live fotage is also amazing with a live acoustic drummer, tabla player, egyptian tabla player, bass player, electronic keyboard, keyboard's playing all the string arangment except the live violin player, and her jamaican background singa, truelly spectacular. so for any of you out their that is still skechy about how good this truelly is, if you already think that the music is good you will be in love with this. i was floored. and if you were curious her new album is being mixed right now by temple of sound former transglobal underground founding members due out in 2006.

....Lookee Here, the DVD is here! No wonder she is the Arab Diva. Quite enjoyable. Why 4 stars? Few moments in the first two video clips could have been better. But Natahca Atlas Rules! The live performance is so dynamic, natural and moving. Of course waiting for more of her work. It is always a good occasion and one of the pleasures to break the routine of the daily grind.

I've been a fan of Natacha Atlas for a few years now and she rarely disappoints. Yes the videos are good in their own right but the real reason to buy this is for the live gig at Union Chapel. If thats all there was on this dvd it may have felt a bit light on value but would still have been worth the money.

She demonstrates her vocal prowess in more than one language with equal ease,English language songs being in the minority. But you don't need to understand the words to appreciate good music,music is more about the emotional response anyway,otherwise instrumental music would be a non starter. The undoubted highlight is her version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins "I Put A Spell On You" which leads into an incredible instrumental section focusing on the percussionists in her band. As she finishes her vocal on "Spell" and leaves the stage for a costume change saying "its time for Mohammed's solo" we are drawn into what i can only describe as "duelling drums" in the finest sense. It's a hugely enjoyable exchange between two very accomplished musicians who obviously are leading each other on to bring out the best,which they do. Simply put this is worth your money on it's own. That said the whole gig easily stands up to repeated viewing, i'm just waiting for her to do another live dvd .

So why 4 stars? Simply that the sound quality leaves something to be desired on a normal television(maybe it would sound as it should on a surround sound system with a 100 speakers!). This is most apparent on the drum lead opening to "Spell" where the sound seems somewhat "dull". To appreciate this opening the way it should be listen to the version on her album "Ayeshteni", volume up and holding onto something heavy!

This is an excellent DVD Video about rai music and of course...Natacha Atlas. Which is the best in our generation about bringing wonderful and marvelous rai music or arabic music. One of my dreams is that she would make a duo with Madonna or Shakira in one cd because her music is just so amazing. Arabic music is beautiful and should be listened more in the United States. A BIG BRAVO FOR NATACHA ATLAS.

I love Natacha Atlas. The video quality may not be as good as the American videos but it is very nice, and I know it it better than most of the Lebanese music videos that come out of the Middle East. She has her own distinct way and she doesn't try to emulate wester vidoes.