Hi there... This is just the merest sampling of the huge amount of music available east of NATO territory... I can hardly claim that this is a comprehensive, or even representative, sample of what's available. Nonetheless, these are some of the albums which have leapt out at me over the last few years -- hopefully you will find these records as striking as I have. And keep checking this site for more reviews-- it is sure to expand rapidly. Several record labels are profiled on a separate page.
Abdelli "New Moon" (Real World, 1995)
A sometimes-spooky set by an Algerian expatriate (who was living in Belgium when this disc was made...) Abdelli sings and leads the set on the lute-like mandole, but the driving force of this disc is its insistent, hypnotic rhythmic strains... There's an appealing emotional directness, making this a compelling album from start to finish... definitely worth checking out!
Kiran Ahluwalia "Kiran Ahluwalia" (Triloka, 2005)
A very pleasant, very listenable record which blends Punjabi ghazals and folk songs with modern pop and world music, with quite satisfying results. Ahluwalia lays claim being a torchbearer of tradition, as a formally trained ghazal singer, but I think it's her strengths as a moderizer that really make her stand out. There's a strong Celtic streak to this album, notably on the tracks where Canadian fiddler Natalie McMaster pitches in, but also laced throughout, where a gentle acoustic guitar helps shape the sound of many songs, along with the Indian flutes, percussion, and Ahluwalia's own work on the tanpura. This is a lovely record, one which you'll enjoy coming back to time and again.
Salma Al Assal "Women Singers Of Sudan -- Songs Of Al Sabata" (Arc Music, 2005)
Stark, soul-piercing vocal chants with simple percussive accompaniment on the Sudanese dalloukas, or clay drums. Al Assal, who has sung with the Mahmoud Fadl ensemble, takes a markedly traditional approach, and the purity of her performances makes them quite compelling, despite the lack of stylistic variety. Folks who like the similarly stark gnawa style will probably also enjoy this type of music, known as "Al Sabata." Recommended.
Altaf Gnawa Group "Gnawa Music From Morocco" (Arc Music, 2005)
I'm not totally up on the rarified charms of the hypnotic tribal music known as gnawa... For the most part the style seems a bit static and sparse to my untrained ears, although this was one of the most alluring and pleasant of the few gnawa records I've heard. There's a softness to this disc that's hard to put your finger on... And even hard to hear at times -- some passages are so quiet that on multiple occasions I've had this disc on at a moderate volume and was fooled into thinking that the disc had ended, so quiet and so subtle was the performance. I'd recommend this album as an introduction to the style: it is perhaps more melodically accessible than some of the starker and more droning gnawa albums... I leave it up to the true fans to say which albums are more "authentic" or whatever... All I know is, this disc brought me on board!
Asian & Islamic Albums: Letter "B"
Asian Music Index
World Music Index
