FAIRUZ レコード& CD

Review: Available here for the first time on vinyl, Lebanese singer Fairuz's 1991 album - previously only sold on CD and tape - has lost none of its romance or immersive qualities since the last time you heard it. Meanwhile, if this is your first outing with the eastern Mediterranean siren, prepare to dive into a mesmerising experience in which Arabic tones meets jazz-funk on an impressive scale, with unarguably rich depth.

A career spanning six decades, Fairuz is nothing short of a legend in her home region, with many citing her among the most famous vocalists from the Arab world. The Soul of Lebanon, no less, her voice is incredible but the work she aligned with, and pushed into the mainstream, is perhaps what's most impressive. Straddling genres and cultures with aplomb, the tragedy of the western music industry's homogenous attitude means many are still unaware. Thankfully, here's chance to rectify that.

Review: When it comes to offering up re-mastered reissues of obscure Lebanese music, Wewantsounds has previous form. They've already delivered a new edition of Ziad Rahbani's "Abu Ali" LP and here serve up a fresh pressing of an album he produced: "Wahdon", a hard-to-find 1978 set by her mother, legendary Middle Eastern chanteuse Fairuz. It's a set of stark contrasts. While the A-side tracks indulge the more traditional side of Fairuz's output -think Lebanese vocals and instrumentation in the style of pop music from the region made in the period - the flipside cuts see her taking calculated risks. "Al Bosta" is a funk, soul and disco influenced club cut of the highest order, while "Wahdon" is a sumptuously symphonic soul slow jam straight from the top drawer.