TEXT 1.

You are going to read four album reviews from a world music website. For questions 1-10, choose from the reviews (A—D). The reviews may be chosen more than once.
 

In which review is the following mentioned?
 

1 the rapid transition from one source of inspiration to another

2 the high standards a performer is capable of in a certain style

3 the varying focus and linguistic origins of the songs

4 an opening track which impresses without vocals

5 the high standards of musicianship maintained throughout the album

6 the possible problems that can arise from relying on a multitude of sources

7 a decline in standards after some effective tracks

8 the calm atmosphere created by two tracks on the same album

9 the special contribution of a singer to a blend of sounds

10 tracks sequenced in a way that would reflect the performers' wishes

World MUSIC REVIEWS: ARTISTS and ALBUMS

A

Watcha Clan: Diaspora Hi-Fi — A Mediterranean Caravan

The album begins with a scrambled montage of voices and Arabic strings and percussion; right away, the listener is projected into a mix of dance floor sounds. This is fusion music, dubbed and electroed. Watcha Clan put forward a dilemma: can diverse influences result in a harmonious whole? Or does it just end up as a mish-mash of indistinguishable sound? They certainly add a rich variety of flavours to the dominant rhythms. Some people can't get enough of vocalist Sista K's unusual voice, but for others even a little is too much. Nassim Kouti sometimes accompanies her on vocals and guitar. One of these tracks is the melodic haunting 'Ch'ilet La'Yani'. The beginning of 'Oued El Chouli' is equally tranquil and briefly entrances before the reggae beat takes over, powered by Moroccan castanets. The song stands out on the album because the really impressive combination of styles works so well.

B

Various artists: Nigeria Disco Funk Special

At one time, would-be artists flocked to Nigeria from all over Africa to put their very individual spin on imported music. The first number on this compilation, an instrumental by Sahara All Stars entitled 'Take Your Soul', is bravely funky and strikes just the right opening note. The next outstanding track is by the talented Johnny Haastrup, who gives a great rendition of 'Greetings'. It is hard to understand why he never really made it as a soloist: his treatment of the song is lyrical, and this piece is both harmonic and flamboyant. Sadly, the remaining songs are variable, and not in the same league, and you may be disappointed that they lack a truly authentic and traditional feel. Also, the material is mostly instrumental, so there are few singing stars in evidence. But despite this, the album is well worth listening to. It's arranged in an order suitable for clubs, which is doubtless what the artists originally intended.

C

Neco Novellas: Khu Kata

Neco Novellas is a singer-songwriter with immense talent and imposing stage presence. His new album, 'Khu Kata', presents influences of his teenage years in Mozambique. Guest vocalist Lilian Vieira of Zuco 103 enriches the track called 'Vermelha' which is a successful mix of Brazilian samba and Mozambican pop. But with 'Phumela' things slide downhill for a while, and the lyrics of 'Swile Navo' can only be described as banal and repetitive. He returns to form with 'The Train', which is beautifully arranged and owes an obvious debt to the Hugh Masekela songbook ('Stimela!'), but the best tracks are the uplifting 'Tikona' and 'O Sol', which truly stand out as the blend of world/jazz fusion that this artist regularly delivers. Nonetheless, 'Khu Kata' would have been improved by more rigorous editing and slightly fewer tracks.

D

Think of One: Camping Shaabi

Think Of One is truly unique. Over the years, this Antwerp-based group have worked and recorded with a wide range of artists such as Afro-Brazilian percussionists and Inuit throat singers, but for this album, they return to Moroccan themes. The Moroccan effect is apparent straight away in the spellbinding rhythmic voices of the first track, ‘J’etais Jetée'. And that's just for starters — the recording goes on to mix diverse sounds and types of music at an astounding speed. The quality doesn't falter from one track to the next and each track is innovative in its own way. The vintage keyboards and Balkan-style brass section are always there, laying the foundations for the other sounds which are brought in and used around them. In a dazzling combination of Flemish, French, Arabic and English, the band's lyrics also fascinate, some having a serious tone and others being more frivolous, but a singable tune always surfaces.

TEXT 2.