Artist: Rim Banna
Album: The Mirror of My Soul
Publisher: KIRKELIG kulturverksted
Recording Technology: N/A

About this album:
I don’t have too much comments on this album. This is a very unique album. All of the songs are in Arabian. Hard to explain it, though this is an Arabian album, but it’s not hard to enjoy it. I believe Rim Banna sings with full of emotion, so you don’t have to understand the language to enjoy it.


For our own pleasure, you can read the English translation inside the booklet. For you who can read Arabian, you are served with Arabian text. For you who understand English, you can read the translation. And finally, for you who want to sing it, you can read the Latin-Arabian text.

On the front of the booklet, you can read message from Rim Banna herself.

“This album is dedicated to all the Palestinian and Arab detainees in the Israeli prissons, to honour of their struggle for freedom and independence”.

About this album itself, the recording quality is superb. It will show you the ugly side of your system. Excellent to check your “not-yet-broken-in” cable or poor D/A conversion. On the poor quality system, the sound will be “stiff”, “harsh”, and “not liquid”. Track #1 is the masterpiece for me. Excellent track to compare system performance from one to another.

But again remember, this album is so “evil”. You will not enjoy this CD on a poor system. It will not sound good on such system. Mid to hi-end system is recommeded to enjoy the full potential of this CD. But once you have heard this CD on an excellent system, then there’s no way back. Hard to enjoy the maximum quality of this CD on average system.

For the music characteristic, I think this is more likely to be Arabian pop with a little touch of light Jazz. Again, you don’t have to understand the song to enjoy it.

Conclusion:
Outstanding recording. Very usefull when used as reference to compare system performance. The music itself is ok for me (though it’s Arabian song and this is my first Arabian CD). Very critical CD, sounds bad on average or poor system (better not listen it if you don’t have a good system or if you have ever listened this CD on good system).

Sound Quality: 5 of 5 Stars
Song Popularity/Arrangement (subjective): 4.5 of 5 Stars

Recommendation: 5 of 5 Stars.

Track list:
1. The Mirror of My Soul
2. The Carmel of My Soul
3. Malek
4. Ya Jammal
5. Masha’al
6. Sarah
7. The Moon Glowed
8. The Top of The Mountain
9. Fares Odeh
10. The Gradma with a Limp
11. The voice, The Fragrance, and The Figure