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The Journey is the solo debut album by the Somali musician Maryam Mursal.[2][3] It was released in 1998 by Real World Records.[4] Mursal supported the album by touring with the Africa Fete festival.[5]

The Journey
Studio album by Maryam Mursal
Released	1998
Studio	Real World Studios[1]
Label	Real World
Producer	Simon Emmerson, Martin Russell

Production

The Journey documents Mursal's flight from war-torn Somalia through deserts to Denmark.[6][7] It was produced by Simon Emmerson and Martin Russell, with arrangements by Soren Jenson.[8][9] Hossam Ramzy played percussion on the album.[10] Peter Gabriel contributed backing vocals.[11] Among the backing musicians were members of Waaberi and Danish session players.[12]

"Lei Lei" is a reworked version of the Waaberi song "Cidlaan Dareemaya".[13] "Hamar" is an instrumental track.[14] "Qax" and "Somali Udiida Ceb" were written during Mursal's trek.[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Age	[14]
AllMusic	[16]
Robert Christgau	[17]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[18]
The Guardian	[8]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide	[12]

The Observer wrote that the album "dazzlingly mixes West African and Arabic roots with western production values."[19] The New York Times determined that "Mursal sounds too tough to let herself be reduced to an exotic sonic ingredient."[13] Rolling Stone concluded that "Mursal refuses to remain a prisoner of her native styles, embracing the frank beats and feral musical constructions of European, Middle Eastern and African nightclubs."[20]

The Irish Times deemed the album "a healthy hybrid that is fuelled by Mursal's passionate vocals—and impressive playing by a host of musicians."[21] The Gazette noted that "all manner of high-tech, worldbeat stuff has been grafted on to Mursal's Somali roots music."[22] The Chicago Tribune stated that The Journey "frames Mursal's extraordinary alto voice inside an array of musical textures created by strings, horn samples from old mambo records, wah-wah guitars, accordions and traditional instruments."[15]

AllMusic wrote that "the layers of sound on this disc blend techno with a more traditional Afro-pop sound."[16] The Morning Call, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune listed it among 1998's best albums.[23][24][25]

Track listing

References

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