Sabra Sounds

When Shlomi Shabat and Pablo Rosenberg joined forces for a concert in Caesarea, it was hailed as a hugely successful and memorable performance.

By VIVA SARAH PRESS
shlomo disk 88 224 (photo credit: )
shlomo disk 88 224
(photo credit: )
METROPOLIN Haslil (The Coil) (Helicon) The musical project known as Metropolin returns with another high-quality album two years after its successful debut. The new CD, Haslil (The Coil), blends electronic pop with art rock and progressive beats. Once again Ofer Meiri - who founded the project - proves his talent as a star producer/lyricist/composer. He wrote and composed lyrics and music to all of the album's 12 tracks, including the popular hit, "Ein Li Makom" (I Have no Space). From Roni Altar's piercing voice on "Otef" to Arkadi Duchin's melancholic performance on "One, Two, Three," the harmonies between the different vocalists and the expert musicianship are worthy of note throughout the album. Whereas Metropolin's first CD was written primarily as a studio album, this time around Meiri worked with group members Roni Altar, Dana Adini and Barak Gabizon from the start. Other musicians who contributed to this album include Duchin, Aviv Geffen, Ivri Lider and Michael Frost. Haslil is bursting with great sound and groovy songs. It's one of those albums that you'll want to listen to in a loop. IDAN YANIV Haki Li (Wait for Me) (Hed Arzi) The young singer Idan Yaniv continues to score hits with the Israeli pop public. Just as his debut album, "Hoshev Aleha" (Thinking of Her), secured him radio rotation play upon its release last year, so too has his follow-up CD, "Haki Li" (Wait for Me). The opening track off the new album, "At Yafa" (You're Pretty) can be heard at least twice a day on local radio stations. His song "Seret Hodi" (Indian Movie), with Dana International, has also scored a lot of air play. Musically, Yaniv offers a Mizrahi pop vibe. His songs range from pleasant ("Lechisha Shel Ahava") to the romantic title track to the catchy ("Seret Hodi"). In terms of texts, he sings about love and relationships. To ensure continued success, Yaniv turned to others to write lyrics for him and to help him compose musical arrangements. Shalom Gad, Rami Lev, Smadar Shir, and David D'Or, among others, answered his call. The Tel Aviv raised Yaniv has been dubbed the "Mizrahi Cinderella". While he participated in a number of festivals throughout his childhood, his sudden rise to stardom last summer with his "Hoshev Aleha" hit surprised music critics across the board. Yaniv has proved that he is not a one-hit wonder and continues to charm the local pop field. There's nothing extraordinary about his vocal abilities or music, but Yaniv seems to have an insider tip on what's going to catch on and then provides it. SHLOMI SHABAT AND PABLO ROSENBERG Concert in Caesarea (Helicon) When Shlomi Shabat and Pablo Rosenberg joined forces for a concert in Caesarea this past summer, it was hailed as a hugely successful and memorable performance. It's no surprise that a recording was made of the show. The album includes hits from both singers. Shabat and Rosenberg lead fans in energetic renditions of "Meldita Luna", "Abba," "Ner Al Halon," and 14 other tracks. The audience response and cheers between the tracks gives listeners at home the feeling of being there, in concert in Caesarea.