V.A. - The Rough Guide To Colombian Street Party (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of the beauties of this disc is that most of the artists are unknown on the international scene -- only the excellent Columbiafrica has made any real impact, and that was small. But there's some outstanding material here, not only from that band, but also Chocquibtown's native hip-hop on "Somos Pacifico" and Radio Cumbia's "El Pipiloco," where the cumbia truly does become a party rhythm with the addition of some great scratching. Much the same is true of the accordion-powered Grupo Retrovisor, while the wonderfully named Dr. Krapula lets the electric guitars go crazy with "Luchando Voy." Interestingly, the collection starts with something very rooted in "Merengue Fato," although still eminently danceable, and to close it connects the dots between Colombia and Africa with Makina El Karibe's "El Vendeor." The whole thing even touches on acoustic pop with Creole's three-chord trick on the English language "Hold On." Yes, there are other tracks that don't match the quality, but as a party album, it definitely fits the bill. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1 Sixto Silgado, Paito  Y Los Gaiteros de Punta Brava – Merengue Faroto 3:01
2 Radio Cumbia – El Pipiloco 3:39
3 Grupo Retrovisor – Mecánica 4:02
4 La-33 – La Fea 3:55
5 La Contundencia – El Rastrillo 6:02
6 Mojarra Electrica – El Hueco (DJ Slow Remix) 4:29
7 Dr Krapula – Luchando Voy 3:18
8 Chocquibtown – Somos Pacifico 3:50
9 Creole – Hold On 4:49
10 Joe Arroyo Y La Verdad – En Barranquilla Me Quedo 5:12
11 David Dely & Tumba Y Quema – Son Maloso 5:06
12 Calambuco – Métele 2:35
13 Colombiafrica – Tus Huellas 5:03
14 Grupo Saboreo – La Vamo A Tumbar 5:35
15 Makina Del Karibe – El Vendeor 4:26

V.A. - The Rough Guide To The Music Of Scandinavia (2000) WV (tracks), lossless

This is a 22-track sampler of the new music trends in Scandinavia from folk to classical to pop and avant-garde across seven countries in the region. It is remarkable in both its scope and in the quality of the music it presents, and is far more consistent than other Rough Guide offerings. There are familiar figures included, of course, from Frifot, Väsen, Värttinä, Hedningarna, and Annbjørg Lien. But there are lesser-known entities as well who have either devoted themselves to preserving tradition or gone out of their way to build upon it. Of the former there are Lena Willemark with her cohort Ave Moller, whose folk music can date back 500 years. There are also the mavericks like classical composer Louis Andreissen from Greenland whose work "Saqisaaq" is the most provocative and delightful thing on the collection. The in-betweens lie with Leena Joutsenlanhti from Finland. Her "Karitti" is drawn from folk tradition but creates from it what can only be called pop music. Maria Kalaniemi and Aldargaz weigh in with "Ahma," with her haunting accordion altered by an electronic process, creating a kind of ambient music from drones. It's all here, including the punk-folk tradition that has been taking the region by storm with groups like JPP, Hedningarna, Tallari, and others. That this compilation ends with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra with the Langholt Church Choir performing the Icelandic National Anthem is, it seems, a warning as much as it is as offering of Iceland's own original music. The warning is simple: don't lump Scandinavia's musical traditions together -- or else. Given how wide the reach is here, there is little cause for worry about that. This is an excellent introduction to an entirely new -- and foreign -- musical landscape.
(This Comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our Blog ´O Púbis da Rosa´)
Tracklist:
1 Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz – Ahma 4:08
Arranged By – Olli Varis, Timo Alakotila
Written-By – Kalaniemi
2 Garmarna – Halling Jåron 3:02
Traditional
Arranged By – Garmarna, Sank
3 Annbjørg Lien – Irianda 3:29
Written-By – Annbjørg Lien, Bjørn Ole Rasch
4 Frifot – I Denna Ljuva Sommartid 4:25
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller
5 Troka – Kesäillan Tvist / Summer Night Twist 2:23
Written-By – Ville Ojanen
6 Sorten Muld – 2 Søstre 4:27
Written-By – M Ottosen
7 Yggdrasil – Det Var En Gong En Halling 3:31
Arranged By – Tone Hulbækmo
Written-By [Halling After] – Torvald Tronsgård
8 Väsen – M. Nykänen 2:44
Written-By – Roger Tallroth
9 JPP – Antin Mikko 3:28
Traditional
Arranged By – A Järvelä, T Alakotila
10 Hege Rimestad – Skinfakse 3:54
Written-By – Hege Rimestad
11 Wimme – Oainnáhus 3:42
Written-By – P Saastamoinen, T Rinne, W Saari
12 Värttinä – Kivutar 3:27
Written-By – K Reiman, S Reiman, Traditional
13 Knut Reiersrud – Tramp 4:09
Written-By – Bendik Hotseth, Iver Kleive, Knut Reiersrud
14 Tallari – Äidin Sateenkaari 3:10
Music By – Timo Valo
Words By – Kai-Eerik Känsälä
15 Lena Willemark – Himlen Faller 3:24
Written-By – Lena Willemark
16    Sanna Kurki-Suonio–    Ei Musta 4:04
Music By – Sanna Kurki-Suonio
Words By – Sanna Kurki-Suonio, Traditional
17 Johan Hedin & Harald Pettersson – Vattenlek 3:15
Written-By – Pettersson, Hedin
18 Leena Joutsenlahti – Kariitti 2:25
Written-By – Anita Lehtola, Minna Ilmonen
19 Hedningarna – Forshyttan 4:22
Traditional
Arranged By – Hedningarna
20 Louis Andreasen – Saqisaaq 2:09
Written-By – Louis Andreasen
21 Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag – Faut-Marits Polska 2:46
Written-By [Turkish Polska From Älvdalen, After] – Roger Tallroth
22 The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra with the Langholt Church Choir cond. Jon Stefansson – Lofsöngur 2:32
Music By – Sveinbjorn Sveinbjornsson
Words By – Matthias Jochumsson

V.A. - The Rough Guide To Scottish Music (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In an all-new second edition focusing on the music of Scotland, Pete Heywood compiled a set of completely contemporary tracks, some by established artists like the Battlefield Band and many by a new generation who have embraced the music's older traditions after having been raised on 20th century pop/rock, blues, and jazz. One thing binds them together: No matter how contemporary some of these artists are, their musical sensibilities are rooted in the past. Instrumentation may be such that Emily Smith uses a piano alongside the fiddle on the centuries-old "Fair Helen of Kirconnel," with a new melody she composed. Elsewhere, the internationally renowned Capercaillie juxtapose the Uillean pipes with the bagpipes, synthesizers, electronic percussion, and a melody from the 17th century. It's haunting in Karen Matheson's gorgeous alto and floats rather than stomps across the listener's sound palette. Jack Beck from the kingdom of Fife (like Jackie Leven) sings a ballad in both his native tongue and in the King's English, accompanied by whistles and his guitar playing. Christine Primrose is a native Gaelic speaker and is steeped in both tradition and culture. Though she is a young woman, the music she sings comes from the Scotland of her ancestors. Likewise, the Boys of the Lough turn their medley of "Brother Gildas" and "Calliope House" into a rollicking journey through the ages and musical evolution. Nothing on this collection is more moving than the medley performed by Pipe Sergeant Gordon J. Walker on Gaelic air and hornpipes. From droning balladry to lively jigs to reels, he invests a maximum of emotion from the Pentland Firth -- one of the most dangerous areas of the world in winter -- and extracts the muse's own song in his readings of these timeless songs. This set with its contemporary bent may be tough for followers of strict tradition to swallow -- though there's plenty of that here -- but in all it is stronger and more vibrant than the first edition, and a welcome addition to any library of world music.
(This Comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our Blog ´O Púbis da Rosa´)
Tracklist:
1 Battlefield Band – Chuir I Gluin Air A Bhodach / DJ MacLeod's / The Ness Pipers / The Earl Of Space 4:22
2 Emily Smith –    Fair Helen Of Kirkconnel 3:21
3 Finlay MacDonald – Cowden Hall 3:59
4 Deaf Shepherd – Millenium Village (Islay's Charms / Farewell To Millenium Village / Pierre's Right Arm / Alec C. MacGregor) 4:56
5 Capercaillie – Skye Waulking Song - Chuir M' Athair Mise Dhan Taigh Charraideach (My Father Sent Me To A House Of Sorrow) 4:39
6 Bob Hobkirk – Niel Gow's Lament For His Second Wife 1:57
7 Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley – Utiseta (Roseness / Churchill Barriers / Deerness Reel) 3:40
8 Jack Beck – Fordell Ball 4:09
9 Pete Clark – Coilsfield House 3:08
10 Christine Primrose – Do Ghaidheil Shiatail 3:25
11 Robert Mathieson – Calypso (The Carnival Reel / The Calypso Piper) 2:34
12 Boys Of The Lough – Brother Gildas / Calliope House 3:50
13 Heather Heywood – Logie O'Buchan 3:33
14 Cliar – Cailleach An Airgid / Rachainn A Shuiridh' Air Oighrig 3:14
15 Donald Black & Malcolm Jones – 6/8 March, Hornpipe 2:53
16 Blazin' Fiddles – Dancing On The Moon (Celtic Cousins / The Flaggon / Dannsa Air A' Ghealach) 3:07
17 Pipe Sergeant Gordon J. Walker – Gaelic Air & Hornpipes (My Love, My Joy / Duncan Johnstone / Doctor MacInnes' Fancy) 3:36
18 Alison McMorland & Geordie McIntyre – Rowan In The Rock 3:32

V.A. - The Rough Guide To North African Café (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For café music, the idea seems to be nothing too extreme. Certainly, this is a fairly gentle excursion through North African sounds -- the compilation even soft pedals the cut from a rock band like Les Boukakes, whose "Dorbiha Zina" barely displays it muscle. Things start out well, with a couple of Algerian cuts from the melodic youngster Akli D then the wonderful veteran Maurice El Medioni, whose "Rai Rock Rumba" offers a seamless, and surprisingly natural blend of Maghrebi and Latin sounds. While the rest is quite mellifluous and easygoing, it all seems a little lightweight; even the normally adventurous Smadj doesn't challenge the ears, and Akim El Sikameya seems closer to French chanson than anything North African. There's nothing wrong with this disc at all -- the choices are fine, and there's quality to the music -- and it does exactly what it says on the tin: it works as café music. But since the very nature of "café" is background, this can never be really satisfying. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1 Akli D – Barman 4:36
2 Maurice El Médioni & Roberto Rodriguez – Rai Rock Rumba 3:37
3 Barrio Chino – El Salam 4:41
4 Madioko & Rafika – Ellelli 4:01
5 Smadj Presents S.O.S. Project – Hat 6:02
6 Sabahat Akkiraz & Orient Expressions – Ben Melamet Hirkasini Guydim 3:20
7 Les Orientales – Wayak 6:25
8 Cheb Balowski – El Dia 4:58
9 El Tanbura – Sar A Lay 3:57
10 Abdel Gadir Salim – Lemon Bara 5:02
11 Akim El Sikameya – A Chaque Instant, Oran 3:15
12 Les Boukakes – Dorbiha Zina 4:21
13 Mahmoud Fadl – Halawa Ya 2:53
14 Tarik – La Foule 3:19

V.A. - The Rough Guide To West African Music (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

How do you try to capture the music of such a large, rich area as West Africa on one disc? The answer, of course, is that you can't, although this compilation does glide over some of the high spots -- but only some. So there are classic performances by Mali's Super Rail Band and Ali Farka Toure, plus Orchestra Baobob, revealing the influence Cuban music had on the nascent homegrown scenes in both Senegal and Mali. Altogether, it offers some semblance of a picture, fleshed out by the thrilling kora work of Toumani Diabate on "Djelika" and the south Mali wassoulou vocals of the excellent Oumou Sangare, who brings a rougher dimension to the proceedings. There's no Youssou N'Dour or Baaba Maal to show their stuff as Senegal's brightest stars (West Africa's biggest names, in fact), but Maal's sidekick, griot Mansour Seck, is represented. Perhaps one of the oddest choices is the inclusion of Dimi Mint Abba from Mauritania. Granted, she's the country's most famous singer, but there are others artists of greater stature from the region not included. E.T. Mensah is an astute pick for Ghanaian highlife, and Kante Manfila is probably a fair nominee for mande music. The real problem with this album isn't the music, which is glorious throughout, but the fact that it suffers from the size of its ambition and the inability to full realize it. Within a small range -- Ghana, Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania -- it does a partial job, but to call it a summing up of West African music is neither fair to the geographic area nor the listener. by Chris Nickson 
Tracklist:
1 Super Rail Band – Foliba 7:46
2 Toumani Diabate – Djelika 7:11
3 Ali Farka Toure – Roucky 8:15
4 Moussa Poussy – Toro 4:41
5 Sona Diabate – M'Bore 6:43
6 Oumou Sangare – Djama Kaissoumou 6:43
7 Bajourou – I Ka Di Nye 5:17
8 E.T. Mensah – 205 3:02
9 Orchestra Baobab – Utru Horas 8:39
10 Mansour Seck – Almamy Bocoum 4:54
11 Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint Abba – Mauritania My Beloved Country 3:29
12 Kante Manfila – Agne Anko 4:38

V.A. - The Rough Guide To The Music Of Zimbabwe (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Rough Guide to Music of Zimbabwe is an excellent introduction to the African nation's rich musical culture, assembling performances from its most notable artists. Highlights include Thomas Mapfumo's "Buka Tiende," the Bhundu Boys' "Pombi," Biggie Tembo's "Punza" and the Real Sounds' "Tornados vs. Dynamos." by Raymond McKinney
Tracklist:
1 Thomas Mapfumo And The Blacks Unlimited – Buka Tiende 5:04
Written-By – Thomas Mapfumo
2 Bhundu Boys – Pombi 5:08
Written By – Kangona
3 The Four Brothers – Vimbayi 8:46
Written-By – Marshall Munhumumwe
4 Stella Rambisai Chiweshe – Chigamba  7:58
Music By, Lyrics By – Stella Rambisai Chiweshe Nekati
5 Oliver Mtukudzi & The Black Spirits – Dai Ndiine Mukoma 6:44
Music, Lyrics By – Oliver Mtukudzi
6 Machanic Manyeruke & The Puritans – Kana Vatsvene Vopinda 3:48
Written-By – Machanic Manyeruke
7 Black Umfolosi – Ingoma Yakwethu (Catch Our Song) 5:04
Written By – Bornface Mlilo, Morgen Moyo
8 Biggie Tembo – Punza 5:34
Composed By, Arranged By – Biggie Tembo
9 The Mbira Masters Of Zimbabwe - Mhuri Yekwa Rwizi– Taireva 7:42
Composed By – B. Dyoko, C. Magaya, Hakurotwi Mude, T. Chawasarira
10 The Real Sounds – Tornados Vs. Dynamos (3-3) 13:25
Written-By – Ghaby Mutombo Suza

VERTÚ - Vertú (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Vertu is undeniably an ambitious project, certainly more so than most contemporary fusion projects. At the core of the collective are Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, the renowned rhythm section of Return to Forever; they're augmented by violinist Karn Briggs, keyboardist Rachel Z, and former Poison guitarist Richie Kotzen, of all people. It's a wildly eclectic group of musicians, and they appropriately tackle all sorts of music, from straight-ahead fusion and post-bop to worldbeat and classical-tinged rock. Thanks to the fine musicianship of all involved, it's not nearly the mess that it could have been, but it's hardly an unqualified success, either. The main problem is the weird blend of songs and compositions. Vertu is basically divided between songs (only a handful of which feature Kotzen's strained bluesy vocals), which have one simple melody, and flowing, multi-layered, multi-sectioned compositions. In each case, they're graced by some truly extraordinary playing (laugh you may, but Kotzen is a gifted guitarist and it's a pleasure to hear him stretch out, instead of being confined to pop-metal), but the songs often are built around lame themes that feel like excuses for improvisations; even worse, those themes are often delivered with the tone and grace of a television commercial. Vertu is much better with "Topasio Es Puro Corazon" and "Danse of the Harlequin" -- opportunities to build fascinating contrasts in sound, both through themes and improvisations. These pieces, along with the plentiful solo sections in the flawed songs, have some great interplay that will certainly be of interest to fans of all the involved musicians. And if they're longtime fans of any of the members (especially Clarke, White, and Return to Forever), they'll realize that creative risks are often successful and flawed in equal measure, so they won't be discouraged by the awkward moments on Vertu. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist:
1 V-Wave 5:09
Composed By – Lenny White
2 On Top Of The Rain 7:40
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
3 Anoché 5:29
Composed By – Karen Briggs
4 The Call 7:21
Composed By – Lenny White
5 Topasio Es Puro Corazon, Part One 4:47
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
6 Topasio, Part Two 5:00
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
7 Danse Of The Harlequin 6:38
Composed By – Lenny White
8 Start It Again 4:10
Composed By – Richie Kotzen
9 Marakesh 5:35
Composed By – Karen Briggs, Lenny White, Rachel Z, Richie Kotzen, Stanley Clarke
Mastered By – Vlado Meller
Mixed By – John X
10 Toys 7:54
Composed By – Stanley Clarke
Credits:
Bass Guitar – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Lenny White
Guitar, Vocals – Richie Kotzen
Keyboards – Rachel Z
Violin – Karen Briggs

NIYAZ - Niyaz (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Niyaz is something of a miniature electro-worldbeat supergroup. Consisting of singer Azam Ali (of Vas), multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian (of Axiom of Choice), and producer/remix artist Carmen Rizzo, the trio has a sound that centers on Ali's ethereal vocals and incorporates musical elements from Iran, Pakistan, India, Western Europe, the U.S., Turkey, and many other regions. Three of the songs on the band's eponymous debut album are based on the writings of the acclaimed Sufi mystic poet Jalaluddin Rumi; another is a setting of an Urdu poem by Sauda. But these ancient traditions are given settings that could have been created at no time but the present -- while traditional instruments are used liberally throughout, everything is undergirded with up to the minute breakbeats, electric guitars, and synthesizers. The resulting sound isn't slick, but it's definitely complex and frequently highly danceable. Highlights include the bhangra-flavored "Allahi Allah" (on which Ali's singing is especially beautiful), the dark and funky "Golzar," and the slowly simmering "Dunya." One or two other tracks (notably a rather slight instrumental titled "Arezou") fail to match the intense beauty of this album's best moments, but then, this is the first release by Niyaz -- the trio's next one should be even better. by Rick Anderson  

NATACHA ATLAS - Ayeshteni (2001) WV (image+.cue), lossless

Though a native of Belgium, Natacha Atlas is of Egyptian ancestry and has been bewitching Western listeners with her melismatic Arabic vocals since the early '90s as a solo artist and a member of the worldbeat dance band Transglobal Underground. All of her solo albums have been impressive, but this one is her best so far. As always, she's helped out in the beats department by her colleagues in Transglobal Underground, and as always their stylistic promiscuity stands her in good stead: her original songs, sung in Arabic as usual, are an entrancing fusion of snaky, modal melodies and gutbucket funk grooves -- "Ashwa," "Mish Fadilak," and her adaptation of Zebda's "Soleil D'Egypte" are all every bit as rhythmically irresistible as they are seductively lovely. And the cover versions are, if anything, even better; she turns the torching Jacques Brel classic "Ne Me Quitte Pas" into a slinky dancefloor come-on, and delivers the best version of "I Put a Spell on You" since the death of Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Is there anything she can't do?  by Rick Anderson
Tracklist
1 Shubra 5:42
Arranged By – Transglobal Underground
Backing Vocals – The Mohandiseen Male Voice Choir
Cello – Emad Taha
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Boughi
Drums, Programmed By – Hamid Man Tu
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Organ, Programmed By – Tim Whelan
Percussion – Khaled Rico
Producer – Transglobal Underground
Saxophone – Larry Whelan
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Hani Farahat
Violin, Arranged By [Strings], Fiddle [Rababa] – Medhat Abdel Samie
Written-By – Kasiek, ManTu, Atlas
2 I Put A Spell On You 3:44
Arranged By – Transglobal Underground
Backing Vocals – The Mohandiseen Male Voice Choir
Cello – Taha Taha, Emad Taha
Drum [Nahrazan] – Mohamed Kly
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Flute [Magruna] – Yehia Abdallah
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Percussion – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla
Piano, Programmed By – Tim Whelan
Producer – Transglobal Underground
Programmed By – Hamid Man Tu
Scratches – DJ Awe
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Medhat Abdel Samie, Hani Farahat
Written-By – Screamin' Jay Hawkins
3 Ashwa 6:03
Cello – Emad Taha
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla, Khaled El Boughi
Drums – Hamid Man Tu
Engineer – Tom Rixton, Khaled Raouf
Flute [Kawala] – Ibrahim Kawala
Guitar – Tim Whelan
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Percussion, Backing Vocals [Whisper] – Khaled Rico
Producer – Mika Sabet
Programmed By, Arranged By – Mika Sabet
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin [Additional] – Hani Farahat
Violin [Solo], Violin [Additional] – Medhat Abdel Samie
Written-By – Natacha Atlas
Zither [Quanun] – Ituch
4 Ayeshteni 4:57
Cello – Emad Taha
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Oud – Essam Rashad
Percussion, Backing Vocals – Khaled Rico
Producer – Mika Sabet
Programmed By – Tim Whelan, Mika Sabet
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Tamer Ghoneim, Medhat Abdel Samie, Hani Farahat
Written-By – Atlas, Sabet
5 Soleil D'Egypte 3:12
Adapted By – C Khaldy, Natacha Atlas
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal
Producer – Transglobal Underground, Zebda
Written-By – Magyd Cherfi, Zebda
6 Ne Me Quitte Pas 4:33
Arranged By – Transglobal Underground
Engineer – Philip Bagenal
Keyboards, Programmed By – Hamid Man Tu
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal
Piano, Guitar, Programmed By – Tim Whelan
Producer – Transglobal Underground
Strings – Heanafy Soliman
Written-By – Jacques Brel
7 Mish Fadilak 5:12
Cello – Emad Taha
Clarinet – Larry Whelan
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla, Samir Zaki
Engineer – Tom Rixton, Khaled Raouf
Flute [Kawala] – Ibrahim Kawala
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal
Oud – Mamdouh Gebari
Percussion – Khaled Rico
Producer – Fahd, Mika Sabet
Programmed By, Arranged By – Fahd, Mika Sabet
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Tamer Ghoneim, Medhat Abdel Samie, Hani Farahat
Written-By – N. Atlas
Zither [Quanun] – Ituch
8 Rah 6:21
Cello – Emad Taha
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla
Drums – Hamid Man Tu
Effects [Clouds] – Larry Whelan
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Flute [Kawala] – Ibrahim Kawala
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal
Percussion – Khaled Rico
Producer – Mika Sabet
Programmed By, Arranged By – Mika Sabet
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Tamer Ghoneim, Hani Farahat
Violin, Fiddle [Rababa] – Medhat Abdel Samie
Written-By – Atlas, Sabet
9 Lelsama 5:52
Clarinet – Larry Whelan
Drums – Hamid Man Tu
Engineer – Tom Rixton, Khaled Raouf
Flute [Kawala] – Ibrahim Kawala
Flute [Magruna] – Yehia Abdallah
Guitar, Programmed By – Tim Whelan
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Percussion, Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla
Producer – Mika Sabet
Programmed By, Arranged By – Mika Sabet
Violin – Medhat Abdel Samie
Written-By – Natacha Atlas
Zither [Quanun] – Ituch
10 Fakrenha 5:09
Arranged By – Transglobal Underground
Cello – Taha Taha, Emad Taha
Composed By [Additional] – Khaled Salah El Din Taha Abdalla, Khaled El Boughi
Effects [Ghosts] – Hamid Man Tu
Effects [Spirits] – Mika Sabet
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal, Tim Whelan
Percussion – Khaled Rico
Piano, Programmed By – Tim Whelan
Producer – Transglobal Underground
Saxophone – Larry Whelan
Viola – Mahmoud Osman
Violin – Tamer Ghoneim, Medhat Abdel Samie, Hani Farahat
Written-By – Natacha Atlas
Zither [Quanun] – Ituch
11 Manbai 7:43
Engineer – Khaled Raouf
Flute [Kawala] – Ibrahim Kawala
Mixed By – Philip Bagenal
Oud, Arranged By – Essam Rashad
Percussion – Khaled Rico
Producer – Essam Rashad
Remix – Nitin Sawhney
Written-By – Rashad, Atlas

NATACHA ATLAS - Ayeshteni

 (2001) Mantra / WV (image+.cue), lossless

O Púbis da Rosa

SHEILA CHANDRA - Quiet (1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This was truly the album where Chandra broke away from the pop structures underlying much of Monsoon's work. As Chandra began to write much of her material (in collaboration with Martin Smith and producer Steve Coe), the dance rhythms of her debut were virtually eliminated, although the emphasis on Indian instrumentation remained intact. The music simultaneously incorporated elements that were both more traditional and more free-form than her previous work -- traditional in the sense that she drew upon Indian vocal styles such as spoken bols; free-form in that there were no lyrics, just wordless vocalizations, often overdubbed numerous times. Divided into ten tracks with a single title ("Quiet 1," "Quiet 2," etc.), the suite-like piece remained cognizant of modern technology and outside musical influences, without being overwhelmed by them. In most crucial respects, the album outlined the approach she has taken to her idiosyncratic brand of world music ever since. by Richie Unterberger
Tracklist
1 Quiet 1 8:57
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
2 Quiet 2 4:13
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
3 Quiet 3 4:53
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
4 Quiet 4 4:02
Sheila Chandra / Steve Coe / Martin Smith
5 Quiet 5 4:09
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
6 Quiet 6 4:21
Sheila Chandra / Steve Coe / Martin Smith
7 Quiet 7 3:01
Sheila Chandra / Steve Coe / Martin Smith
8 Quiet 8 4:47
Sheila Chandra / Steve Coe / Martin Smith
9 Quiet 9 2:33  
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
10 Quiet 10 4:54
Steve Coe / Martin Smith
Credits
Bass, Harp [Surmandel] – Martin Smith
Bells – Martin Smith, Preston Heyman, Sheila Chandra, Steve Coe
Percussion [Gamalan, Whispered Hi-hat], Cabasa, Shaker, Wind Chimes, Cymbal, Gong – Preston Heyman
Percussion [Water Wok] – Preston Heyman, Sheila Chandra
Piano, Performer [Eqtara] – Steve Coe
Santoor – Martin Smith (9), Preston Heyman
Sitar [Dilruba] – Dharambir Singh
Sitar, Tambura – Dharambir Singh, Martin Smith (9)
Synthesizer – Martin Smith, Steve Coe
Vocals, Voice [Spoken Bols, Jathis, Sargam] – Sheila Chandra
Written-By – Martin Smith, Sheila Chandra (tracks: 1, 4, 6 to 8), Steve Coe

SHEILA CHANDRA - Quiet

 (1984) Narada World / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

O Púbis da Rosa