A singer of Near Eastern descent who grew up in Europe, Natacha Atlas became a star of world music for her ambitious cross-referencing of Arabic, techno and hip-hop influences. With Mounqaliba, she continues to apply the caressing moan of her voice to an intriguing fusion of cultures. The hot, dusty sounds of her Arabesque rhythms and orchestrations are cooled by a touch of jazz, chanson and even classical piano. On “Riverman,” where Atlas sings closing-time jazz in English with a Near Eastern accent in the vocal lines and percussion, she sounds like Nina Simone in an engagement at Rick’s Café in Casablanca.
