Bassima - Aini Ya Mo

Bassima has never been one to follow the pack, and Aini Ya Mo is no exception. After the huge success of Andi Sou'al, Bassima returned in 2003 with a completely different song. The title song is written and composed by Marwan Khoury and unlike anything released before, thanks to Roger Khoury's arrangement. He combines fun pop with more serious tarab-style strings and beats. Boudi Naoum brings his always unique brand of East meets West with two power ballads, Bekhtesar and La Tfel. Iwan (credited here as Mohamed Ba'assiri) takes a much more different tone with three quintessential, upbeat Arabic pop songs: Wel Khad Metki, Wala Hammi, and the extremely catchy Doum. Wissam El Amir contributes with Lamouni, which is a good tarab-style song, but has nothing very interesting. Roger Khoury arranged most of the album, with the exception of Bekhtesar and La Tfel, which Boudi Naoum arranged himself. Like most of Bassima's albums, there is not a bad song here, and it's no wonder the album was so successful.

1. Aini Ya Mo

2. Wel Khad Metki

3. Bekhtesar

4. Wala Hammi

5. La Tfel

6. Lamouni

7. Doum

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Pascale Machaalani - Shou Amaltellak Ana?

Happy Eid to everyone! Here's something to put in your car stereo on your way to the family! Pascale's 2003 album has many great tracks, like the title song, as well as the fun Leila Ba'd Leila, and her first Tunisian song, Ana Habbaitou. This is one of her most upbeat albums, and most diverse too, with composers Melhem Bou Shdid, Mahmoud Khayami, Salim Salameh, Samir Sfair, Riyad El Hamshari, Khaled El Bakri, and Imad Shamseddine all on board. Enjoy!



1. Shou Amaltellak Ana?
2. Leila Ba'd Leila
3. Moush Arfa Ansak
4. Jannanto
5. Yeslamli
6. Ana Habbaitou
7. Gai Walla Nsit
8. Elli Mou Aal Bal
9. Betkhaf Aleik Addi
10. La Far'a Ma'ak

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Asalah - Ad El Horouf

Asalah's 2003 album was the last one in which she mixed Khaliji, Syrian, and Egyptian songs on the same CD. Two of the biggest hits, Misheit Senin and A'taz Bek, are by Saudi poet Al Nasser and Kuwaiti composer Dr. Ya'coub Al Khubaizi. Though Al Nasser works mainly with singers from the Gulf, he has written several songs for Magida el Roumi in classical/written Arabic, such as Ouhibbouka Wa Ba'd and Al Hob Wal Wafa', but he wrote Misheit Senin in the Egyptian dialect. Khalli Hal Tabeq Mastour, composed by Syrian singer Elias Karam, is a humorous song in which she tells her lover not to bring up fidelity, because "he who lives in a glass house shouldn't throw stones at others". Though some songs suffer from somewhat archaic arrangement, and Asalah seems to get alittle overenthusiastic on others, like Tasawar and Mali, there are enough good songs on this album to merit a thorough listen.

1. Tasawar
2. Damirak Sehi
3. Misheit Senin
4. Mali
5. A'taz Bek
6. Ad El Horouf
7. Khalli Hal Tabeq Mastour
8. Lawen Omri
9. Ayez El Haq
10. Aashet El Asami

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Myriam Faris - Myriam

Myriam Faris entered the music scene with an album that was essentially a tribute to Turkish singer/composer Bendeniz, with six songs credited to her and the two remaining songs to Roger Halabi and Boudi Naoum. Seen as Jean Saliba headed her entry into the music scene, it is not so surprising that her debut album is so different, and Turkish, compared to the albums that came after it. The majority of the songs came from Bendeniz's Zaman album, from which Saliba also remade the title track for Amal Hijazi in her beginnings. Myriam was introduced to music scene with the now ubiquitous Ana Wel Shouq, a remake of Bendeniz's Helal. The music of electronic Ghmorni and Europop Shou Baddo Ysir offsets the otherwise quintessential Turkish style on the rest of the album. Though Myriam was a decent entry for Myriam, she did not truly define her style until her hit 2005 album.



1. Ana Wel Shouq
2. Ghmorni
3. La Tes'alni
4. Shou Baddo Ysir
5. Inta El Hayat
6. Ahebbak Heyl
7. Hal Gharam Mish Gharam
8. Ya Aalem Bel Hal

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Nancy Ajram - Ya Salam (Collector's Edition)

Nancy Ajram began her musical career in 1998, with Mihtagalak, and followed it up with Shil Eyounak Anni in 2000. But in a scene filled with burgeoning new talents, Nancy did not achieve true success until 2003, when Ya Salam was released. The first single, Akhasmak Ah, was the first video Nancy shot with director Nadine Labaki. Nadine had directed videos before for Pascale Machaalani and Katia Harb, but neither she nor Nancy had known the kind of success, fame, and controversy that arose from Akhasmak Ah's video. The catchy song and video, which depicted Nancy as a waitress/dancer at a local coffee shop, became Nancy's first pan-Arab hit and started her three-year professional relationship with Labaki, who recently received international acclaim for her debut film, Caramel. Though the album has some mediocre songs that try too hard to work in the boy band beats, there are more than a few good songs. Yay, an early Samir Sfair-Tarek Madkour hit, is one of the successful pop songs on the album, combining Samir's composition with some guitar, and a Far Eastern twang. Inta We Bas, composed by Ashraf Salem (the man behind much of Aline Khalaf's early success), is a fairly enjoyable once you get past the synth Mohamed Mostafa put in the intro as well. Salim Salameh composed three songs on the album, the hit ballad, Ya Salam, as well as the more upbeat Nassito Garho and Ahla Jaw. Often mistaken as Nancy's debut album, Ya Salam is worth listening to even if only for the hit singles (Akhasmak Ah, Yay, and Ya Salam). This collector's edition has been remastered by EMI, and the difference in sound quality is definitely noticeable when compared to the original Relax-In release.



1. Akhasmak Ah
2. Nassito Garho
3. Yay
4. Inta We Bas
5. Ya Salam
6. Ahla Jaw
7. Einan Tara
8. Inta
9. Ashkaraballi

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Carole Samaha - Oughniat El Toufoula

Carole Samaha began as an actress on the Rahbani stage, and acted in plays such as Akher Ayam Sokrat (The Last Days of Socrates), Abu Tayeb Al Mutanabi and Al Nizam Al Jadid (The New Order). Before she transitioned into mainstream pop, Carole sang Aasheqat Allah, an album of religious songs, and two singles, Be Sabah El Alf El Talet (by Mansour Rahbani) and Oughniat El Toufoula (by Mansour & Oussama Rahbani). This album serves as a good compilation of Carole's work with the Rahbani family. Coming predominantly from plays, many of the songs on this album tend to be lyric-focused. Oughniat El Toufoula and Be Sabah El Al El Talet are humanitarian songs, the former for children and the latter about peace (or the lack thereof). Oussama Rahbani's Ana Law Be'der Rouh La Indak is a purely oriental song reminiscent of Fairuz's early career. Two songs from Sokrat make it on to the CD; Wehyatak Dallak Elli, which incorporates an Eastern European feel, and La Ta'rif Issmi, which is mellower and more traditional. Ataf An'oud El Enab (from Al Nizam Al Jadid) and Eftahli El Bab are more typical of western theatre, thought the former is the more dramatic of the two.



1. Oughniat El Toufoula
2. Be Sabah El Alf El Talet
3. Ana Law Be'der Rouh La Indak
4. Wehyatak Dallak Elli
5. Eftahli El Bab
6. Ataf An'oud El Enab
7. La Ta'rif Issmi

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Assi Al Hillani - Forset Omur

One of Assi's most successful albums, Forset Omur is a diverse and full of the many styles that he likes to explore and try. This album also marks his most extensive collaboration with Tarek Abou Jaoudeh, who composed six of the songs; Ghali, B'oul Ma B'oul, Shou Habbaina, Forset Omur, Bhebbek Inti, and Rif El Ain. The hit Ghali is Assi's first song with electronic dance accents, albeit with Hadi Sharara's signature breaks of Arabic percussion and strings throughout. Recorded in Beirut, Cairo, and Istanbul, with Arab and Turkish musicians, Assi is serious and passionate about his music and oversees every aspect of it. Some songs, like Ghali, benefit from the Turkish Gundem string orchestra, while others, like Rif El Ain and Forset Omur, incorporate Turkish-style baglama or clarinet. B'oul Ma B'oul and Shou Habbaina combine more east and west, with powerful strings and both western and strong Arabic beats. As for Assi's own compositions, Ma Marrani Tab'ek, Set El Settat, and Marreit Janb Kheyamahom have creative lyrics and more traditional Arabic arrangement, with ney, mizmar, and oriental percussion.



1. Ghali
2. B'oul Ma B'oul
3. Shou Habbaina
4. Set El Settat
5. Ma Marrani Tab'ek
6. Forset Omur
7. Eddami Eyoun
8. Marreit Janb Kheyamahom
9. Bhebbek Inti
10. Rif El Ain
11. Ya'ni Eih

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Diana Karazon - Superstar Al Arab

Diana Karazon's debut album came only a matter of months after winning the pan-Arab import of Pop Idol, Superstar, on Future TV. The first single, Ensani Ma Bensak, a Tarek Abou Jaoudeh-Hadi Sharara collaboration, was an instant hit throughout the Arab World. The video clip was a collage of a live performance of the song and celebrations of her victory around the Middle East. The album itself was not a sales success, despite the hype around Diana for winning in the first year of the show and the massive success of her first single. Whatever the reasons for the low sales, quality was not one of them. Diana worked with a great team, including Abdallah El Ga'oud, Wissam El Amir, Hani Siblini, Hadi Sharara, and Tarek Abou Jaoudeh. Diana also remade İbrahim Tatlıses' hit Tabi Tabi, composed by Altan Cetin. The album's styles are various and include Khaliji, Lebanese dabke, ballads, and some tarab-influenced songs as well. It's definitely a must-listen.



1. Ensani Ma Bensak
2. Hobbak Kawini
3. Omri Law Leila
4. Habibi Ana
5. Ma Sheftak Ella Marra
6. Be Ez El Lail
7. Mahma Alou
8. Bghar Alaik
9. El Shar Barra We Ba'id

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Carole Samaha - Helm

Carole Samaha's transition from the Rahbani stage to mainstream music could not have been smoother than Helm. The album boasts some of Lebanon's most talented musicians: Marwan Khoury, Wissam El Amir, Nicolas Saade Nakhle, Hadi Sharara, Jean-Marie Riachi, Abdou Menzer, and Claude Chalhoub. Carole explores numerous styles, from electronic/dance to classical-influenced and purely Arabic songs. Five years and two more albums on, Carole still hasn't managed to eclipse this great album.



1. Kif
2. Gharibeh
3. Mitl El Helm
4. Ana Men Dounak
5. Habib Albi
6. Ettalla' Fiyeh
7. Raje'
8. Addaysh

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Laura Khalil - Hata'mel Eih

Laura Khalil's 2003 album was a palette of various styles that she explored. The main single of the album, Abadan, is a remake of a Greek song, while other songs like Leileh Habibi and Hata'mel Eih have a more Arabic feel to the composition. Arabi is an interesting song also, in which Laura explores various Arabic dialects and styles, in a way comparable to Maya Nasri's Shou Fiha Law.


1. Abadan
2. Hata'mel Eih
3. Leileh Habibi
4. Bhebbak
5. Arabi
6. Tekram Ainak
7. Yal Weil

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Madeleine Matar - Ala Bali Hawak

Madeleine Matar's second album, Ala Bali Hawak, brought the success that Madeleine did not meet with in her first album, Raydah. The album is a combination of Egyptian, Lebanese, and even Europop styles with famous musicians such as Marwan Khoury, Boudi Na'oum, Ziad Boutros, Salim Salameh, and Ahmed Mohie.



1. Ala Bali Hawak
2. Ana La Min?
3. Albi Ghali
4. We Menein Menein
5. Dallalouna
6. Shahd We Sukkar
7. Sultan El Hawa
8. Aywa Bahebbak

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Mayssam Nahas - Bonita

Mayssam's 2003 album was a enormous hit for her and shows the first fruits of her collaboration with her now ex-husband, Roger Abi Aqil, who composed five of the ten tracks. Mayssam met with great success with such songs as Lamouni, Nar Nar, Bonita, and Kol El Shouq (composed by Turkish composer Altan Seytin).



1. Lamouni
2. Nar Nar
3. Bhebbak Be Jnoun
4. Bonita
5. Ward
6. Kol El Shouq
7. Leila Dana
8. Amshilak
9. Shou Ma Sar
10. Teheb Tes'al

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