Radio Algeria

[coll]: Radio Algeria (Sublime Frequencies)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 8/2/06
Sound collages from Algerian radio, wide variety of music and some spoken word. Everything runs together. Sound quality varies widely.
No FCCs. I like 7 best. All is interesting, but collage-y.
1. Disco Maghreb 4:04
**Bits of bellydance music, bits of spoken word, some low-key yet empassioned singing, midtempo groove for most
2. Exterior Grooves 5:58
**somewhat uptempo and energetic, a bit 60’s rock but definitely Arabic, then very rootsy folky stuff with spoken bits over, laid-back French female singing which doesn’t sound even marginally Arabic
3. Evaporating Borders 5:18
sounds like an old Spanish movie, then some fuzzy electric guitar and chanting, roots stuff – unfortunately fairly poor sound quality
4. Radio International 6:03
**groovy rock beat, interesting tunes, sounds like Khaled singing, snip from “Shaft”, rather prosaic pop ballad in Arabic and French
5. Saharan Music 7:08
*rootsy electric guitar and handdrums, then very roots bit with odd vocals and rather bad sound quality, bit of ancient rumba with VERY bad sound
6. Radio Oran 6:09
**gnawa instrumentation and male vocals, nice guitar and handdrums – second half is more interesting than first
7. Folk Myteries 5:17
***gorgeous solo female vocals, cool loping guitar and ..harmonica?, slightly uptempo gnawa and mysterious vocals
8. Andalusian Nights 5:13
bit of call to prayer, odd violin-like instrument with Quran reading, last couple minutes are nice midtempo bellydance groove with male duet
9. Collage Ornamental 4:36
*flute and midtempo pop, boring solo male vocals, then fun bit of drumming and call and response.
10. Radio Algiers 4:22
*slow chords, female announcer, all sorts of musical snippets, odd French folky pop with twangy electronics
11. The Fading of Fidelity 3:20
very odd bits of this and that, including a marching band, rather crap pop ballad