Here comes the double-sampler "Harem´s Secret, Vol. 02" and those who already know Volume 01 from 2004 will know what to expect: modern, oriental music with a high feelgood factor and pleasing chillout-elements.
35 songs from different arists, that have made it their duty to develop a fusion between modern rhythms and oriental harmonies. Many of them didn´t even grow up in the oriental society, but have found an access to this world, which is exotic to us west-europeans, luckily without using the same stereotypes over and over again.
This proves once again how important it is that fusion-artists are really at home in both worlds to be able to range in the different structures.
Unfortunately there came many cds with the orient-boom that aimed on the fact that the customer has less knowledge of the topic than the bad paid compiler.
With this double-sampler "Harem´s Secret, Vol. 02" you don`t have to worry about such things, because also this compilation is wisely compiled by radio-DJane Gülbahar Kültür (Funkhaus Europa/Germany - Acik Radyo/Turkey).
With her „Oriental Garden 1-3“ compilations she became so important to the worldmusic-scene that she gets advance-cds from some artists even before their record-labels hear the material.
From her DJ-sets we know that Gülbahar Kültür always uses only a few tracks by the usual artists from Turkey, Egypt, or Algeria. Instead of this she uses music from Greece, South-Italia, India, Indonesia, Hungary, or Spain, countries that have an oriental past, but not in our understanding of the orient.
And then there are British, German and American artists, who have work themselves into the oriental sound-cosmos through ambient, goa, trance, house and dub and who are delivering remarkable works.
On "Harem´s Secret, Vol. 02" this fraction is represented by Prem Joshua, Jeff Bennett, Banco de Gaia and Loop.
“Harem`s Secret” features of course mainly lounge-material, that could run without problems on “replay” in your cd-player, but nevertheless some of the young wild rebels show at what high standard modern oriental pop-music is produced nowadays.
The young US-Iranian Idin should be mentioned, with his fantastic voice and on top he is almost as goodlooking as the famous Libanese sunnyboy Wael Kfoury.
There is a small difference towards the first volume compared to "Harem´s Secret, "Vol. 02".
The first double-sampler was continous contemplative and smooth and was carried by a ruminant mood. "Harem´s Secret, Vol. 02" instead has some tracks in the listing that is really grooving and that should be called „music to dance while sitting“.
Some of the highlights are Al Yaman from Czech Republic, Cosmic Rocker from England, Rim Banna from Palestine, Rachid Taha from Algeria, Kazem Al Saher from Iraq and Deladap from Hungary.
"Harem´s Secret, Vol. 02" contains two CDs, "Suleika’s Surprises" and "Sultan’s Favorites", which are not conceptually divided and presents a unity atmospherically.
It`s a moral certainty that this compilation can be found in all highclass restaurants, with oriental cuisine, in the near future. Also this double-cd will be a highlight as a present, because besides its excellent choice of music, it comes in affectionately designed digibox.
