Six Degrees Collection: Arabian Travels
The latest installment in the Six Degrees globe-trotting travel  compilation series--which also includesLatin Travels,Asian Travels, and the  recentAfrican  Travels--Arabian Travelsdelivers 10 essential tracks that fuse the best of  contemporary dance music with traditional North African and Middle Eastern  music. A mix of danced- and tranced-up tracks by both native-born musicians and  those that travel via studio (mostly Europeans), this disc offers nothing but  highlights.Global groove pioneersBanco  de Gaiashowcase the previously unreleased "Sakarya," a fabulously unfolding  groove set against a wailing Islamic vocal track and other ghostly voices. The  Austrian duodZihan &  Kamiencontribute the bass-heavy "Just You & I," with rock-steady beats  trumped by the shrill drone of a Middle Eastern orchestra. Arabic Breakbeats'  churning "Blue Turban" blends a high-flying flute melody over funky bass, while  the long-standing nomadic German trioDissidenten's "Telephone  Arab" (remixed by Shantel) is a shifting blend of percussion, processed voices,  violin, and orchestra.Other tracks by Acid Queen, Euphoria, Fifth Sun, Karsh Kale, Dahmane el  Harrachi, and Ekova all help fill in the picture of an enormously complex and  rich musical and cultural part of the world. From Turkey through Morocco, with  stops in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and all parts in between, the 10 artists onArabian Travelsgracefully groove together, proving along the way that  music overcomes all barriers.--Carl Hanni