Diana Karazon - El Omr Mashi

Diana Karazon's second album was less rushed than her debut, and there is a marked difference in style. None of the musicians on Diana's first album are here, but the list is impressive nonetheless with Samir Sfair, Riyad El Hamshari, Ahmed El Hermi, Tarek Madkour, and Tarek Aakef in the mix. The title song, with Nizar Francis' romantic lyrics, Samir Sfair's upbeat composition, and Tarek Madkour's favorite beat, was an instant hit. Min Bi Fekrak, which has the same team, is in the same vein, but more interesting with more engaging composition. Inta Mashi Bgad, composed by Wahid Mamdouh and arranged by Amr Abdel Aziz, is a shot at Egyptian tarab, but apart from the nostalgic value, it has little else. Tarek Aakef experimentation makes Samir Sfair's Khallina Netmarmar a fun song, with Latin, Indian, and Egyptian influences mixed into a quintessential Lebanese song. Hebni Doum, composed and arranged by Ahmed El Hermi, may be labeled a Khaliji song but it sounds more like something from a Disney epic, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Lamma Teb'a Habibi, composed by Riyad El Hamshari, is more Egyptian tarab, but with playful lyrics and upbeat arrangement, it is much more enjoyable than Inta Mashi Bgad. A cross between lounge music and ballad, Mahala is Diana Karazon's first Jordanian song. It's one of the best on the album, with flowing strings, an assortment of reed instruments, electric guitar, and Indian tabla. The upbeat Tes'alni is a more traditional Khaliji song from Ahmed El Hermi and Siruz, and it's almost as good as El Shar Barra We Be'id. The album closes with We Bada't A'ish, an irresistibly catchy maksoum song from Riyad El Hamshari, which Diana's voice takes to real heights.

1. El Omr Mashi

2. Min Bi Fekrak

3. Inta Mashi Bgad

4. Khallini Netmarmar

5. Hebni Doum

6. Lamma Teb'a Habibi

7. Mahala

8. Tes'alni

9. We Bada't A'ish

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Note: Tes'alni is missing, and I do not have the CD right now, I will update the topic in the future, sorry!

Houwaida - Gani Tani

The powerful voice of Syrian vocalist Houwaida always steals the spotlight. Though many remember her from the dispute she had with Nawal Al Zoghbi over the hit Mandam Aleik, Houwaida has proven her talent over and over again over the past decade. Unlike the direction Nawal took, Houwaida's preference for more oriental songs is evident in all of her choices. Gani Tani has collaborations with Samir Sfair, Walid Saad, Ramy Gamal, and the late Riyad El Hamshari. It can be argued however, that the album's weakness is the prevalence of ballads. While Houwaida can tackle them quite easily, they do not suit her voice as more upbeat songs, like Dallelni and Shway Shway, do. Still, there are ballads like Ya Habibi and Moush Haram Aleik, which Ahmed Adel and Medhat Khamis excel in respectively, and songs reminiscent of her earlier work, like Eini All Hab. The arrangers on this album include Mohamed Mostafa, Medhat Khamis, Ahmed Adel, and Tarek Aakef. There is more, and even better, Houwaida to come on the blog!

1. Gani Tani

2. Eini Alli Hab

3. Ya Habibi

4. Moush Haram Aleik

5. Bta'ref

6. Bakoun Ma'ak

7. Kelma Wahda

8. Dmou' El Sheteh

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Shahinaz - Aheb A'ishlak

Shahinaz launched her career with Egypt's shortlived talent search program Starmaker. Her first song was a hit cover of Anna Vissi's To Poly Poly, titled Oulli Oulli. Her debut album, Ala Eih, met with some success also, but it was Aheb A'ishlak that truly made audiences pay attention to this rare talent. Shahinaz's sophomore album is full of defining hits hits: the dramatic Aheb A'ishlak, the heartbreaking Malnash Makan, and Kaman Kaman, which was recently covered by Turkish singer Günce Koral. Look before the surface however, and there are even more gems to be found, like Habibi Bashtaq Elik, Lazem Tigi, and Men Gheir Ma Tehlef. Musicians on the album include Mohamed Rifai, Adam Hussein, Tamer Ali, Karim Abdel Wahab, Osama El Hindi, Tarek Tawakol, and Tamer Ashour.

1. Kaman Kaman

2. Habibi Bashtaq Elik

3. Bi Ban Fe Eineik

4. Ez El Fouraq

5. Malnash Makan

6. Lazem Tigi

7. Aheb A'ishlak

8. Men Gheir Ma Tehlef

9. Kaman Kaman [Remix]

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Najwa Karam - Kibir El Hob

With the Cedar Revolution, 2005 had been a trying a year for Lebanon, and with the exception of a few, most of Lebanon's A-list singers did not release albums. Najwa Karam pushed the release of her album from June, to July, and then even further. In November, as the famous "puzzle" billboard finally was finally completed and revealed Najwa's face, Kibir El Hob was released. While Najwa had not been gone from the music scene for long, the uplifting Bhebbak Wala', her first collaboration with Hadi Sharara, had already garnered a lot of anticipation for her new album. It's safe to say that that the album did not disappoint!

From the first listen, the difference in production is apparent. While Shou Mghayara..! is a great album, Kibir El Hob ups the ante in terms of arrangement, and the sound is much more organic, with more instruments and less digital substitutes. After venturing into pop with varying results, in Tahamouni, Najwa's second shot at it is much more sweet. The dabke beats are not absent from Kibir El Hob, Bhebbak Wala', Hamseh Hamseh, or the smash hit Shou Hal Hala, but Hadi Sharara injects just right amount of pop to innovate but still keep Najwa's faithful fans listening. Imad Shamseddine, who was at work with Rouwaida Attieh in 2004, returned with a much bigger contribution to Najwa's team in 2006. All three of the album's hit singles, Bkhaf Men El May, Bhebbak Wala', and Shou Hal Hala, were written and composed by Imad. While Hadi innovates, Tony Anka's traditionalist approach on Bkhaf Men El May, Ma Byensheba', Baddak Terja', and Talet Marra is all but dated. With big beats, ney, bouzouk, mizmar, sharp strings, and the nostalgic synth here and there, it's hard to keep still when listening to his work!



1. Bkhaf Men El May
2. Ma Byensheba'
3. Kibir El Hob
4. Baddak Terja'
5. Hamseh Hamseh
6. Shou Hal Hala
7. Talet Marra
8. Bhebbak Wala'

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Haifa Wehbe - Baddi Eish

The sheer self-confidence needed to release a song titled Ana Haifa, is the kind of thing that makes Haifa Wehbe's fans love her and her critics' blood pressure rise. To say she got by on her looks alone is unfair however. Haifa has a killer team of musicians, whom she works with day and night to produce some of the catchiest music on the scene. Unlike her debut album, which was dominated by Latin, electronic, and Turkish styles, Baddi Eish is full of unmistakeably Egyptian and Lebanese songs, the simplicity of which outshines the album's ballads. The mischevious Ma Khadtesh Bali, an Abou Jaoudeh-Sharara collaboration, opens like an electric song and then brings in Hadi Sharara's signature dabke beat coupled with strings and ney. Tigi Ezay continues with the same attitude, but Adel Aayesh gives the arrangement a great Egyptian feel, with darbouka, accordion, and kanun. Ya Hayat Albi, a cover of Despina Vandi's O Perittos, continues Jean-Marie Riachi's love affair with Greek laika. The version included in the album seems more like an updated version of Despina's when compared to the one Haifa originally sang, which replaced the bouzouk with accordion. Fakerni is another great Egyptian song, with mizmar, accordion, riq, and (great) strings. The title song (which translates into I Want to Live) is written, composed, and arranged by Elias Rahbani who, in the wake of Rafik Hariri's assassination, wanted his cry for an independent Lebanon to reach youth through Haifa. The album finishes with Ufuk Yilidirim's electronic remix of Howa El Zaman, and Ragab, which despite being written, composed, and arranged by Lebanese musicians, is easily Haifa's most popular Egyptian song ever.



1. Ana Haifa
2. Bahebbak Hob
3. Ma Khadtesh Bali
4. Tigi Ezay
5. Ya Hayat Albi
6. Bahebbak Mout (Kol Marra)
7. Fi Eineik
8. Fakerni
9. Toul Omri
10. Nar El Ashwaq
11. Baddi Eish
12. Howa El Zaman (Remix)
13. Ragab

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Abeer Fadda - Inta Malak

Abeer Fadda is yet another underrated Syrian singer whose fame does not measure up to her talent and potential. Abeer's throaty jabali voice can easily tackle any genre, and she does in her 2005 album, Inta Malak. Abeer composed two songs, Waggef and Ser Behayatak herself, while the rest of the album is composed by Yaser Jalal, Khaled Adel, Mohamed Fawzi, and Medhat Fawzi. The album is arranged by Egyptian arrangers Medhat Khamis, Ahmed Adel, Adel Aayesh, Yehia El Mougi, and Karim Abdelwahab. The album has four great ballads, the melancholic Wallah Ma Faragni, Latin-influenced Leil Ya Gharam, Khaliji Waggef, and heartfelt Ser Behayatak. The faster-paced songs are less interesting, though Estanna Alaya and the catchy Shou Befrah stand out when compared to the maksoum songs, Inta Malak and Leila Be Alf Leila. Some will be surprised when they hear Wallah Ma Faragni, which Mayssam Nahas remade into a hit single in her latest album (albeit renamed Habib El Rouh).



1. Estanna Alaya
2. Wallah Ma Faragni
3. Leil Ya Gharam
4. Shou Befrah
5. Leila Be Alf Leila
6. Waggef
7. Inta Malak
8. Ser Behayatak

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Aline Khalaf - Sodfa

Though her voice may not turn heads, when it comes to Aline Khalaf, you can always count on there being an extremely catchy single. La Li Leih, Az Alaya, Law Andak Kalam, Ba'dak Aal Bal, and her latest Farhet Ainayeh stick whether you like it or not. Bardo Sodfa, the story of lover who stalks her, is no exception thanks to Mohamed Yehia and Medhat Khamis. It is followed up by Menni Lik, another catchy maksoum song, and Kelma Fi Albi, an R&B-style song composed and arranged by Khaled Ez. Rah El Wafa (Mish Inta), a Tarek Abou Jaoudeh-Hadi Sharara collaboration, is in the duo's signature style and easily the best ballad on the album. Another ballad worth mentioning is Addet Sana, and Khaled Ez does a great job incorporating swooping strings and ney into the song. Gani We Alli is another infectiously catchy song by Mohamed Yehia, albeit in the upbeat oriental style that suits Aline best. From beginning to end, Aline's 2005 album is thoroughly enjoyable, and even the less interesting songs, like Eyounak Shaghleh, are still good and listenable.



1. Bardo Sodfa
2. Menni Lik
3. Kelma Fi Albi
4. Ta'raf Tebtesem
5. Rah El Wafa (Mish Inta)
6. Gani We Alli
7. Ezay Ansak
8. Eyounak Shaghleh
9. Addet Sana
10. Adda Alaya

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Bassima - Shou A Bali

Bassima began her career singing and reciting English and French songs, and when you listen to her graceful voice the western influence is evident. However, unlike the way Grace Deeb tends to do, she does not force the western vocal style on oriental songs, but rather compliments them, the way Asmahan did. Shou A Bali is one of, if not the, most successful albums she has released in her decade-long professional career. Samir Sfair, who was impressed with Bassima's voice, composed four of the six tracks, including the smash hit Shou A Bali. The title song and Souret El Hob are both typical pop ballads, though with different arrangement styles from Tarek Madkour and Hani Siblini respectively. The remaining four tracks are stellar, and much more traditional in terms of arrangement. Ah Yana and Ma Yhes El Garh are both moderately paced Egyptian songs. Etr El Madi and Mish Helwin are Lebanese songs composed by Samir Sfair, the former arranged beautifully by Hani Siblini and the latter with relatively generic arrangement from Nasser El As'ad (though the infectiously catchy composition shines through anyway). While Bassima is no stranger to success, Shou A Bali was a milestone in this down-to-earth singer's career.



1. Shou A Bali
2. Ah Yana
3. Etr El Madi
4. Souret El Hob
5. Ma Yhes El Garh
6. Mish Helwin

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Myriam Faris - Nadini

Myriam Faris truly broke out of the mold of her debut album with Nadini. Instead of tired remakes, Myriam worked with some of the greatest names in the industry, new and old. With only two ballads on the album (the très traditionnelle Hassait B'Aman and the more pop-ish Hassesni Bik), Myriam's album is young and whether it goes for Europop or belly dance beats, it's upbeat dance music. The album opens with hit title song, a fast-paced, and extremely catchy, electronic song, composed by Mohamed Rahim from Egypt, and arranged by Jean-Marie Riachi from Lebanon. Anadiya is an irresistable mix of traditional Arabic music and electronic beats, with the song moving from violins and riqq to accordions and club beats in a heartbeat. To a similar effect, Ha'leq Ala Rahtak opens like something out of a Zorro movie and turns into a quintessential belly dancing song. Boudi Naoum follows up 2003's Shou Baddo Ysir, with another very Europop offering, Leih Habibi, which the versatile Myriam works with very well. Za'lan Menni is for fans of the Latin sound, with brass and Latin beats mixing with heavier Arabic beats. Ma'rafsh Had Bel Ism Dah takes a similar path, adding mizmar and doing away with the Latin beat. Khallini Tir, which more or less qualifies as a ballad too, combines Tarek Abou Jaoudeh's dramatic composition with Ravi's excellent arrangement, combining heavy strings with kanun, riqq, and powerful beats. The album's last single, Waheshni Eih, continues where Nadini left off, but adds Arabic beats and mizmar to the mix, making for a much more interesting song.



1. Nadini
2. Anadiya
3. Hassesni Bik
4. Ha'leq Rahtak
5. Leih Habibi
6. Ma'rafsh Had Bel Ism Dah
7. Hassait B'Aman
8. Khallini Tir
9. Za'lan Menni
10. Waheshni Eih

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Yara - Twassa Fiyeh

Yara, like Madeleine Matar, Amal Hijazi, Maya Nasri, and Nelly Makdessy, was a contestant on LBC's Ka's Al Nojoum. Years after her fellow contestants had begun their careers, Lebanese composer Tarek Abou Jaoudeh discovered her and took her on as his first "star". Yara debuted with a single, Hob Kbir, and followed it up with her first album, the hit Twassa Fiyeh. The album, which was still churning out hit singles for her a year after its release, carries the names of many talented musicians, including Abou Jaoudeh himself, Hadi Sharara, Khaled Ez, Bassem Yehia, and Ziad Boutros (Julia's brother). Yara has covered everything from ballads, Twassa Fiyeh and Hob Kbir, to upbeat maksoum, Law Basseli and Bala Eshq, and more vocally-demanding Arabic songs like Lamma Tettalla' and Alf Zayak. Great songs like Wana Ganbak, that did not get the spotlight when they were released, were later discovered thanks to the hit duet that Abou Jaoudeh got her with Fadl Shaker, which sparked a renewed and wider interest in the talented new singer.



1. Bala Eshq
2. Law Basseli
3. Wana Ganbak
4. Hob Kbir
5. Lamma Tettalla'
6. Twassa Fiyeh
7. Nesitni Zaman
8. Alf Zayak
9. Ayam

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Marwan Khoury - Asr El Shawq

Asr El Shawq is Marwan Khoury's third album, and it succeeded his first successful CD, 2004's Kel El Asayed. Like Kel El Asayed was, Asr El Shawq's songs are all written and composed by Marwan Khoury. However, unlike it's predecessor, which was arranged by Bilal El Zein, Asr El Shawq is arranged by Claude Chalhoub, Jean-Marie Riachi, Hadi Sharara, Adel Ayesh, Hani Siblini, and Mohamed Kebbe. Claude Chalhoub gives Asr El Shawq and Helweh El Hayat a classical air, while Hadi Sharara gives an upbeat electronic-influenced feel to La Tfakker. Mohamed Kebbe brings a mix of both classical and R&B on Ma Endon Khabar. Jean-Marie Riachi mainly arranges the more mellow or traditional-style songs on this album, like Khayef La Trouhi and We B'ellak Shou. The final track is an instrumental version of the hit Asr El Shawq by Claude Chalhoub on solo violin. Though Marwan Khoury is seemingly cursed by the inability to produce for himself the hits he has produced for so many Arab singers, this album is his most polished and enjoyable.



1. Asr El Shawq
2. Andi Sho'our
3. La Tfakker
4. Ma Endon Khabar
5. Khayef La Trouhi
6. Ya Men Bi Dam'i
7. Khallina N'ish
8. We B'ellak Shou
9. Helweh El Hayat
10. Asr El Shawq (Instrumental)

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Dania - The Best of Dania

This album is a compilation of Dania's first three albums, Dania, Dania 2, and El Hilwa Di, as well as her Listen to My Heart single. Her 2008 comeback single, Rayah Albak, is not on here though. While Dania did not have many of "her own" hits, she brought life back to a vast number of old Arabic folk songs, and sang in countless styles with international musicians. Foug El Nakhal is an Iraqi folk song, and is remixed here by Said Mrad and Dani Helou. El Hilwa Di (Coucou) is another old song by Sayed Darwish (the Egyptian musician behind Dalida's international hit Salma Ya Salama). Though the song has been reinterpreted many times, Dania and Jean-Marie Riachi's version became an international club hit and the original, as well as two of the countless remixes are included here. Ya Dallah, which is one of Lebanese songstress Sabah's biggest hits, is remixed into an Arabic-dance fusion song by Phillip Khayat. Yalla Bina, which has been remixed by Dalida and Ishtar Alabina before, gets an Indian-style remix here. UK DJs Transglobal Underground's remix of Leiley is in their typical world fusion style, keeping the original strings while mixing in Indian and electronic beats. Para No Verte Más and Cha Cha Cha, both La Mosca Tsé-Tsé songs, as well as Fiesta are the album's Latin-sounding songs. Private Number (a duet with 911) and Listen to My Heart are both in English, though the latter is not a translation of El Hilwa Di. Afrahou Gannouh and La Tehtar are both Greek songs remade by Dania, one is an upbeat laika song and the other a ballad. Ya Akhed Akley, another great Arabic-western fusion, and Ana Baddi, the most traditional-style song on the album, are the two original Dania songs on the album.



1. Foug El Nakhal (1001 NIGHTSociety Remake)
2. Cou Cou (Beirut Biloma Chillout Version)
3. Leiley (Transglobal Underground Remix)
4. Yalla Bina (Bhangra Remix)
5. El Hilwa Di (Coucou)
6. Ya Dallah
7. Fiesta
8. Para No Verte Más
9. Ya Akhed Akley
10. La Tehtar
11. Mafeesh Tari'a (99 Remix)
12. Cha Cha Cha
13. Afrahou Gannouh
14. Ana Baddi
15. Private Number (with 911)
16. Listen to My Heart (Cou Cou)

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Laura Khalil - Raweq A'sabak

Unlike its predecessor, and her 2008 album, Laura's 2005 album tried too hard to add mainstream pop to the mix. The outcome was an album with some great composition, but many of the songs are overpowered by lackluster arrangement that tries to be "cool" but fails miserably. Negative criticism aside, the overall album is quite good and worth a download. The album starts off with the sleepy Raweq A'sabak and the overly poppy Shouq We Hira, instantly putting most listeners off. However, once you get past them, there are a couple songs in Laura's usual enjoyable style. Betthebbeni Aywa still tries to work in pop beats, but the strings and composition are more engaging than the first two tracks. Ya M'addeb El Re'yan is a great Lebanese dabke track, but although the strings, ney, and mizmar are present, the arranger unfortunately decided that overpowering the dabke beat with beatboxing and record-scratching would make the track interesting. Yah Ya Habibi is also a good song, with predominantly Egyptian-style arrangement, though the need to incorporate pop into the album creeps in here too. Ya Nasini, a remake, is in the vein of Raweq A'sabak, with nothing too interesting. The album ends with its two of its best tracks, Dah Yetla' Min and Rayeh Ala Fein. Dah Yetla' Min is composed by Tarek Abou Jaoudeh and arranged by Tony Saba, but the end result is a very Egyptian song, complete with a sha'bi-style mawal.


1. Raweq A'sabak
2. Shouq We Hira
3. Betthebbeni Aywa
4. Ya M'addeb El Re'yan
5. Yah Ya Habibi
6. Ya Nasini
7. Dah Yetla' Min
8. Rayeh Ala Fein

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Adam - Hatha Ana

Like Carole Samaha was, Adam is under the Tarab Production label, meaning Nicolas Saade Nakhle is his producer. Unlike Carole, who Nicolas only composed Addaysh for, Adam's biggest hits are all composed by Nicolas. Adam has more than excelled in the Khaliji and Egyptian Arabic dialects as well as his native Lebanese dialect. Though his vocal ability is easily the greatest of his generation, too many singles and live albums have made his career very slow. This album includes two of his recent hits, Hatha Ana and Kheles El Dame', as well as an older hit, Habib El Rouh, in which you will notice his voice is much younger than it is in the rest of the songs.



1. Hatha Ana
2. Kheles El Dame'
3. Ader Rabbi
4. Kattar Kheirak
5. Habib El Rouh
6. Allah Yemassik

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Laila Ghofran - Aktar Men Ay Wa't

The majority of Laila Ghofran's 2005 album was overshadowed greatly by her hit single Assahelhalak (Let Me Simplify it for You). However, you owe it to yourself to give this album a listen. As usual, Laila's album is made up of mostly Egyptian songs, but she also sang in the Rai style here. Eshkoun is a remake of a song from her homeland, Morocco, and works well with her unique vocals.



1. Aktar Men Ay Wa't
2. Ma'oul
3. Assahelhalak
4. Ya Reit
5. Te'ebt Ana Ma'ak
6. Eshkoun
7. Habibak Zaman
8. Ghaltet Min
9. Aktar Men Ay Wa't (Remix)

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Hasna - Bamba

Moroccan singer Hasna's hit 2003 album was a tough act to follow. Therefore, when Bamba was released in 2005, it could not help being overshadowed. Shoufo Shoufo (Look, Look) was an infectious summer hit for Hasna, but the rest of the album was overlooked for the mostpart. Hasna sang in the Moroccan, Lebanese, and Egyptian Arabic dialects, and did it quite well in her unique style. Keep in mind, she may be Moroccan, but at this point in her career Lebanese producer Jean Saliba managed her musical choices, and it shows.



1. Bamba
2. Es'al Alaya
3. Yerdini
4. Shoufo Shoufo
5. Shou Ba'mel
6. Tebghi Nedhak
7. Inta Elli Ba'ili

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