VARIOUS ARTISTS
Rai Superstars (Mondo Melodia)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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This collection gathers some of the best tracks from Mondo Melodia's reissues of albums by top Rai artists of the eighties and nineties, and provides the best reason for studying Arabic I can think of. I enjoy the mix of traditional rhythms and Euro-pop beats, and there are some very fine voices represented here, but I'm aware that I'm missing a significant part of the point of the style. Rai music has been subject to censorship in the Middle East, and many of its finest exponents are based in Europe, because it can be politically and emotionally controversial, and that's something you can't really appreciate if you can't understand the lyrics. The inclusion of some translations would be helpful.

Just the same, the sound alone is infectious, and this is a good place to discover some artists you might not have heard and an important international genre.

Track List:

Cheb Mami/Lazrag Saani * Khaled/Biya Dek El Mor * Cheb Nadir/Rany Rya * Cheb Othman/Kayen Rebbi * Hasni/Gualou Hasni Met * Fadela/Madre Madre * Houari Benchenet/ Debail Gualbi * Bilal/Elha Fi Rouhek * Abdou/Cherchi Cherchi * Rani Alla M'Rida * Denia Ya Guelbi Lel' Achqine * Noria/Ouin Rak Tergoud * Djalti/Ya Salam Ala Saraha * Akkil/ Allez G'Ana G'Awa * Chaba Zahounania/Samehni

© 2003 - Shaun Dale