Diaspora (Natacha Atlas album) explained

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

Critical reception

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."^[2]

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:^[3]

• 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

Charts (1995)	Peak position
Dutch Albums Chart	66[4]
UK Albums Chart	123[5]

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Swedenburg . Ted . The 'Arab Wave' in World Music After 9/11 . Anthropologica . 2004 . 46 . 2 . 179.
2. News: Gill . Andy . Records . The Independent . 23 June 1995 . Pop Music . 14.
3. Diaspora (CD liner notes). Nation Records. March 1995.
4. http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Natacha+Atlas "Discography Natacha Atlas"
5. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_A.HTM "UK Chart Long: 1994–2006: A – Azzido Da Bass"