Reviews (4)

Hot traxs that rock
This CD has not left my deck since it arrived two days ago. It is simply remarkable on at least half of the songs and pretty darned good on the rest. The mix of dub and Arab melodies is quite dynamic. I can not believe I have never heard of these guys before. If you like Loop Guru but want something that rocks more....this is for you!!!

LOVE IS IN THE AIR
WELL WHAT CAN I SAY I POP THIS IN AND I LITERALLY POP OUT INTO FUNKY SMOOTH SAILING JAMS.. IF YOU GET.. THEN YOU MUST SUBMIT.. BYE IT AND YOU WONT HAVE NO REGRET

PEACE OUT

How good?
This is the type of album that takes you on a journey to far off places. One of the few albums that can do this for me, and believe me it takes some doing to get out of the industrial North West. Quality sounds and tunes. That good!

open-ended music that loves you and everyone else
A friend of mine got very excited about one of the tracks on this CD. He said it sounded like Frank Zappa playing over a Hindu wedding group. If you like this idea (and if you don't you can ...) this is for you. I love this band. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

wicked bunch of songs!
I just bought this cd and....oh man.....it ROCKS. Yah, it's a tiny bit older sounding (a little less techno, in other words) than the new Asian Underground stuff, but that just makes it all the more sweet.

The cd as a whole is half soothing, half grooving...and trust me, that makes for an insanely good time. A few of my fav. songs: Bullet Train (which has amazing bass backing up the melody) and A Toungue of Flame (which literally sounds like new age reggea with a gorgeous-voiced singer thrown in for that extra exotic sound). But the best part of the cd? Boss Tabla!! I can't even describe how terrific that one song alone is, much less the entire album. It starts out w/intricate tabla drums and steadily adds more and more until the bass beat just takes over. After that, there's pretty much nothing you can but surrender to the awesomeness and smile.

In a nutshell: This cd is worth every penny you paid for it, and that includes shipping and handling!

After so many years, yet great
It's strange to make a rewiew on a CD of 6/7 years ago!
This happens only if we are speaking about a great cd.
Psychic Karaoke it's one of this!
Before that the orient entered in the club this group was at least some years ahead!
Now days we are speaking about Bhudda louge, Chlaude Challe...Ayurveda Lounge...Tantra Louge..Punjab etc....
but this people already tried to mix West and Orient in a superb sound.
Here the magnificient voice of Natacha Atlas is the carpet between sitar and electrical guitar, between bongo and rock bass.
When the West meet the East...Etnich rock electronic underground still modern!
Best song are : Chariots- Bullet Train - Good Luck Mr.Gorsky - Eyeway Souljha- but in a five stars album all the track are more than ok!
I hope that new fans can meet this group!

Quality
TGU sometimes get classified as Asian Underground, but they're really much more Arabic flavored. The groove here is more of a reggae thing than the club rhythms favored by the Asian Underground. If this sounds appealing, you'll like this album, because TGU pull it off very well. All the stuff with Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas is first rate. A few of the other tracks are a little weak, particularly the "raps", but the highlights merit 4 stars.

NOT GLOBAL UNDERGROUND!
TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND NOT TO MIX UO W/ THE TRANCE-DJ-COMPILATION GLOBAL UNDERGROUND (SASHA & JOHN DIGWEED). I REALLY LIKE THIS ALBUM OF THEIRS 'COZ I LIKE ETHNICAL-INFLUENCED ELECTRONIC MUSIC. THIS ONE HAS A LOT OF EASTERN-ORIENTAL ELEMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE SONGS WITH NATASHA ATLAS SINGING. IF YOU LIKE ALBUMS LIKE THIS ONE, YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK OUT LOOP GURU, BADMARSH AND SHRI AND TALVIN SINGH. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Cameroonian jazz legend Manu Dibango made a splash on the world charts back in 1973 with a propulsive, saxophone-driven instrumental called "Soul Makossa," which sprinkled bits of American funk and soul into the dance music of West Africa. Much of his later work gave playful expression to this fusion of African and Western styles, sometimes with odd but always danceable results--as when he recruited rapper MC Mello and P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins to add their touches to his swinging sound. The Very Best of Manu Dibango highlights his big hit, of course, but it also makes room for lesser-known work like "Ponciana," "Ekedy," and "Abele Dance," tunes that will likely be unfamiliar to all but the most wide-ranging of worldbeat aficionados. Favoring songs from Dibango's middle period, particularly his funk-layered outings from the 1970s, the disc includes a collaboration with Herbie Hancock, "Electric Africa," and the irresistible "Africa Boogie Afrovision" and epic "Sun Explosion." An ideal album to keep a party going, this sampler gives ample evidence for why Dibango enjoys such high regard. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Slightly Disappointed
I was a little disappointed that the version of Soul Makossa on this CD is not the original from the early 70's. It's not just remastered or remixed, it's totally re-recorded - more polish, less groove. And because of the vague liner notes, I'm not sure where this version even came from. What redeems this disc is that it's a great listen overall. Lots of funky beats and layered rythms backing a mean reed blowin' by Manu! Texturally, some of it reminds me of Remain in Light era Talking Heads. It's just ashame that the funkier original version of Soul Makossa wasn't included.

Manu DiBngo and His Bangin' Beats!!!
Only Manu can make a beat that pound's your soul with that thumpin' sound of the drummer and the conga's mixed with just the right amount of deep haunting & seductive vocals that hit your ear like the BIG Bang Theory. It is explosive and mixes just the right amount of funk to keep your toes tappin. His beats are so infectious, that several rap artist's whom I will not name, still continue's to sample many of DiBango's beats, knowing that today's young generation beleive that it's a new sound. We who are the true collectors know that is not true. Manu churned out many hits during his time and once you've had the chance to really listen to his music...you will be pleasantly surprised at just how many of his songs have been incorporated into today's hip-hop. Thank you Manu for your precious gift of song. Long live Soul MaKossa!!

Great Afro-Funk from "Lion of Cameroon" -- Manu Dibango
I happened to hear "Soul Makossa" one day on the Spinner Plus Internet radio station and was intrigued by this funky African music which sounded to me a bit like Fela Kuti. So figured I would try this Manu Dibango dude out. Boy was I glad that I did. Great Stuff!

This music should cure the worst case of the sweatshop blues. It's hard to sit still listening to this "Afro-Soul-Jazz" music. The sound quality is excellent.

The following four tracks more than justify the purchase of this CD.

(1) Soul Makossa has a timeless polished funky beat with backup singers (French) and a power saxophone rifting in an out. This has got to be one of the top ten Funky recordings of all time.

(2) Sun Explosion has quicker funky bass beat like a disco song on amphetamines that can quickly put you into a trance.

(3) Adele Dance has more of Industrial style sound sort of like Manu Dibango Meets Kraftwerk. This combination works real well and doesn't sound dated at all because the Afro-Funk Saxophones and rhythms hold everything together (Oolalala!).

(4) Electric Africa returns to more of the Soul Mokassa style of pure Afro-Funk beat with a more restrained power saxophone with Herbie Hancock on piano no less (Wow!).

On the down side, I wish there would have been more information on which albums these cuts came from and the dates these recordings were made. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Brilliant ambient album
i'm really into ambient and this is one of Rich's best albums..actually i personally think all of them are superb,but this one is the most emotional and intense and still have the mysterious feel that takes u other places..
(sirena) and (the divine radiance) are my favorite tracks in this cd
if u're looking for something dark by Rich,go for Stalker or Below Zero

3-D Effects!
I am relatively new to this style of music, and I own about 20 ambient CD's so far. While newer ambient recordings are making use of modern reverb technologies which expand the stereo image beyond the range of the speakers, this is the first one that I have heard which is using 3-D technology to place sounds around the listener. If you are like me and spend hours moving your speakers around and then marking that perfect spot on the floor with tape, you will love the sound of this disc.

Dark Ambient- PRIME!
I started with Robert Rich with Beastiary, which is still my favorite. Fissures is calmer, just as dark... but it is soothing in a fashion I can not quite explain. I will say that the record continues to grow on me everytime I listen to it. There is pretty much no rhythm on this record, reminding me of the New Age movement (in general-LOL!), but I find I don't need it as Robert's proficiency with synthesizers astounds me with every listen. He takes a few musical tones and creates a magical, dark place. Wonderful, capivating spin!

Something else!
While I do not proclaim to be an expert in this field of music, I do like artist's like Roach, Eno, Unis,etc. And I know that when a disc takes me somewhere else, I've found something special. This release is as atmospheric as you'll find. It takes you deep into the caves of the human spirit and keeps you there the whole time. Beautiful, haunting; a keeper for the ages!

Organic tension
This cd reflects a subtle sense of tension among the organic and subterranean sounds. Although not my favorite among Rich's releases, it does have plenty of nice soundscapes. It reminds me a lot of his 1996 release "A Troubled Resting Place", yet a far cry from his 1998 release "Seven Veils". ... Read more

Amazon.com

With Beyond Skin,Nitin Sawhney set a highbar for global fusion music. Now he's raised it with Prophesy, takingadvantage of a larger budget to bring in Indian strings, a South African choir,a Chicago cabbie, soul singer Terry Callier, and Nelson Mandela, among manyother things. But what could have been an awkward grab bag of sound comestogether under Sawhney's sure hands and inspired songwriting. He makes theunusual work. On "Sunset," for instance, flamenco and rai meet Brazil, and thevocals of Cheb Mami and Nina Miranda work to glorious effect. Trilok Gurtucontributes some stunning kannakol (vocal percussion) to "BreathingLight," while Natacha Atlas beguiles with her singing on "Acquired Dreams." Butthis is more than a collection of great tunes--it's an album that ponders theway our world and civilization is developing, asking questions and challengingassumptions while still delivering some sumptuous grooves and melodies. It allculminates with the title track, on which Sawhney's acoustic guitar and thevocals of the London Community Gospel Choir provide a piece of quiet, hypnoticintensity. Thought provoking, intelligent, and mature, Prophesy is thework of someone who deserves to be called an artist. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Chilled, but no background music
This disc is a prime piece of musicianship. None of the music is very aggressive, so you'd almost call it chill-out music. There's too much variation for that, though. The music ranges from simple guitar ballad to almost electronic violence, so it's not as ignorable as your average chill-disc-of-the-month. What keeps the album from becoming a bunch of world music gimmicks is Sawhney's overall vision. He is a great composer, and while the songs are very differently instrumented, they all share the same spirit. I'd give the music 5 stars.

What makes this disc annoying is that Sawhney clearly has some socio-political statements to make. If he'd only contain that in the song lyrics I'd have no problems with it. However, he intersperses the songs with little bits of spoken (quoted) text, and after you've heard them twice you can do without them. Increasing the irritation factor is that the BBC news bit is ungrammatical, and the "street gutu" goes on for more than a minute. I'm subtracting a point from my rating.

A great album, a great artist, great feelings
When I first listenned to a Nitin Shawney's album, I though it was the best music ever made, in terms of electronic music. It takes us to a different state, our emotions flow and, for me, it is really calming.
The way Nitin Shawney mixes sounds from different worlds is really special and harmonious. It's a supreme way to fly to distant places that we can't visit otherwise...

Incredible introduction to fusion/world music
Except for a few tracks, this album is pure genius. Nitin Sawhney really put some good thought into this album, and it shows.

The first track, Sunset, is a good introduction to the kind of music you'll be hearing in the rest of the CD. A mixture of English and Hindi-dialect vocals, it is both beautiful, relaxing, and thought-provoking.

Track 8, Breathing Light is my favorite track (actually my favorite song, period) mixing together violins, piano and fast-paced rhythms, giving the listener to what I like to call "a musical orgasm". Despite lacking vocals, this song is extremely moving. The tone is hopeful, yet reflective. I haven't met anyone who did not like this song. That says a lot.

Track 15, Prophesy is a pseudo-tribal rhythm that starts slow and picks up speed until it's just pounding away. It closes with a sudden stop. The beauty of this song is in the intricate, detailed vocals that accompany the even-more-detailed instruments. The pace at which the background singers chant at the end is incredible, almost too fast too pick up. Listen carefully.

Be warned, this style of music requires a stronger appreciation for non-mainstream music. You don't have to like indie music to like this album, but if rock music is what floats your boat, this probably isn't for you.

Musically creative, but overly preachy
Nitin Sawhney's newest offering, "Prophesy", features a marvelously creative blend of technology and organic world music sources. My favorite tracks include "Acquired Dreams," with Natacha Atlas on vocals, and "Cold & Intimate."

However, the music seems to be overshadowed by the barely-coherent preaching included in the "Street Guru" songs and even the CD liner notes. It's strange that Sawhney seems to speak out against technology (at least, that's the conclusion I came to, as it's difficult to make any sense of his ramblings), yet technology is the only reason he has a musical career.

And honestly, who cares what a foul-mouthed cab driver thinks about the world in general ("Street Guru")?

Overall, a great CD in a "Deep Forest" sort of way, but don't think it's "profound" by any means. It's simply another artist who thinks his musical talent gives him license to foist his half-baked philosophical worldview on us.

Nitin's most developed album
Prophesy blends together influences and styles from all over the world and puts them all through Nitin's classically trained skills and an urban London sensibility. The result is a magnificently crafted exploration of the realm of music. Probably his best album to date. ... Read more

Album Description

Out of print on CD in the U.S., this is the CD maxi single for the top five & first hit from their 1994 album. Containsfour mixes of the smash: Radio Edit, Long & Alive Version, 380 Midnight Mix and Short Radio Edit. Slimline jewel case. 1994 Virgin release. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

This Item is worth having for the Long and Alive mix.
Return To Innocence was a well deserved hit for Enigma. It kind of came as a surprise to me that such a relatively sunny song came from the same group who did the dark and ainy Sadeness.

There are two remixes that saound almost the same with the radio edit and the short radio edit. The radio edit sounds exactly like the parent album version except without the bridge tat ties it into I Love You Ill Kill You. The short radio is dead identical inly about 3 minutes.

However the real gems on this single are the Long and Alive and the 380 Midnignt Man mix. The 380 Midnight mix is much darker and more stormy also making almost like it meeting Sadeness. The part with the strobe light chants is great. This version is a great reworking of the original. It gaive RTI a whole new feel almost opposite to the original.

The winner thoruhg is the Long and Alive version. It starts off as a cloudy minor note and then a discordant guitar away comes in and then morphs into inro the original sound with the usual chating. However the middle part of the song has a sort of Sitar at the bridge and a more minor note structure. The song then morphs back into a major note song and with a new shorus that the song to 7 minute and gives this remix far, Far more personality than the original version.

Go and get this single. The reviews I wrote on the 380 Midnight Man and Long Alive aren't enough to really say how great they are. It's worth the money.

great song! But I can only give 4 stars before of its origin
It's a great song! But unfortunately, I can only give this song 4 stars, because of the following reason: Enigma copied part of the melody from "Jubilant Drinking song" from Taiwan native vocalists Mr and Mrs. Kuo (Chinese name: Kuo, Yin-Nan, but I don't know their native names) when those Taiwan native vocalists were invited to sing in the international folksong concerts held in France before 1994. Enigma even used their original singing in the beginning of the song! The "Jubilant Drinking song" is used to sing while drinking with the friends or local tribes for Taiwan natives who live in the eastern coast facing the Pacific Ocean. That is why the melody has the favor and attitudes of the ocean tides hitting the rocky coasts!

After some court suings and legal settlements, the CD company paid those Taiwanese vocalists the the royalty of that song, and print their names on the new release of that song later. The Taiwanese vocalists were invited to the opening ceremony of 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in U.S.A. and sang with Enigma. That is why I give this song 4 stars.

Very Much Alive Version...
I choose the Long and Alive version of Return To Innocence as the best version on this maxi-single. It is just that,long and re-vitalized with added warmth, vocals and percussion. It's not overwrought with 300 bpms (beats per minute-for the club/d.j. enthusiast) like the other version. Vocals by Sandra Cretu and Louisa Stanley are better isolated here than on the album version. Male lead vocals by German singer Angel (Andy Hard)are, for lack of better words, ethereal and lightweight. Yet, his vocals are impressively strong.A minor post script/footnote here: Anyone who collects rare hard to find European imports interested in hearing more of Angel's vocals can try to track down a solo album he put out a few years ago. It was,once again, produced by Michael Cretu/Enigma. The title of the c.d. is Welcome to the Soul Asylum.Some copies were sold in Europe under the artist's name as Angel X or Angel...

The Return to Innocence extended mix will leave listeners mesmerized and with a feeling that they have just taken some sort of mystical and spiritual journey from within. You will also feel very close to the earth and Heaven...

One of the best Enigma Singles out there!
For people new to Enigma, this is probably one of the two songs you heard that got your attention. Return to Innocence and Sadeness are the two most popular songs by Enigma. Yes, the import single is still available! Most Enigma singles go out of print after a few years, but some stay. If you want to start collecting Enigma singles, this is the perfect one to start with. It's very easy to find and it doesn't cost much. You'll fall in love all over again with the extended version (track 2) and become entranced with the incredible 380 midnight mix (track 3). For new fans who want to collect the different versions, I'm here to help! The single was released in 1993 in the US, England, Germany, Holland, and Japan. The most common version is the Germany version. It has Native American artwork covering the entire disc. Next is the Holland version, which was recently re-released, so it should be fairly easy to find. It has the same artwork as the Germany, but with a clear ring close to the center of the disc. The England version is also similar to the first two, but it has a totally clear center. The US version is a special edition maxi-disc that features the radio edit of Sadeness! It's hard to find, though. The Japan version is out of print, and is next to impossible to find. Hope the info helps. Feel free to ask me any Enigma questions! invincible@collegeclub.com

Same on Enigma for stealing other people's voices
Great Album, alright. But shame on Enima for stealing voices from Ami tribe's vocalists in "Jubilant Drinking Song." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Perfect for work
If you dwell in a cube 8+ hours a day, put on a good set of headphones for your escape from the hallway chatter and your neighbor's speaker phone. Trances & Drones is a double CD, defining two essential ambient electronic styles. For cube-dwellers, you need go no further than Trances, in which several tracks are built from long unbroken loops of burbling, marimba-like streams. This will keep you happily on-task hours at a time. It's like rain on a roof, only given melody and harmony.

Very relaxing
Though Rich is known for dark ambient works this is more sonambulent. Not much darkness at all...just very soothing drones with just a hint of melody or structure change to keep you interested. Great for yoga, meditation or just some relaxation before sleep. This is one of my favorite ambient cd's.

Early sombient masterworks by Robert Rich
Robert Rich has been composing stunning ambient music for two decades now. Fans will recognize his recent HUMIDITY concert recordings, and wonder if early recordings of "sleep concerts" exist. Well, sort of. Recorded in 1983, after a successful series of 9-hour "sleep concerts" in the Northern California region, TRANCES and DRONES perfectly showcase his deeply purposeful use of textures and gently developing environments. The albums preceed his early classic, NUMENA, by 3 years, and also predate the more melodic and rhythmically complex works. This is pure ambient music, mesmerizing and gently effecting. His penchant for dark atmospheres and "psychoactive music" (Robert's own label for this brand of ambient music) was later displayed with B.Lustmord in STALKER. I review other Rich albums on my own site...

an excellent space music cd
This cd is definitely a good electronic/space soundscape. Similar to some steve roach works, but it does not reach the heights of electronic master Klaus Schulze, who is the greatest in this field, in my opinion. Anyway, if you like schulze and roach, this cd will not dissapoint you. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Aural archaeologists Rich and Steve Roach delve deep into the strata of the primordial mind in this acclaimed 1990 collaboration. They forge a symbiotic artistic alliance where their signature sonic motifs are generally abandoned for the sake of a collective sound. Implementing their combined arsenal of synths, samplers, flutes, drums, and steel guitar, the duo creates a variety of moods and atmospheres--serene ambiences ("The Grotto of Time Lost"), ritualistic, rhythmic invocations ("Fearless"), intense dark ambient spaces ("Magma"), and surreal, bubbling soundscapes ("Persistence of Memory [For Dali]"). As with their other works, the composers utilize a balanced blend of organic and electronic instrumentation in an exploration of the human psyche that is simultaneously primal and cerebral. This album was a critical and commercial success, remaining on the Billboard New Age charts for several months after its initial release. --Bryan Reesman ... Read more

Reviews (10)

6 stars
Since its release in 1990, not many ambient artists have topped "Strata". In fact, I can't think of any that have created such a consistent package of gold since. Gorgeous compositions accompanying tribal rhythms, glurps and swirls takes you on a subterranean journey as well as a journey into a very deep and forgotten part of your mind. The opening track "Fearless" is perhaps one of, if not the most, beautiful and ingenious pieces of ambient music I have ever heard. The entire cd is packed with sophistocated, premium soundscapes that is a must for ambient music lovers.

Deep Night Music
What a shame that track # 4 isn't on the sampling list. That one track takes my mind on a journey(to WHEREVER! ) every time I hear it. This CD explores musical realms that transport.....PERIOD! Primordial, layered, tranquil, morphing, and on and on and on..I find the CD always taking me to different destinations. But believe me, track 4(The Grotto of Time Lost) with it's cavewater glurping and timeless spacedrift drone is ideal night music, right up there with Jonn Serrie and Raphael(more beautiful "night music"). Track 4 alone makes me give the CD 5 stars!

Ambient deliciousness
I don't normally feel compelled to express my views for cds, games, or whatever, but for Strata, I finally felt I had to say something. It is just a lovely juicy slice of ambient deliciousness! I recently bought the older and much more acclaimed "Dreamtime Return" - while it is cool (why I was encouraged to get "Strata"), it really can't touch this gem. In fact, I would say that Strata makes Dreamtime seem longwinded and monotonous in comparison. Strata seems to use a much wider and richer array of wafty, floaty sounds and tinkling echoes than the mostly-woodblock-and-bongo-beating Dreamtime. The last time I was treated to ambient style music this good was perhaps 4 or 5 years ago when I was first knocked over by Future Sound of London's literally peerless "Lifeforms", an audio experience akin to falling on your face in an alien rainforest (one of my all time fave records, get it pronto). I don't think this topples Lifeforms (it has the edge - just - for sheer uniqueness and obscurity), but Strata is the only other record I've encountered that ever really came close enough to be worthy of a head-to-header. That's pretty high praise coming from such a picky listener as I!

Two of the best
With Rich and Roach, you know you're in for a treat. This cd is similar to their "Strata" release in style and quality. Both start with slow pecussion based drifting swirls of ambient with a lovely space/tribe feel. As the disc moves on, it moves into a pure space/ambient realm that puts you out to lunch. A great relaxer that is considered by many to be one of the all-time greats in the genre. A must have.

Sophisticated, Trance-Inducing Masterpiece
I'm a part-time massage therapist, and I have used this CD many times during massage sessions on clients with a wide variety of music tastes. It is no exaggeration when I say that every one of these people loved this CD, and I personally would put it on my Top 10 all-time best list. The music is incredibly serene and relaxing, while never becoming tedious. The multi-layered interaction between electronic instruments and exotic percussion is ever spontaneous and varied. Ambient/Techno-Tribal music at its very best. ... Read more

Album Description

13 tracks with a remixed version of 'Endangered Species'(Galleon remix radio edit). 2002 release. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Deep Forest evolve...Again
Deep Forest's latest release finds the group in yet another uncharted realm, this time the inspiration being drawn from artists that have influenced them over the years. The results have divided fans of the act and on the surface it seems like the act has morphed into something quite unrecognisable. Eric Mouquet and Michael Sanchez describe the album as a modern protest album about the dangers of mankind & the environment, citing the music they grew up with as the inspiration.As a result, Deep Forest's trademark world beats and ethnic chants have taken a backseat to psychadelic guitars, thumping French disco beats, and full structured songs-most in English! And while this may sound shocking the whole thing actually works. If you listen closely, sandwiched between frentic beats and vocals you can still hear the sounds of wafty sitars, ancient voices and tribal sounds thrown into the mix but the experience is something different from previous works. This album will surely disappoint those who are looking for a relaxing new age/world album to calm the soul. However, if you are looking for an ecletic pop album "music detected" might be worth looking into. Lets hope Deep Forest survive their evolution a little better than the dinosaurs. Best tracks: India, Endangered species, Computer Machine, Deep Blue Sea. Weakest Moments:Yuki Song

Quite Different but not bad!
Since Deep Forest exploded on the map with their masterpiece first album it's been a strange ride to say the least.The next two follow-ups were either loved or hated.I personally wasn't the biggest fan of either one.Now comes Music Detected in an entirely new direction.Some find it to be too loud and rock orientated and others find it's too techno or pop orientated.I disagree with all of these folks.To me, this is quite an eclectic collection of songs and musical landscapes.So different in fact, it's refreshing to my ears.Music Detected does contain a couple of clunkers here and there but also contains some beautiful and invigorating tracks as well. Upon first listen to India, I was not impressed,however,another listen or two and I find myself really enjoying the song-again,so different it's refreshing! The use of English lyrics was both a shock and warm welcome for me,I truly love that vocoder used heavily in my two favorite tracks:the wonderful Endangered Species and equally fantastic Beauty In Your Eyes.Both these songs are rather dance orientated,but the addition of live drums and those touches of ethnic chants make them special.Another stand out has to be the stirring Far East which blends into Deep Blue Sea forming a moving piece of ethnic pop featuring Anggun on vocals.Others I enjoy are Elemental,Will You Be Ready,and Yuki song.Overall,I would have given this five stars but the clunkers to me, were really bad.If you like Enigma and Delerium,give this a go!

Great CD, another real ear-opener
It's very interesting to me that with only one exception, all the reviewers who gave this CD a mere one or two stars are all from the USA. Can't just be coincidence, can it? ;-)

Keep your ears open and keep Deep Forest on your playlist!

Absolutely phenomenal. I'm almost speechless!
I had wondered what had gone on with Deep Forest following their 1998 third album "Comparsa" which I thought was uneven and their "Made In Japan" album as I had heard no news of them until when out of the blue came their 2002 comeback album entitled "Music Detected" which by the cover alone, I knew would be a major change in their sound but even then, I would never have guessed the culture shock that this newest album of theirs would bring but let me tell you, this album is awesome! In fact it ties with "Boheme" as their best album to date and marks a whole new chapter in Deep Forest's history. If you are familiar with the traditional New Age sound that defined a lot of their first three albums of theirs, then you will find it a great idea to adjust to a radically different sound because "Music Detected" is radically different from any of their older material and has almost none of the New Age genre sounds of old. The New Age sound is replaced with a heavily explosive techno dance sound along with rock, pop and even some occasional alternative rock elements in some places and this could almost have made a dent on the rock or techno charts. To me I think this album is the most radical change of sound that I've heard a New Age artist make since Enigma did with "Cross of Changes" over a decade ago.

This album shifts away from the Western Hemisphere from the Carribean sounds of "Comparsa" and Eastern Europe on "Behome" and Africa on their debut and heads to the Far East to Indonesia, Japan, China and India as this album has a far more Asian color to it and lots of exotic vocals from this region of the continent meshed perfectly with the crazy techno sounds that dominate this album. In all honesty, while this CD is a radical departure from their 1990s era albums, "Music Detected" offers styles for almost everyone to enjoy. What's also interesting too is that this album also have more live sounding drums as opposed to drum machines or the like. For the weird parts of this album, "India" is probably one of the most bizarre tracks on this album starting with Sitar strings and finally blasting into full-fledged rock N Roll before a strange Eastern Indian amplified vocal comes in giving the song a really strange but highly appealing Asian sound. "In The Evening" is another Eastern Indian Sitar influenced instrumental that is unfortunately really short and could've been longer to create a spectacular track but for what it is "In The Evening" is a good and eerie reprise interlude track.

Most of this CD though is strongle techno electronic rock music. "Computer Machine" is an awesome groove that starts with an eerie intro and robotic voice effects before it becomes a danceable mix of techno, pop, dance, and even some jazz elements that would almost make this song feel like café dance music for the distant future. "Soul Elevator" is another bizarre track that incorporates Alternative rock and electronic to create a really amazing track like nothing DF have ever done before. "Endangered Species" to me is the most explosive track on this album. It starts with ominous electronic melodic effects and echoing voice effects, a pulsating techno beat comes in and the song finally becomes a highly energetic intense, and dramatic techno dance track for the dance clubs! The live drum beats are fast and energetic. The Galleon remix has a harsher more techno-beat as opposed to live drums and has a different rhythm but both versions are incredibly awesome. "Beauty In Your Eyes" is almost purely techno rock but has really amazing vocal effects and a fast techno-beat for the dance floors.

The best songs however in my opinion are the two mid-tempo ballads "Yuki Song" and "Deep Blue Sea". "Yuki Song" starts with a haunting New Age ambient intro and becomes a dramatic power ballad like song with incredible vocals by Beverly Jo Scott and has amazing Asian flutes to give the song a slightly melancholy sound to it. This song is amazing and is one of the highlights. The best song however is the twosome track duo "Far East" and "Deep Blue Sea". "Far East" is a hauntingly beautiful interlude with a haunting New Age sound and exotic instruments. The track is only a minute long but brilliantly merges into the best song on this entire album "Deep Blue Sea". Featuring the seductive vocals of Indonesian singer Anggun, this song is an incredible song that mixes pop, rock, world and some New Age and to add Anggun as a guest vocalist makes this already incredible song even more so and this song has a lot of the great sounds of her 1998 masterpiece "Snow On The Sahara" which I strongly recommend alongside "Music Detected". Any other songs that I haven't pointed out on this album are must listens as well but the ones I did mention are among the best songs that they've ever done.

As much as I may be nostalgic for sounds like "Nightbird" or another "Sweet Lullaby", I am glad that they didn't make a "Deep Forest part II" nor something in the vein of that. Making "Music Detected" was a smart move and showcased one of the greatest artistic risks I've heard since U2's "Achtung Baby" from the early 1990s. "Music Detected" finds Deep Forest finding a fresh new sound and stepping into a whole new arena with incredible results and I strongly recommend that you purchase. Unlike a lot of people who needed time for this CD to grow on them, I loved this album the first time I bought it and I think it's their best album alongside "Boheme". Some may find themselves overwhelmed by the loudness of this CD but if you listen closely, even they will find that Deep Forest have lost none of their spirit and I look forward to they may bring next on their next outing whenever that comes out. God only knows how awesome this album would sound if a live CD of these songs were released someday. Highly Recommended CD.

One of the best albums by DF
I can see some people not satisfied with the new sounds,they are complaining about rock guitars or electronic sounds,but may I ask have you REALLY listened to this album?I think not.All those people just listened it,found something new that never appeared in a deep forest album and I think they instantly wrote a review that they should have written after listening to this cd a few times more.Because even if there are guitars,english vocals or as one of them was complaining about samples about deep forest does'nt know,deep inside they are still the same old deep forest,with ambient textures,thick layers and exotic world voices,I don't know whats so bad about adding a few things more.Songs like Endangered Species,Beauty in your eyes,Deep blue sea,Elemental are just so beautiful that I keep listening to them every day and still want to listen more.Take Elemental for example,beginning of the song is ordinary,pop vocals with nothing special but just listen to it for a minute or so and you will see what a beautiful song it is,you will love the male voice used in this song.
What I recommend is to sit back,relax,throw all negative thinking out of your mind,just listen to it 2 or 3 times,I am sure you will definitely discover the same old Deep Forest in this album,in fact a deep Forest much more powerful and verstile than before,you will definitely enjoy the new sound Deep Forest has introduced. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Charming middle eastern sounds
This wonderful album features traditional and modern instruments with songs based on the 16th century poetry of Shalom Shabazi. The opening number Im Nin'alu is a catchy mid tempo ballad and is followed by the buoyant Yachilvi Veyachali, a faster song with a complex arrangement.

Ofra's voice displays its impressive diversity on A'salk, a great interplay of mostly percussion and vocals. The medley of Tzur Menati, Se'i Yona and Sapri Tama has a catchy twirling melody and Galbi is another tuneful song with a compelling rhythmic structure. Ode Le'eli is a slow ballad with repeating patterns while Lefelach Harimon is my favorite with its sweeping melody line and hypnotic percussive textures.

Yemenite Songs is a pioneering album that successfully integrated traditional Middle Eastern songs with modern arrangements and pop appeal back in the middle 1980s. There is a moving spiritual undertone to many of the songs and Haza's voice is warm and engaging. If you like World Beat or the music of bands like Transglobal Underground, you will love this album.

Additional reccomendations for fans of this beautiful aalbum
I aggree with the other positive customer reviews and want to reccomend some discs in addition to this one for fans of Ofra Haza's beautiful music.

Amazon sells seven titles of Ladino music, which stems from pre-1492 castilian-judaeic culture in Spain. It combines Spanish and Hebrew, with beautiful stripped down arrangements.

MUSIC AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN
Yemenite Songs is an inspired and successful effort to bring renewed life to the excellent traditional Yemenite folk music of Ofra Haza's ancestors. This album (CD) is much more than Ofra's humble characterization of it as being simply something different than the usual pop offering. These songs and lyrics date back hundreds of years, yet they are extremely accessible and enjoyable to both middle eastern and western musical ears.
Catchy ethnic rhythms and melodies come vividly to life in this well crafted, richly textured, artistic production.

There are no commercial compromises on this work. Extensive use is made of traditional folk instruments, including various percussion instruments. The arrangements offer as true a taste of this type of traditional Yemenite folk music as you are ever likely to hear. This music is from the Yemenite "Diwan," a book of traditional poety meant to be sung. The poems are written, but the music has been passed down orally from generation to generation. The original album was an unexpected hit and has remained one of Ofra Haza's best sellers.

Every song is satisfying from the first to the last. This CD differs from Ofra's "Shirey Moledet" series of three albums even though Shirey Moledet means folk songs of the homeland.
"Yemenite Songs" is exclusively from the Yemenite "Diwan" song book, and is exclusively and purely Yemenite traditional folk music. The Shirey Moledet series while incorporating traditional Yemenite elements, also has various other influences including non-Yemenite Arabic music, and many of the songs are somewhat more modern in sound. The first Shirey Moledet album (CD) is particularly excellent.

To hear the angelic voice of Ofra Haza singing the traditional Yemenite song book at the gates of Heaven, buy "Yemenite Songs." You will enjoy it over and over again as a timeless work of art.

Rich Collection of Devotional Poetry in Song
This is the *very* best of the Ofra Haza CDs ... many of the songs are in Hebrew, Arabic & Aramaic which makes this one of the most unusual and outstanding Middle Eastern CDs ever produced. Her voice is indeed beautiful, the voice combined with the complex meter and beat of the poetry written by Rabbi Shalom Shabbazi from the late 16th C. provides a rare and unusual glimpse into the past but with a contemporary sound. The melodies created by traditional and modern musical instruments: wooden & metal percussion, Yemenite tin and tambala, stringed instruments, flute, piccolo, oboe, English horn, bassoon, clarinet, French horn, and bass clarinet produce striking rhythms which captivate the listener. This CD is a mirror reflecting the beautiful music of the past within a modern framework ... it is an artistic masterpiece. How sad this musical legend is no longer with us but how very lucky we are she left us a legacy of her musical creations, so we never forget her ... Erika Borsos (erikab93)

The Incredible Ofra
I first bought this as a cassette tape in the 80s and wore it out. I was amazed at this woman's incredible voice and the beautiful songs that she sang. I now have this on cd and it still as impressive as ever. Ofra Haza's voice was like some kind of angelic instrument. I was stunned to hear of her death in 2000 and the realization that we'll have no more gems from this unique artist. At least, however, we have the cds she left behind and this one is one of the best. ... Read more

Album Details

The Second Single from the Album "Voyageur", Including Another Remix of that Track. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Brilliant closing track to their newest album!
This song entitled "Following the Sun" is the counterpart to the opening track called "From East To West" and brings the album "Voyageur" to an excellent conclusion.

Following the instrumental track "The Piano", this song starts with a sweet melody that merges into a hazy and haunting melody and then after sweet sounding distant harmonicas, the song becomes a highly sunny and intense track that reminds me of "Return to Innocence" as it has a very similar atmosphere to it: Sunny, innocent, and uplifting. The climax is amazing.

Afterwards, the bright climax gives way to a hazy sunset feel that dissolves into a creepy, mysterious and even scary ending where the distant ambient ending almost sounds like the sounds of early Delerium. ... Read more

Album Description

Full title - 'Love Sensuality Devotion The RemixCollection'. Import exclusive remix companion piece to thenew age/dance act's 2001 'Best Of' compilation. 9 tracks.Gatefold digipak. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Wonderful Music but a little lacking
The remix collection is awesome! You hav to buy it! Like me, you may hav most of their CD-singles, this one is a definate must hav in your colloection. The print on the CD is so beautiful. I pondered for a few months when it first realesed before deciding to get this. Eventually I purchased it anyway.

I was thinking.. since I got most of the remixes why waste good money to buy something that I already owned? I can just top up my collection by downloading those songs(like most of my friends did) that I Dun not hav and burn it into a CD and imagine that I already own it. But it is not the same.

Ask yourself this question. Why do you want to buy a music CD? if you answer is like mine (to feel good and be entertained)you gotta buy the original and not to download. Thats becoz the packaging and the printing on the CD is part of the feel good factor! Buy this album to feel good now! Support them, so that the artiste will hav the motivation to produce good music next time!

Dance into the domain
A CD for the senses. I will never get tired of this CD. The remixes are excellent. They capture the soul and before long you are entranced. this Cd is perfect for any activity you are engaged in. Whether you are doing housework,...or simply dancing to the hypnotic sounds it will blow your mind. Nothing like it. Wish there were more remix Cds of Enigma's music. buy it and be amazed.

great but still regrets
The album was great, especially the remixes of Age of Loneliness, Push the Limits, Return to innocence and T.N.T. for the brain. other were also fine, but still i wonder why did they put that Gravity of Love mix, there are some much better than that, e.g. Dark Vocal Club mix. and also it 'd be better tu put the armand Van Helden mix of mea culpa instead of that.
Still, the album is great and worth listening to and bying.

Save your money
Some things should be left alone, Enigma's music is one of them. I use this for a coaster now.

Great remix CD
Even though I don't really like rave music that much,this one stuck a cord with me like all of Enigma's music.Some people might not like this cd,but I do and I think people who've never heard anything buy Enigma and love rave music will love this cd. ... Read more

Album Description

The second single from 'The Screen Behind The Mirror', the top 40 2000 album by Michael Cretu's ongoing new age/ dance project Enigma. Unavailable as a commercial single in the U.S., this import release features four versions of 'Push The Limits', including two remixes of the tune! Tracks 'Push The Limits' (Radio Edit, ATB Remix, Album Version & ATB Radio Remix) plus the video. Digipak. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wicked song
I don't know which version of the song I love the most,the version from the album The Screen Behind The Mirror or the ATB Remix,I think both.Push The Limits is a excellent song to dance to or just meloy out to.

Pushy...
The three track English single gives one only the shortened radio edit of the track and two uninspired dance remixes. The track is good alone, but as a single, this is not up to par with Enigma's other releases.

"Basic Instincts, Social Life", Excellent Single
Of Beginning, I bought this single by the video, but soon, I discovered that the video was an aggregate to an excellent disc.

The two versions of ATB leave me without words, and the version for radio contains all the sounds, mixtures and beat of the original version.

The digipack format is excellent and if you have not bought it, what delay you. :)

Greetings

Excellent single, as usual ;-)
No surprises here, Enigma cranks out yet another great single. ATB does excellent remixing and I would recommend anyone that owns and enjoys the other Enigma singles to please get this one while you can. Very much worth it.

A smash club hit in the making!
First off, I love Enigma ... Second, I also love ATB! So to hear an ATB remix of an Enigma song is a dream come true for me. This single is totally worth buying if you are a fan of Enigma, ATB, ambient world or trance-techno music.

The Enigma version of the song has a more progressive break-beat with faint chants, spoken female voices and a very cool synth melody - energetic and atmospheric yet melodic.

The ATB remix has a more house-trance beat, a very dreamy atmosphere and the arrangement is totally hypnotic! The perfect mixture of ATB and Enigma fuse together for what is becoming no less than a major club hit around the world! Hopefully, the single will get released in the US eventually as well.

In the meantime, buy this import copy while you can. The digipack version will be for a limited time only and it features a multimedia track containing the music video which you won't find anywhere else. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After having essentially kick-started the idea of ethno-techno with Fifty Gates of Wisdom, Israeli diva Ofra Haza stalled creatively at the start of the 1990s. In 1992, however, she pushed herself ahead with the album Kirya while still keeping intact her Yemenite Jewish roots. The production was high-tech but underneath the machinery lay plenty of thought for the music. She added hip-hop as well as other musical genres to her sound. This hybrid style became a kind of forerunner to the work of Natacha Atlas and Transglobal Underground. Bringing Lou Reed into the picture for a duet on "Daw Da Hiya" was something of a masterstroke, even if it didn't pay dividends in terms of sales. In essence, this adventurous disc is a landmark in world fusion music with the title track and "Trains of No Return" clear standouts. Once again, Haza pushed the envelope. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Best Middle Eastern work of Ofra Haza
This is a wonderful work, because this great israeli singer sing in three languages of that zone of the world (hebrew, arabic and aramaic) with fabulous ryhtms of the jew and arab cultures. Any songs are half english, half semitic language.

I prefer the sounds ethnic, and the song Daw Da Hiya (english and judeo arabic), with the narration of Iggy Pop, is really stirring. This song reflects the sad life of many women in those countries. Also I like Mystery, Fate and Love, because is a magnetic song in english, like Barefoot, with that sensual rythm with lyrics in hebrew (she repeat constantly the arabic word "albi", "my heart"). And obvius, Trains of No Return, with a message of peace and alive, in memory of the jews died in the Holocaust.

Ofra Haza was a goddes of the world music. Only I had wanted that she sang more songs in spanish, because she had a magnificent voice.

Shalom Ofra.

Buy This Now!
There can be no other like Ofra Haza! She has a voice of an angel. She definitely earned her title as "the Madonna of the desert". Although she's much better, light years ahead. Actually, she's so far ahead of Madonna she's behind her.

Kirya is her best effort. Horashoot is "THE" song on the album. It's fun and funky and totally infectious. It's impossible to not love this song. I dare you not to like it. The same goes for Daw da Hiya. This song is about a woman who falls in love and gets pregnant by someone she's not married to. Needless to say her family dissaproves. Iggy Pop helps Ofra tell this sad story.

There are a couple of ballads on the album, most notably, Innocent and Don't Forsake Me. Nobody does a ballad like Ofra. She can do amazing things with her voice. I highly recommend this to everyone who like a powerhouse singer doing catchy danceable songs.

Rest in peace Princess

Essential Ofra Haza
After the more upbeat/pop/dance world music albums Shaday and Desert Wind, I was floored and immediately delighted when I bought this CD in the early 90's. At the time I had no other reference to Ofra other than the two prior albums (Ofra is so much more complex than just these U.S. releases). This album has a much slower groove that mixes traditional Middle Eastern music with a jazzy, soul, R&B feel. This album also contains some of the most amazing rhythms ever. To this day "Mystery, Faith And Love" is one of my favorite songs. And Ofra singing of the concentration camps in "Trains Of No Return" is very moving. "Daw Da Hiya" is a surprisingly good duet with Lou Reed lending spoken vocals to a song about a young woman scorned by her family because of her love for a man. This is one of my all time favorite albums and something I turn to anytime I need to settle down and relax and take a few minutes out of a crazy life to breathe. It never grows old and it always elevates my mood.

Dark, disturbing and stunning
This is oh so close to being another 5-star album by Ofra Haza (it would have been her third as rated by me), but I am holding back (call it 4 ½), because I just don't love it the way I do the nouveau traditional world-beat masterpiece of "Fifty Gates of Wisdom" (also released as "Yemenite Songs"), and the boundary-bending pop perfection of "Desert Wind". It is much darker in mood and less easily accessible than those generally uplifting earlier albums, and features much more of the kind of "wordless" singing that she introduced on Desert Wind's "Slave Dream", especially in "Kirya", "Daw Da Hiya", "Barefoot", and "7/8". It is nonetheless superb, with the highest production values of any of Ofra's albums, a consistent sound that is somewhat more resonant than earlier efforts (like the bells at the beginning of "Innocent") and some of the most haunting music she has ever created. Once again, she mixes Hebrew with English, so on most songs you can tell what's going on. Best are "Horashoot", the beautiful, mournful "Trains of No Return" (concerning the holocaust) and "Daw Da Hiya", featuring a man narrating the cruel fate of a young woman who seeks love unapproved by her father in a traditional society in which women are treated as property. (The thumping beat underscoring Ofra's cries at the end of "Daw Da Hiya" is the most exciting music on the album.) But there are other songs that fall into the "I'm not sure how much I like this" category. "Kirya", "Mystery Faith and Love", "Barefoot" and "7/8" are certainly good, even stunningly good, but I haven't learned to love them yet. There is also the problem of diminishing returns on high expectations. This is a lady who has hit the highest heights musically, and while in certain respects I hear her art peaking on this album, I nevertheless feel that I've heard her do it before. In any event, Ofra Haza's voice was a gift to her from God, and to us from her, so for an Ofra fan, it is unthinkable not to own this excellent CD.

Beautiful voice, catchy songs.
Though I am not a fan of pop music, the beauty of Ofra Haza's voice lured me in. This album has wonderful songs in an almost 80s-style pop music with "middle eastern" influence. The lyrics are moving and deeper than typical pop music, complete with a voice that is unique to just about any genre! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Like the wild mushrooms that fungus enthusiast Robert Rich turns into gourmet dishes, the pieces on Soma seem to emanate directly from the ground, without belonging to any species hitherto defined. New Age? Nah. Ambient? Not exactly. Fungoid tribal trance? Maybe. Rich, the drone provocateur who invented the "sleep concert" in the early '80s, and Roach, proto-ambient pioneer whose Dreamtime Return remains a classic of organic New Age, distill a potent nectar of heartbeat-paced percussion--including rain sticks, clay water pots, kalimbas, and sequenced drums--and reverberant flutes, didgeridoos, and canyon-sized synthesizers. More rhythmically active than either the Roach-Vidna Obmana duet Well of Souls or early Roach electronica like Traveller, Soma--named for the Vedic potion said to deliver the drinker to God--is a Southwest vision quest that suggests Terence McKenna's psilocybin-mushroom theories: a connection to the very soul of the earth through ethno-botanical ingestion. Bottoms up... --James Rotondi ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful...
While STRATA, the first collaboration between Steve Roach and Robert Rich, sought to peel away the substratum layers of the inner consciousness, SOMA attempts to reconcile those emotions with the outer world through a wondrous, gripping corpus of sound. Here, Roach and Rich perform a stunning series of lively, aural mosaics that are like musical puzzle boxes with hundreds of oddly colored pieces. It is as if they tore up the veneer of the desert itself and constructed these sounds out of the earth's very natural fiber. Like the best free jazz improvisers, Roach and Rich intuitively communicate their separate identities into one collective whole. Another brilliant collaboration from two higly prolific and accomplished artists.

Very Earthy
To describe this cd as rich with the Earth or "coming from the ground" is very accurate. I purchased this cd over a year ago, but only recently discovered what an enjoyable release it is. I guess that goes to prove that timing is sometimes a factor in how much you like a particular cd. Soma is moderately tribal with nice Earthy textures.

Better Than a Happy Pill!
Steve Roach is one of my favorite ambient artists and for good reason. His sounds make me happy and relaxed and at peace all at the same time. Yet I find my artistic side stronger than ever and have to start producing that which my imagination is pouring forth.

Great sounds
Robert Rich and Steve Roach serve as an excellent choice for a collaboration. Each other's distinctive rythyms and sounds blend together into a cd of much intrigue and excellence. The two use, extensively, drums and other percussion instruments to give it a kind of Indian/jungle feeling to it, as well as rich and sweeping themes that are powerful and distinct. On a positive note, none of the songs are harsh or abrupt, just smooth and flowing. I fully reccomend this title for fans of the composers as well as people looking for that special cd to spice up their ears. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wes has the unmistakable--and very Western--touch of its producer, Michael Sanchez (Deep Forest), but at its heart is the inherently African outlook of Cameroonian Wes Welenga. His songs, delivered in a soulful, often falsetto, voice, deal with childhood, the fragility of man, respect for elders, universal consciousness, religion, and matters of the heart. Combining a highly textured orchestration with traditional instruments, synthesizers, and rock guitars, Wes treads a path that weaves between Western pop charts and the Bantou villages of his upbringing, his songs never losing sight of his traditions. Musically, moments of exquisite beauty rub shoulders with beats straight from the dance floor with Wes's lyrical vocals, punctuated with the occasional Pygmy and South African-style choruses. It all makes for a sonic cross-cultural experience with wide appeal. --Derek Rath ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A great album to dance and relax to, African Style!
I had first bought one of the two European import versions of "Welenga-Universal Consciousness" in Germany, the one without the two ending bonus tracks. While I was still there, I found the version with all 14 songs included, and I am very pleased that I own a truly fine CD by a talented Cameroonian such as Wes Madiko. Working With Michel Sanchez of Deep Forest, Wes has produced some mighty good tunes to dance fast to, such as the first single "Alane" and "Ken Mouka", while others like "Mizobiya" and the title cut "Welenga" are good for the slow movers during a dance. I feel that both "Ken Mouka", "Mizobiya" and the ending bonus track "Midiwa Bol (I Love Football) should have been singles in this country, so many more people could have the chance to be exposed to some truly quality world-genre music. I have grown to enjoy it a lot more myself. So, if you can locate a copy of the European version of this album, get it, bring it home or to your favorite dance club, and let others share in the joy of a great Africian creation-"WES". You will not be disappointed, be sure of that!

Smooth like Maziwa
Of all the New Age albums that have been churned out, Wes' 'Welenga' remains one of my favorites. I used to have this on cassette years ago, and only recently obtained this beam of heaven on CD. People who haven't heard of Wes may not totally 'get' his music upon the first few listens, but listeners of world music, and in particular of the Deep Forest / Era variety, may find themselves thoroughly enthralled by this fascinating album.

Wes was 'discovered' in the early 1990s, and with the help of Deep Forest, who had begun exploring their own musical capabilities with 'Boheme', released his first single 'Alane'. While this is traditional African music, it is also, on the other hand, a sort of electronically-charged dancefloor set of compositions, which is why some conservative world music fans may find it hard to appreciate Wes. However, if you give 'Welenga' more than a few listens, you'll find that its the same boat, if not better, than 'Boheme', Catherine Lara's 'Aral', and even some of the more embraced Real World recordings.

The edition available here is the American version, which is a pity. If you are really interested in obtaining the original 'Welenga', try to get your hands on the French release, and if possible, the limited edition one, which has many more tracks than the US release. Of all the editions of 'Welenga', the US version is the worst. Not only did they spoil it by tagging on Wes' worst track to date (he was forced by producers to sing a duet in English - a sort of R&B and rap influenced ditty that is downright terrible) called 'We don't need no war', but they added Wes' tribute song for the World Cup CD a few years ago called 'Midiwa Bol' . This is an upbeat, harmless track, and one that France adopted as its' anthem during the festivities surrounding the days after their win, but it doesn't fit in with the songs here at all. Cut away tracks 9 and 10, and you have just 8 songs remaining, but still, its really worth getting this album just for these gems.

'Alane', the first single off this CD, is also perhaps the most hummable and infectious. Hailing universal brotherhood and cosmic divinity, Wes' incredibly childlike yet mature voice is set to the tune of new age harmonies, with an upbeat rhythm that found its way to discos around Europe. 'Alane' is Wes' only real international hit.

The second single 'Awa Awa' was also released the same year as 'Alane' but it failed to make a big impression. Its a beautiful, soaring single thats also the opening track on the album, but in some ways it was deemed 'commercially forgettable'. But I was glad to note that the US version of the CD has the full version of this track.

'Welenga' has never been released in a fully comprehensive edition. Even the European editions, though pretty thorough, lack the inclusion of some of Wes' most astounding work at this time. The two main tracks that are notorious in their absence, are 'Miguele Song', which Wes co-wrote with Deep Forest, and the simple, stunning 'Doutou', which was released without any promotion as a CD single. If you can get your hands on this one, you'll have your 'Welenga' set all complete. Wes also had a single around this time called 'In Youpendi' for The Lion King Collection, a CD compilation released in Germany.

If you're looking for an album that reminds you of 'Boheme', this one would most readily come to mind first. But Wes also carries trace of Tama and Youssou N'Dour, but hes in a totally different class by himself. The music is divine and profound, and you only need to pop this disc into your player for an hour and sit back and listen to his beguiling voice. The liner notes attached to this package give you an insight into Wes' world, and how his spirituality and prayers for a divine unity throughout all the world's peoples has affected his musical sensibilities.

My favorite tracks here are of course 'Alane' and 'Awa Awa', but theres one in particular that stands out - 'Ken Mouka' and also the title track. Wes sings with a chorus of African children and women, and at times you really feel transported to the sunny junglescapes of Africa, and the warm happiness their people exude.

If you're looking to become a serious Wes collector, you should certainly check out his album that came out just after this one. Wes had parted ways with Deep Forest, and linked with a newer producer. However, with this change came a change in musical styles as well. Wes' second album does not have the same magical quality that his first has. Its amazing how some things have a time and place all its own, and they can never be replicated once again. His followup album 'Sinami' is a perfect example of how sophomore world music efforts only serve to reiterate the greatness of their creator's previous trips to the studio. Do get it if you can find it, but its not as wondrous as 'Welenga' by any means.

Remember, theres a whole body of Wes work out there that is rare and out of print. If you're thinking about getting this edition of the CD, go ahead, but also keep your eyes out for the Australian and French editions. Also, keep looking for the 'lost' Wes tracks - songs that he did with Deep Forest that have disappeared into oblivion - 'Ketewi', 'Nemene', and 'Sweet Bitowo'.

If you're a serious lover of world music and are interested in expanding your musical tastes and experiences, 'Welenga' by Wes would be a great way to get you started. I can't recommend it highly enough. The only reason I give this release 4 stars instead of 5 is because they lopped some of the best tracks off this US edition.

A Spritual Cleansing
The extream best in tradional music.....I have heard it and danced to it with all my Goddesses belssings in my heart. It is true freedom put to music.

uplifting and joyful
I first discovered this music while on a trip with a group of amazing Peace Corps volunteers. They (and sometimes I) were biking across the country of Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa to raise awareness for girls' education. We played this tape over and over again in the stereo of the truck that trailed the riders. Now I play it to remember what beautiful landscape and people I met there as well as to cheer myself up if I'm sad and to get motivated if I'm feeling sluggish. It is truly inspirational and it takes you into another world.

A Great African album
Written, Arranged and Produced by Deep Forest's Michel Sanchez, but performed by Camerounian Wes Madiko - this partnership works well as a great bridge between Central African sound (minus marimba) and modern western-European beat. The tracks range from the Shamanic, hypnotic jungle sounds (unmistakibly Deep Forrest-esque) to feel-good Dance tracks which have been great hits from the dance floors of Paris to the Villages around Yaounde.

Give dance tracks Awa awa and Alane a listen - they "hold" the album. The rest should grow on you after a while.

If you like this album then, I recommend you have a listen to the music of Kanda Bongo Man (from the neighboring Congo), Mory Kante (Guinea) - great dance, Youssou N'Dour (Senegal), Salif Keita (Mali), Angelique Kidjo (Benin) - they are successful artists who carry a similiar feel in their music.