Diaspora (Natacha Atlas album)

Diaspora
Studio album by Natacha Atlas
Released	February 28, 1995
Genre	Electronic
Label	Nation Records, MCA
Producer	Transglobal Underground
Natacha Atlas chronology
Diaspora (1995) Halim (1997)
Singles from Diaspora
"Dub Yalil" Released: 1994 "Leysh Nat' Arak" Released: 1995 "Duden" Released: 1995 (promotional) "Yalla Chant" Released: 1995

Diaspora is the debut album by Belgian singer Natacha Atlas.[1] It was released by Nation Records in March 1995.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]

The Independent wrote: "It comes closest to the [Transglobal Underground] crossover groove on a track like 'Yalla', where the exotic musical blend is strapped to a sluggish house beat, providing a fascinating contrast between the rigidity of the rhythmic pulse and the flexibility of Atlas's voice."[3]

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Natacha Atlas, Count Dubulah, Hamid ManTu and Attiah Ahlan, except where noted.

1. "Iskanderia" – 5:15
2. "Leysh Nat' Arak" – 6:07
3. "Diaspora" (Atlas, Dubulah, ManTu, Ahlan, Neil Sparkes) – 6:47
4. "Yalla Chant" – 5:53
5. "Alhambra Part 1" (Atlas, Dubulah, ManTu, Ahlan, Larry Whelan) – 1:20
6. "Duden" – 6:41
7. "Feres" (Atlas, Essam Rashad) – 7:38
8. "Fun Does Not Exist" – 5:56
9. "Dub Yalil" (Atlas) – 7:56
10. "Iskanderia" (Atlas Zamalek) – 5:15
11. "Diaspora" (Ballon Theatre mix) – 7:02
12. "Fun Does Not Exist" (Dolmus mix) – 6:21

Bonus tracks

All bonus tracks appear on the Japanese edition of Diaspora.

13. "Coulishi" – 5:08
14. "Duden" (Day Trip to Sousse mix) – 7:00
15. "Duden" (Indian Jungle Book mix) – 6:11

Personnel

The following people contributed to Diaspora:[4]

Natacha Atlas – lead vocals, dharabuka Larry Whelan – saxophone, clarinet Essam Rashad – oud, violin Rafiq Rouissi – dharabuka, riq, percussion Neil Sparkes – dharabuka, backing vocals Walid Rouissi – backing vocals, oud Peer Khawam – keyboard Alex Kasiek – keyboards, guitar Hamed Mostafa – bass Ashiqali Hussein, Ali Ahmedaly, Satin Singh – tabla Hamid Mantu – drums, percussion, keyboards

Nawazish Khan, Amin Abdelazeem, Faed Abdelaal, Hanafi Soliman, Monir Abdelaal, Wael Abubakr – violin Count Dubulah – bass, guitar Sokar Al Gohari – accordion Mostafa Alarab – percussion Bashir Abdelall – flute Sameer Benjaman – tambourine Simon Walker – strings Graeme Holdaway – engineering Mary Farbrother – photography

Charts

Chart (1995)	Peak position
Dutch Albums Chart[5]	66
UK Albums Chart[6]	123

References

1. Swedenburg, Ted (2004). "The 'Arab Wave' in World Music After 9/11". Anthropologica. 46 (2): 179.
2. AllMusic review
3. Gill, Andy (23 June 1995). "Records". Pop Music. The Independent. p. 14.
4. Diaspora (CD liner notes). Nation Records. March 1995.
5. "Discography Natacha Atlas". DutchCharts.nl. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
6. "UK Chart Long: 1994–2006: A – Azzido Da Bass". Zobbel.de. Retrieved 23 October 2008.

External links

• Official website