Mondo Platinum

Amazon.com
A label sampler for Mondo Melodia, this 14-track compilation focuses on Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Most of it is world music by default, for the individual singers collected here are pop stars from their respective nations, albeit ones utilizing the musical flavors of their homelands. The styles are varied: Italy's Zucchero performs a heartfelt ballad, the group I Muvrini gives traditional Corsican folk a pop twist, and Egyptian vocalist Hakim, in collaboration with U.K. groove collective Zohar, invokes an otherworldly Jon Hassell feeling. Hailing from France, Emma Shapplin beguiles with heavenly, multitracked vocals on "The Inferno," a dreamy ambient electronica selection heard on the Red Planet movie soundtrack. The album's dark horse is Canadian singer Alannah Myles, who performs the stirring "Alibi," a well-known Greek song featuring her newly penned lyrics. Additional contributors include Cheb Mami, Khadja Nin, George Dalaras, Notis Sfakianakis, Andy and Soraya, Haris Alexiou, Faudel, Rachid Taha (with Femi Kuti), and Khaled. Nicely packaged with liner notes, Mondo Platinum offers many interesting selections that should appeal to pop fans trying to stretch their listening boundaries just a little bit farther. --Bryan Reesman

Tracks:

Mama - Khadja Nin
I'll Seek You Out - George Dalaras
Il Volo - Zucchero
Aisha - Khaled
The Inferno - Emma Shapplin
Quantu Omu Po - I Muvrini
Gipsy Day - Notis Sfakianakis
Cerca Del Corazon - Andy And soraya
Autumn - Haris Alexiou
Alibi - Alannah Myles
La Valse - Faudel
Baida - Cheb Mami
Ala Jalkoum - Rachid Taha
Sketches Of Egypt - Hakim

Amazon.com

A label sampler for Mondo Melodia, this 14-track compilation focuses on Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Most of it is world music by default, for the individual singers collected here are pop stars from their respective nations, albeit ones utilizing the musical flavors of their homelands. The styles are varied: Italy's Zucchero performs a heartfelt ballad, the group I Muvrini gives traditional Corsican folk a pop twist, and Egyptian vocalist Hakim, in collaboration with U.K. groove collective Zohar, invokes an otherworldly Jon Hassell feeling. Hailing from France, Emma Shapplin beguiles with heavenly, multitracked vocals on "The Inferno," a dreamy ambient electronica selection heard on the Red Planet movie soundtrack. The album's dark horse is Canadian singer Alannah Myles, who performs the stirring "Alibi," a well-known Greek song featuring her newly penned lyrics. Additional contributors include Cheb Mami, Khadja Nin, George Dalaras, Notis Sfakianakis, Andy and Soraya, Haris Alexiou, Faudel, Rachid Taha (with Femi Kuti), and Khaled. Nicely packaged with liner notes, Mondo Platinum offers many interesting selections that should appeal to pop fans trying to stretch their listening boundaries just a little bit farther. --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

Exotic Musical Carpet Ride.......2007-05-24

It is impossible to condone the banning of musical expression from any society when confronted by the range of talent, lyricism and emotion in these "pop" songs from so far away and from such unfamiliar cultures. This is a fabulous CD; it matters not that one can't understand a word of it. The melodies are transporting, the rhythms seductive, the magic, musical carpet ride irresistible. With this CD it is easy to open ones arms wide to the beauty of our human variety and rejoice in some small way at the shared experience.

Amazingly wonderful.......2003-06-09

I wanted to try music from other parts of the world. Ended up in the used section of Tower and just pulled it, bought, and LOVED IT. I had no idea it was going to be that good. This is the best of the best, well produced, so you don't have to worry about mis-matched volume levels, hoaky effects, or other similarly distracting things. Just outstanding!

World's Best Music: Africa, Meditarranean, & Mid-East.......2002-04-27

"Platinum Mondo" has the "best of the best" of world music in one package! This CD contains a dynamic combination of global favorites from Africa, Algeria, Greece, Corsica, France and Italy! The whole CD has a stunning variety of music and musicians from interesting diverse regions of the globe - careful selections of best-sellers. Khadja Nin a female vocalist from Burundi (Africa) sings a smoky, sultry song in French, Swahili and Kirundi (native dialect). George Dalaras and Notis Sfakiankis each express Greek passion in their own inimitable styles. Modern Algerian music known as "rai" is well represented by Khaled and Hakib Cheb Mami, it combines pop and traditional music of the region. "Aisha" sung by Khaled has great vocals, rhythm, and melody. I find myself repeating phrases of the song and humming the melody long after the CD has stopped. Zucchero (Italy) is another Meditarranean voice that is worth hearing.

If you have *ever* picked up any of these artists CDs in the world music section and wondered about their music - wonder no more! Buy this CD, you will have no regrets. Expand your boundaries: listen to what the world is singing and playing!!!
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

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