Pascale Machaalani - Bhebbak Ana Bhebbak

Bhebbak Ana Bhebbak is Pascale's latest album, although the length would suggest a maxi single. The title song opens the album on a nostalgic note, and with a concert atmosphere. The song is repetitive, but Melhem Bou Shdid's arrangement holds the song together and is worth a listen even as background music. The album's strongest song is Sallemlak Albi, composed by Mohamed Yehia, the video for which was released this week. The song has simplistic arrangement that works coupled with a catchy chorus and Pascale's beautiful voice. Red Alayeh sounds just like most of her 2007 album, and even the beautiful ney solos aren't worth braving the five minute song. With the recent resurgence of dabke in pop music, Mahboubi Jnoubi was to be expected, but the song is easily forgotten. Habibi Gheir is another Bou Shdid composition, but mixes things up with some great bouzouk solos and strings which make the song very enjoyable. The album ends with Nafs El Makan, composed by Nader Nour, which is a standard Egyptian ballad. To say Pascale's 2009 return was underwhelming would be an understatement, but it's worth braving the mediocrity for some of the brighter spots on this album. It's safe to say that the excitement once associated with the release of a Pascale album has dissipated.

1. Bhebbek Ana Bhebbak (Nawi Trouh)

2. Sallemlak Albi

3. Red Alayeh (Wainak Ya Ghali)

4. Mahboubi Jnoubi

5. Habibi Gheir

6. Nafs El Makan

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Karol Sakr - 009

Perhaps one of 2009's most anticipated albums, Karol Sakr's 009 was finally released in May after months of delays. The change in style is evident with Tarek Abou Jaoudeh gone, and the focus shifts from ballads to pop songs. The album opens with Gheltan Ktir, a reworked version of Ajda Pekkan's Aynen Öyle, albeit credited to Jean Saliba. The song fits Karol's emotive voice perfectly, while Elie Barbar and Cem Erken's arrangement could have used some acoustic instruments. Bi Albi, composed by Hisham Boulos, is infectiously catchy and even the way the auto-tuner drowns Karol's voice works. The only complaints lie with the interlude's resemblance to Guru Josh's Infinity 2008, especially when the beautiful strings that end the song could have easily replaced it. For the first time, Karol has two Egyptian songs here, and Hadi Sharara gets more experimental with their arrangement. Ertah We Rayyahni is catchy pop, while the popular Eih El Gedid is a more R&B-influenced track. The songs most like Karol's previous album arrive in the middle, with Salim Salameh and Wissam El Amir's songs. Jerh Ghiyabak, the first only single from the album, is in classic Hadi Sharara ballad form sans the focus on strings. We Btes'al Shou Beni is a more laidback ballad, but finally ushers in more real instruments with beautiful accordion solos and strings. Ha'ak Alayeh continues the trend and adds a bouzouk to the mix, in a catchy jazz-influenced number. Melhem Barakat returns with a very different song from Da'et Albak. Horr Tsadde'ni has a much more traditional approach, and while the instrumentation is beautiful, you can't help but feel that the song would have been better suited to Najwa Karam or Melhem himself.

1. Gheltan Ktir

2. Bi Albi

3. Ertah We Rayyahni

4. Eih El Gedid

5. Jerh Ghiyabak

6. We Btes'al Shou Beni (Ma'i Ou Mish Ma'i)

7. Ha'ak Alayeh

8. Horr Tsadde'ni

9. Gheltan Ktir (Extended)

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Pascale Machaalani - Akhed Aqli

Pascale Machaalani's sultry voice can make any song sound good, but unlike her 2006 album Akbar Kidba Bi Hayati, she throws diversity out the window here. Unlike many singers who have relied on a particular musician or team for their hits, Pascale's hits have come from many of the top musicians. However Melhem Bou Shdid, who usually used to oversee the arrangement of her albums, composed most of the songs here. Though not a stranger to composing hits, being the man behind Shou Amaltellak Ana? and Sa'beh Eish Men Dounak, his style gets repetitive fast. The album opens with Am Yemda El Wa't, a rich ballad which despite its length remains a crowd pleaser. The title song, a cover of the hit Turkish song Adresi Biliyorsun by Nalan. The arrangement is given a refreshing update by Aytekin Kurt, but the section before the chorus is removed completely. Ba'adetna El Masafeh is a mellow ballad, with a relatively catchy tune and typical but enjoyable arrangement. Awlak Ya Albi, composed by Yehya El Hassan, is in the same vein with addition of a ney. Wainak Ya Ensan, though a beautiful song, has limited appeal as a song written about the 2006 Lebanese War. Tghayart Alayeh, which was the first single, is another warm ballad, despite the sometimes outdated feel about the music. Ana Lamma Shoftak, composed by Tamer Ashour, is by no means bad but an unexciting ballad. Ardak Hawn changes the pace with a short mawal and an interesting song about the issue of emigration. Ah Ya Layali, a shot at Egyptian sha'bi, is catchier than Khallik Fi Halak, but one can't help but feel that someone with Pascale's history can do so much better.

1. Am Yemda El Wa't

2. Akhed Aqli

3. Ba'adetna El Masafeh

4. Awlak Ya Albi

5. Wainak Ya Ensan

6. Khallik Fi Halak

7. Tghayart Alayeh

8. Ana Lamma Shoftak

9. Ardak Hawn

10. Ah Ya Layali

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Shahd Barmada - Ba'd Elli Sar

One of the gems found on the countless television talent shows, Shahd Barmada managed to stay on people's minds for years until she finally released her debut album in 2009. With the sweetness of Nancy Ajram, and the grace of Mayada El Hennawi, Shahd Barmada is another very promising new Syrian voice. Musically adopted by Asalah's ex-husband and producer Ayman El Dahabi initially, Shahd later signed on to Music is My Life and Samir Sfair took Ayman's place. Samir composed half of the songs, and his style is diverse as usual.

While Shahd's album is nothing groundbreaking, the choice of songs is perfect with talented musicians coming together for on of 2009's best albums. The catchy title song employs Tarek Madkour's classic strings and kanun combination albeit with an ayoub beat instead of maksoum. La Youshtara successfully brings back Yuri Mrakadi's tried and true formula of beautiful classical lyrics combined with western pop. La Tloum is another infectiously catchy maksoum song, but although Karim Abdelwahab blatantly employs Tarek Madkour's style of arrangement, the synths sound cheap and don't do the song justice. Halati Hala is a simple ballad, with Tarek Madkour's favorite pop beat coupled with clarinet, but as we have come to expect from Karim El Iraqi, the lyrics are heartfelt. Allah Ma'ak is a classic Samir Sfair ballad, and Fahd does a great job combining the elements of the quintessential western ballad with oriental accents. Khaled El Bakri composed two ballads here also. Law Kont Btehlam has a dramatic flare that is in large part thanks to the interesting arrangement of Tarek Aakef. Wayak Habibi is less interesting in terms of composition, but equally beautiful thanks to Medhat Khamis' arrangement. The song that instantly catches your attention however, is Law Had Shafou, composed by Nouhad Najjar. The song is unmistakably oriental, but with a classical accent that Jean-Marie Riachi employs beautifully in the arrangement also. Walid Saad's Reg'et Ayamna is the composer at his best, with a nostalgia and the kind of composition that puts Shahd's beautiful voice to the test. Adel Aayesh's rich, Turkish-influenced arrangement fits perfectly too. The album ends with Teshoufak Eini, a catchy maksoum song that is instantly reminiscent of Nancy Ajram. Funnily enough, the song was apparently meant for Nancy Ajram but Mohamed Rehim preferred to release it sooner.

1. Ba'd Elli Sar

2. Law Kont Btehlam

3. La Youshtara

4. Law Had Shafou

5. La Tloum

6. Wayak Habibi

7. Halati Hala

8. Reg'et Ayamna

9. Allah Ma'ak

10. Teshoufak Eini

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Fairuz - The Very Best of Fairuz

The prospect of compiling a greatest hits album for Fairuz must have been daunting to say the least. While this album is by no means the definitive collection, nor does it include all of her iconic hits, it is a quick taste of what made this woman into the legend she is today. The album has many styles, ranging from folk music and Arabic pop to classical renditions and European styles. There are samplings of her work from the stage and the screen, such as Ya Moukhtar El Makhatir and Ya Tair, as well as songs that have reach iconic status such as A'tini El Naya, Addaysh Kan Fi Nas, and Habbaitak Bel Saif. The fact that at least half of the songs on this album have been covered or translated into different languages is a testament to the legacy that Fairuz, Ambassador to the Stars, has left.

1. Habbaitak Bel Saif

2. Addaysh Kan Fi Nas

3. Zahrat El Mada'en

4. Ya Moukhtar El Makhatir

5. Shadi

6. Kan El Zaman

7. El Eds El Ati'a

8. Shayef El Bahr Shou Kbir

9. Ya Ana Ya Ana

10. A'tini El Naya

11. Sanarja'ou Yawman

12. El Bint El Shalabiyeh

13. Ya Tair

14. Dabket Lebnan

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Najwa Karam - Rouh Rouhi

Rouh Rouhi is one of the songs that instantly come to mind when thinking of Najwa Karam's lengthy repertoire. The album opens with Atshaneh, which in the vein of Pascale Machaalani's Albi and Samira Said's Al Bal, has the distinct Indian flavor which was popular at the time. The remainder of the album is made up of more Lebanese-style dabke songs and ballads. Imad Shamseddine dominates most of the album, and composed the hit title song too. Wissam El Amir composed In Raddayt Alayk and Joseph Joha composed El Wafiyeh and Areftou Albi La Min, another heartfelt and unforgettable song. Like most of Najwa's late-1990s albums, Tarek Aakef arranged all of the songs.

1. Atshaneh

2. Areftou Albi La Min

3. Rouh Rouhi

4. Kif Bdawik

5. Ma Berda Ghairak

6. El Wafiyeh

7. In Raddayt Alayk

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Mayada El Hennawi - Habbeina

Baligh Hamdi once said that Mayada El Hennawi's was "...an angelic voice that demands your attention." The great composer only wrote the lyrics to two songs in his musical career, and they both went to Mayada El Hennawi. She became a muse of sorts, and his last work, Andi Kalam, went to her also. After Mohamed Abdel Wahab's jealous wife had her barred from Egypt, Baligh traveled with his orchestra to Greece to record her songs, as did many of the top composers. Two of the greatest works Baligh Hamdi composed for Mayada are Habbeina (also known as Habbeina Wethabbeina), which is written by Abdel Rehim Mansour and Fatet Sana, written by Sayed Morsi. Habbeina (I've Fallen in Love) is a hopelessly romantic and upbeat tribute to newfound love, while Fatet Sana (A Year Has Passed) is a melancholic song about losing touch with a lover who is far away. The music is characteristic of ever-evolving 1970s-1980s Egyptian music, with a traditional oriental orchestra accompanied by a keyboardist, bassist, and guitarist.

1. Habbeina

2. Fatet Sana

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