Mounqaliba
Encyclopedia
Mounqaliba is a 2010 album by Belgian singer Natacha Atlas
. Co-produced by Samy Bishai, it was inspired by the poems of Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore
. In addition to original works, it also contains covers of Françoise Hardy
and Nick Drake
songs. The album also features composers Zoe Rahman
and Jocelyn Pook
.
The album features audio clips from non-commercial film director, and activist Peter Joseph and self-educated industrial engineer and futurist Jacque Fresco
through multiple tracks, as well as references to Zeitgeist: Addendum
and a resource-based economy.
Derek Beres named Mounqaliba on his list of the Top 12 Records of 2010 and Siddhartha Mitter listed it as one of his top 10 world music CDs of 2010. Contrary to these views, The Guardian
music reviewer Robin Denselow gave the album 2.5 stars in his review; citing purposeful limitation of her vocal range, reliance upon "an easygoing swirl of Arabic-tinged strings and jazz-edged piano" and "[being] annoyingly interspersed with spoken 'interludes' [by Joseph and others]" as the reason for the rating.
In February 2011 Atlas and Basha Beats issued a remix of "Makaan" and "Batkallim" called "Egypt: Rise to Freedom" to commemorate the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. A download only album of "River Man" remixes was released by Six Degrees Records
in 2010. The album features 4 remixes of "River Man" by 310, Jef Stot and Makyo as well as Atlas' original version that appeared on Mounqaliba. Mounqaliba - Rising: The Remixes, an album of remixes from Mounqaliba, (including "Egypt: Rise to Freedom") was released by Six Degrees Records on 27 September 2011.
Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" . Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.Atlas began her career as part of...
. Co-produced by Samy Bishai, it was inspired by the poems of Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
. In addition to original works, it also contains covers of Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy
Françoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:...
and Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
songs. The album also features composers Zoe Rahman
Zoe Rahman
Zoe Rahman is a British jazz composer and pianist.-Education:Born and raised in Chichester, United Kingdom. Rahman studied classical piano at the Royal Academy of Music, a music degree at St Hugh's College, University of Oxford, and won a scholarship to study jazz performance at Berklee College of...
and Jocelyn Pook
Jocelyn Pook
Jocelyn Pook is a British composer, pianist and viola player.- Biography :Jocelyn Pook’s distinctive style is a product of her diverse experiences in classical, commercial, and so-called world music...
.
The album features audio clips from non-commercial film director, and activist Peter Joseph and self-educated industrial engineer and futurist Jacque Fresco
Jacque Fresco
Jacque Fresco , is a self-educated structural designer, philosopher of science, concept artist, educator, and futurist. His interests span a wide range of disciplines including several in philosophy, science, and engineering...
through multiple tracks, as well as references to Zeitgeist: Addendum
Zeitgeist: Addendum
Zeitgeist: Addendum, is a 2008 documentary film produced and directed by Peter Joseph, and a sequel to the 2007 film Zeitgeist: The Movie. Zeitgeist: Addendum is itself followed by the 2011 film Zeitgeist: Moving Forward.-Synopsis:...
and a resource-based economy.
Derek Beres named Mounqaliba on his list of the Top 12 Records of 2010 and Siddhartha Mitter listed it as one of his top 10 world music CDs of 2010. Contrary to these views, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
music reviewer Robin Denselow gave the album 2.5 stars in his review; citing purposeful limitation of her vocal range, reliance upon "an easygoing swirl of Arabic-tinged strings and jazz-edged piano" and "[being] annoyingly interspersed with spoken 'interludes' [by Joseph and others]" as the reason for the rating.
In February 2011 Atlas and Basha Beats issued a remix of "Makaan" and "Batkallim" called "Egypt: Rise to Freedom" to commemorate the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. A download only album of "River Man" remixes was released by Six Degrees Records
Six Degrees Records
Six Degrees Records is an independent record label noted for its catalog of recordings from international musicians and vocalists. It has been described by the journalist and producer Derek Beres as "one of the most groundbreaking labels of the past decade."...
in 2010. The album features 4 remixes of "River Man" by 310, Jef Stot and Makyo as well as Atlas' original version that appeared on Mounqaliba. Mounqaliba - Rising: The Remixes, an album of remixes from Mounqaliba, (including "Egypt: Rise to Freedom") was released by Six Degrees Records on 27 September 2011.
Track listing
All songs composed by Natacha Atlas and Samy Bishai except where noted.- "Intro" - 0:56
- "Makaan" - 4:26
- "Matrah Interlude" - (Atlas, Bishai and Louai Alhenawi)
- "Bada Al Fajir" - 2:01 (Atlas, Bishai and Alcyona Mick)
- "MuwashahMuwashshahMuwashshah or muwaššaḥ can mean:...
Ozkourini" - 3:42 (Traditional) - "River ManRiver Man"River Man" is the second listed song from Nick Drake's 1969 album Five Leaves Left, remastered and released as a single in 2004. According to Drake's manager, Joe Boyd, Drake thought of the song as the centre piece of the album....
" - 5:37 (Nick Drake) - "Batkallim" - 5:57
- "Mounqaliba" - 3:36
- "Le Cor, Le Vent" - 3:43 (Atlas, Bishai and Khaled Mouzanar)
- "Direct Solutions Interlude" - 1:38 (Atlas, Bishai and Andy Hamil)
- "Lahazat Nashwa" - 3:03
- "La Nuit Est Sur La Ville" - 3:34 (Françoise Hardy)
- "Fresco's Interlude" - 2:08
- "Ghoroub" - 2:24
- "Evening Interlude" - 1:08 (Atlas, Bishai and Eser Ebcin)
- "Taalet" - 3:11 (Atlas, Bishai and Tim Whelan)
- "Egypt Interlude" - 2:13
- "Nafourat El Anwar" - 2:58