[bar de lune ]	review from dj advent

The Arabica series has a consistently strong conglomeration of differing sounds from North Africa and the Middle East I have ever seen. Bar De Lune "The World's Favorite Label" is known for their particularized, uncommon, and at time's Velveeta™ style compilations. Over the years they have issued copious amounts of compilations focusing on differing moods and swings. Here with the first installment of Arabica vol.1 we find a well-built illustration of Arabia's modern electronic artists. With Bar De Lune's detail on the diverse, it would be a Herculean task to become disentranced with the vibrations emanating from your speakers.

Classic's such as Rachid Taha's "Ya Rayah," Calling's "Pressure Drop," Dzihan & Kamien's "Just you and I," and Christopher Goze's "Caravane" need no descriptive. That is unless you don't have them, and if that's the case: shop-shop-shop! An important fact to note is the release dateL: Jan 2002. These guys are the equivalent, if not ahead of other labels during the same era. It's a fact proven again in the later Arabica series. Alpha X's "First Transmission," (a favorite joint off of Gravity), was released seven months prior to the album. Having the newest cuts is always important to a DJ. With this series you can always look forward to a few suprises to add to your repertoire.

Personally I'm not a fan of Bar De Lune's "World Music" selection... the whole Buddha Bar series and similar strains are far too expensive to pay for one good track out of forty. However, the Arabica series is exempt from that opinion due to the quality not quantity of the selections. Zeb's Slow Camel Ride Remix of "Desert Dancer" is a contriving and sexy remix. Hip wobbling bassline's, tantralizing tablatronix, and a sultry female vocal overlaid within a pop and lock trip hop beat. Definitely worth getting, and you can find another remix on Rough Guide's Arabesque as well. Digital Bled's "Cairo Bar" is another smoke a hookah cut. (Think Thievery Corporation with more depth and culture.) Arabica Vol.1 will produce a great response for those of us who do not want to rummage through compilation's or begin a quest to find a near unknown artist. The best of both worlds are here within the Bar De Lune's Arabica Series.


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