Desert Roses & Arabian Rhythms II
As on the firstDesert  Roses & Arabian Rhythms, the ambiance here is dance-oriented and  club-friendly, which is at once unsurprising and perfectly authentic. Modern  Middle Eastern pop is youth-oriented and notoriously open to intercultural  experimentation, but some novelties work better than others. Rachid Taha's  percussive, bass-driven "En Retard" is one pick hit, and Cheb Mami's  string-driven "Baida" is another. Khaled's "Trigue Lycee," Sabu and Arabian  Fantasy's festive "Yala Habibi," and "Albi Htar"--a live track by Ragheb Alama  and Faudel--are also worth the price of admission. Oojami's "Instanboogie,"  which is simply annoying in the living room at high noon, sounds fabulous at 2  a.m. after a few drinks. However, Shani's "Call of the Wild" is trite and  cliché-ridden;, and "Take Me, I'm Yours" reduces the queenly Tunisian diva  Latifa to fatuous rhapsodizing about desert trysts and camels. Ultimately,  though, this mixed bag will delight worldbeat techno fans.--Christina  Roden