Vivid

Najma | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ark 21
• ASIN: B00008J2LD
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #629,071 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 21st C. Fusion, September 15, 2005

By 

Robert Carlberg (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vivid (Audio CD)

Across the span of her five albums Najma Akhtar has been moving further and further from her ghazal roots. "Vivid" finds her suspended in a deep club mix of percussion loops, phat synthesizers and hip-hop beats. She layers her voice into choruses and call-and-response episodes in addition to singing soaring leads, and her voice is still one of the purest, most gorgeous instruments in music.

When she sings in English the lyrics detract from my enjoyment because they're pretty twee, but more than half of the album is in Urdu and I have no idea what she's saying.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Najma - an old English guy's impression, November 6, 2006

By 

Tempus Fugit - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vivid (Audio CD)

I first heard Najma at a festival last summer, being first struck by some brilliant soprano sax playing and then by a stunningly soulful voice. I sent off for 'Vivid' and 'Pukar' (reviewed elsewhere).

On first listening to 'Vivid' I was rather disappointed, the numbers seemed rather rambling and shapeless with interminable long - held synth chords. However, on further listening I have come to enjoy the unexpected harmonies and the rhythms add some much-needed life to the texture. The Asian Gothic element is exotically bizarre and I really like the artwork on the booklet!

Good to listen to when you want to totally relax and doze with a bottle of wine, as an antidote to Frank Sinatra!