Foretold In The Language Of Dreams

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After her stint with Transglobal Underground and three ground-breaking solo albums of dynamic Arabian-inflected dance music and chansons, our favourite diva Natacha Atlas invites us on a journey of spiritual discovery.

Inspired by sufi parables and the philosophy of G.I. Gurdjieff, Atlas teams up with producer Marc Eagleton and embarks on the road less taken, at least by herself: a concept album recorded in Britain, Greece and Rome and ranging all over the heavenly map. Natacha's voice is, as always, the primus motor, but rather than singing ditties as usual, she uses this potent instrument as the vibrant, melismatic scarlet thread of a long narrative, urging, prodding, inviting, challenging.

Despite the usual overall "Oriental" feel of the CD, 'Foretold in the Language of Dreams' includes collaborations with a string of exciting musicians with whom she has never worked previously - Andrew Cronshaw on zither (apparently in himself a source of inspiration to Atlas), Syrian qanun player Abdullah Chhadeh, and most satisfyingly, two tracks with the Greek band Avaton. Despite the liner notes claims of "computer malarkey" being employed, the overall sound is acoustic, a stark contrast to her previous work.

It is a brilliant work, whose earnest intent does not disqualify having a little fun - the proceedings are opened with a quote from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and somewhere midstream Natacha makes fun of her own voice before cracking up.