Product Description
Natacha Atlas' Something Dangerous is a bit slicker than her last, lightening up the beats and sexy intensity of Ayeshteni for more radio-friendly pop electronics, occasional vocal harmonies reminiscent of Destiny's Child, and lots of guests. Not that you could tell from the first cut, the gorgeous "Adam's Lullaby," on which she's backed by a gently playing Prague Symphony Orchestra string section. After this peaceful opener, the pace picks up with the dancehall-style "Eye of the Duck," featuring fellow Transglobal Underground member Tuup. Then the title cut gets a little funky while Atlas trades off vocal duties with the rapping Princess Julianna. A little later, Atlas takes on "Man's World." While her voice is lovely for it, the cover doesn't quite recapture the magic of her last album's success with Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You." The collaboration with Sinéad O'Connor, "Simple Heart," is a high point, and the album really hits its stride in the songs that follow, with especially good interaction between Atlas and Niara Scarlett on "Who's My Baby," before mellowing out into closing ambient cuts.
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It's quite extraordinary how Natacha Atlas can seamlessly combine so many languages and genres. On Something Dangerous, while singing in Arabic, Hindi, English and French, she draws her musical backing from drum & bass, Parisian vaudeville, R&B, ambient dance, pop, rap and film music, and never once do her sonic movements feel remotely gratuitous. Indeed, every track here is of the highest quality. In this, she's undoubtedly aided by a stellar guest list. Atlas is more than ready to step back and leave room for a love-hungry rap from Princess Julianna ("Just like a Dream"), some punchy positivist soul from Niara Scarlett ("Who's My Baby") and an insistent lament from Sinead O'Connor ("Simple Heart"). Add to these the grand orchestrations of Jocelyn Pook, the wacky Gem keyboards of Gamal Awad and the mournful trumpet of the late Sami El Babli, plus the efforts of Jah Wobble, Count Dubulah and Transglobal Underground and you have a collection that never veers from the classy. As a round-the-world excursion, Something Dangerous has more in common with Peter Gabriel at his coffee-table easiest than with the wild wanderings of Kate Bush. Nevertheless, for those who like their chill-out music to rise above the bland, there's much here to enjoy. --Dominic Wills
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