NAWAL AL ZOGHBI
Elli Tmanetoh (Mondo Melodia)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Lebanese vocalist Nawal Al Zoghbi is a star in the world of Arab music, incorporating western dance beats, Gypsy guitars and traditional elements into her music. The music on Elli Tmanetoh (new on Mondo Melodia, but available in the Arab world for a couple of years) is an order of magnitude more interesting than most of what's being put out by her natural competition in the West (Shakira, Ricky Martin, etc.) but unfortunately singing in Arabic isn't likely to enhance her commercial appeal outside the Gulf region.

That's a shame, but if you're among those who can appreciate strong vocal performances without regard to language barriers and enjoy well produced dance pop, this is an album sure to please.

Track List:

Elli Tmanetoh * Bilbaklak * Ghib An Aynayya * Nar El Gharam * Trikni Rouh * Habib Dialy * Malak Alaya Yamine * Yana Yana * Weli Ya Hawa * Ya Habibi Ana

[Pick this up at http://www.aramusic.com.]

© 2003 - Shaun Dale