Natacha Atlas - Something Dangerous
(Mantra)
I've always been bemused by the fact that Natacha Atlas first came to my attention via her work on the first Daniel Ash solo album from 1990—and not just as a guest, she was performing throughout. But anyone who has even had a cursory interest in her work knows that her particular approach has always been that of an astonishingly wide range—her own Middle Eastern heritage is just part of what she's worked on with Transglobal Underground, on her solo albums, and heaven knows how many guest appearances and collaborations. She's one of those artists that NPR can namedrop but you don't feel like a yupscumfuck for liking as well, assuming you do like her.
Something Dangerous is her fifth solo album as such and once again everyone and everything and the kitchen sink are brought to bear—and frankly, this is probably her best album ever. The range of collaborators alone is jawdroppingly impressive—from modern classical composer Jocelyn Pook and Sugababes/Cher producer Brian Higgins to noted Arabic and Indian performers such as Abdullah Chhadeh and Sami El Babli. Plenty of familiar names from her past work also crop up, such as Jah Wobble, the Transglobal Underground crew, and Sinead O'Connor, and what's most impressive about the album as a whole is how well she brings everything together in what isn't a limp fusion but a vibrant shimmer. She can hop from Arabic to English to French and back again at the drop of a hat and the whole album still feels of a piece.
So there's not much to add except just get it and play it. The Pook collaboration kicks it off—"Adam's Lullaby," strings provided by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlas's voice, and nothing else, and it doesn't NEED anything else. From there it's one brilliant slink and groove to another: the industrial Indian music punch of "Janamaan," the full-on basstone growl on "Daymalhum," "Eye of the Duck"—dancehall meets Cairo and it works wonders—and the slightly more straightforward pop pleasures of "Who's My Baby" (lead vocals from Niara Scarlett of the Cinematic Orchestra) and "This Realm." Atlas's ear for what's happening everywhere in the world right now keeps everything lively—"Simple Heart," her collaboration with O'Connor, has enough clipped Timba beats and stuttering acoustic guitar to slip onto airwaves easily if desired.
Meanwhile, in the continuing run of great cover versions she's done over time, Atlas this time around tackles James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and turns it into a show-stopping end-credits-of-a-film number with some help from Transglobal Underground veterans. It's not the only reason to listen in but it's definitely one of many.
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