Soapkills
The Best of Soapkills
Reviewed by BravoMarco

11 years after the groups demise, this is a timely compilation from the Beirut band. A new audience can now be mesmerized by Yasmine Hamdan’s sultry voice. Trip hop / dubby chilled out electro beats, all combined with that underlining influence from the classical Arabic world. Most of these tracks seem as though they have featured in various films - during that seedy bar scene.

Like: Massive Attack & Portishead – Also sort of Sade mixed with Rachid Taha
Something for everyone – Liking 3,5,8,9,10,12,13,14
No FCC’s in English (Arabic)

1) Leh Zaalen (4.02) Mellow enough, with a lot going on though. Steady beat keeps the head nodding.
2) Yahoo! (4.37) Dramatic swirls with a heavy throb at times.
3) Cheftak (Paris Version) (3.03) So easy on the ears.
4) Tango (3.52) Shades of Fairuz & The Rahbani Brothers in the first minute - until the beat kicks in.
5) Marco Slow (1.50) Bassy thumping instrumental with effects.
6) Aranis & Koullou Ndif (3.21) Slow acoustic ballad to start. Midway point it becomes a rapping pop song.
7) Herzan (3.22) Ska-ish beat, jolly, mid paced.
8) Galbi (4.14) The beat is kept in check, which works wonders with the singing.
9) Enta Fen (5.16) Smooth & mellow. Vocals coming to the fore. More traditional.
10) Wadih (3.36) Strings given the treatment, folky & delicate.
11) Manni 2elak (4.09) Vocals treated alongside other general distortion.
12) Soueyma (5.21) More pace than the others. Wobbly & breezy.
13) Kasdoura (4.52) Lovely soft atmospheric quality.
14) Marra Fi Ghnina (4.43) Seductive tones to finish.