Strange days

"Natacha Atlas er landet et godt sted på de sidste to plader, hvor hun er gået all in med et jazzet udtryk ... Pladen (...) har en mængde lag og viser, hvor god en partner, Samy Bashai er med de flotte arrangementer og kompositioner, hvor vi hele tiden føler Natacha Atlas' umiskendelige stempel men også løftes op i en sfære, hvor hun ikke har været før ... Fabelagtigt. Orientalsk nærvær og blå jazz i et og samme åndedrag".

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"The idea of combining the already flexible nature of improvisational jazz with melodies that contain flashes of harmonic minor and Phrygian dominant scales, initially seems like a recipe for tonal confusion. But Strange Days exercises its compositional boldness with moderation: The approachable melodic phrases of "Inherent Rhythm" stand out, the deft touch of violinists providing intriguing textures. With Strange Days, Atlas delivers a refined musical experience, one that encourages reveling in the most meditative parts of the human imagination".

"Former Transglobal Underground singer and BBC Radio 3 World Music Award winner Natacha Atlas is well known for combining electro-acoustic Arabic sounds with sub-genres of Western pop including hip-hop and reggae. It's a fusion Anglo-Egyptians call chaabi moderne (modern popular music) ... Atlas' latest release, described by her label as a 'darkly dystopian Arabic-infused jazz fantasy,' extends her collaborative streak and widens her artistic oeuvre yet further ... With original songs and lyrics sung in both Arabic and English, it's a strong blend of two authentic musical styles; not just an arasbeque reworking of old jazz standards (other than on a cover of James Brown's 'It's a Man's World'). There's a perfectly acceptable partnership with Joss Stone on 'Words of a King' but it's sit-up-and-take-note numbers like 'Maktoub' and 'Lost Revolutions' - the latter of which could well be a lament for the short-lived uprising in her father's North African homeland earlier this decade - that really make this album stand out".