One Step Forward [Bonus DVD] [Bonus Tracks]

• Artist: Les Nubians
• Rating:
• Release Date: March 25, 2003
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

The surprise breakthrough of Les Nubians' version of Sade's mellow and soulful ballad "The Sweetest Taboo" helped their American debut, Les Princesses Nubiennes, to achieve a higher position on the Billboard charts than any other French-language album in the previous decade. The sweet, seamless harmonies achieved by sisters Helene and Celia Faussart made an already hypnotic song intoxicating. So, it is no surprise that in their follow-up effort, One Step Forward, those harmonies sung in the same soft, rounded, African-inflected French language would charm in the same way. What seems less successful are the English-language efforts, especially the radio-friendly first single, "Temperature Rising," which features a stylish if somewhat out-of-place rap delivered by Talib Kweli that seems grafted on. The sisters' trademark smoothness is diminished when they sing in English, which becomes even more obvious on their reggae-flavored duet with Morgan Heritage. Here the sisters flow from English to French throughout the song, and you can almost feel them tensing up and straining whenever they switch. Thankfully, though, such stumbles are few and far between on the album. Recorded in Jamaica, One Step Forward as a whole has a lulling, laid-back, tropical feel that seems to effortlessly encompass jazz, African rhythms, R&B, pop, and electronic sounds. [EMI's 2003 reissue of One Step Forward includes a bonus DVD featuring remixes of "Makeda" and "Tabou" along with a documentary on the recording of the album, French and U.S. versions of the video of "Temperature Rising," and a gallery of photos.] ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Nu-Hymne	Mounir Belkhir	Les Nubians
Temperature Rising [Edit]	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians, Talib Kweli
J'Veux d' la Musique	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
La Guerre	Les Nubians, IG Culture, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
El Son Reggae	Les Nubians, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
One Step Forward	Les Nubians, IG Culture, Helene Faussart	Les Nubians
Brothers & Sisters	Morgan Heritage, Les Nubians, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Morgan Heritage, Les Nubians
Me & Me (Lyrics)	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Take T (Interlude Lounge Intermezzo)	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Amour à Mort	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir	Les Nubians
Insomnie	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Que le Mot Soit Perle	Helene Faussart, Souleymane Diamanka	Les Nubians
Unfaithful/Si Infidèle	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Saravah (Lyrics)	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart	Les Nubians
Immortel Cheikh Anta Diop (Lyrics)	Les Nubians, Mounir Belkhir	Les Nubians

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
One Step Forward [Documentary][*][Multimedia Track]	IG Culture, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Temperature Rising [U.S. Version][*][Multimedia Track]	Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians, Talib Kweli
Temperature Rising [French Version][*][Multimedia Track]	Mounir Belkhir, Helene Faussart, Celia Faussart	Les Nubians
Photo Gallery [DVD][*]		Les Nubians
Makeda [DVD][*][Mix]		Les Nubians
Tabou [The Roots Remix][*][Multimedia Track]	Sade Adu, Martin Ditcham	Les Nubians
Weblink [DVD]		Les Nubians

Credits

Christophe Morin (Strings), Irène Tasambedo (Vocals (Background)), Sébastien Levy (Strings), Mounir Belkhir (Engineer), Stéphane Castry (Bass), Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan (Percussion), Popolipo (Guitar (Electric)), Elsa Benabdallah (Strings), Volker Sträter (Percussion), Nicolas Gueret (Brass), Tkae Mendez (Engineer), Xavier Derouin (Guitar), Ray Lema (Keyboards), Justin Henry (Make-Up), Helene Faussart (Producer), Marcia A. Escoffery (Vocals (Background)), John Davis (Mastering), Sébastien Theurier (Artwork), Yvan Jego (Guest Appearance), Christophe Dutray (Brass), Ghislaine Benabdallah (Strings), Benjamin Biolay (String Arrangements), Demus (Mixing), Tom Herbert (Bass), Hopeton Hibbert (Bass), Yvette Ebengué (Stylist), Yves Teste (Assistant), Christophe Briquet (Strings), Jacques Largent (Percussion), Bembe Segue (Vocals (Background)), Thierry Planelle (A&R), Zaza (Vocals (Background)), Manu Dibango (Marimba), Tish (Hair Stylist), Emmanuel Binet (Double Bass), Fred Couderc (Flute), Alessandro Sorisini (Drums), Randolph Matthews (Vocals (Background)), Souleymane Diamanka (Guest Appearance), Les Nubians (Producer), Yves Teste (Engineer), IG Culture (Vocals (Background)), Dave Dar (Engineer), Philippe Nadal (Strings), Célia (Vocals (Background)), Christophe Morin (Cello), Mounir Belkhir (Producer), Robert Mitchell (Piano), Finn Peters (Flute), Richard Bona (Guest Appearance), Karen Brunon (Strings), Mike Ross-Trevor (Assistant), Richard Bona (Bass), Demus (Engineer), Helene Dineen (Vocals (Background)), Ray Lema (Piano), Talib Kweli (Guest Appearance), Hairytaj (Hair Stylist), Bertrand Cervera (Strings), Philippe Henry (Brass), Marc Baptiste (Photography), Les Nubians (Arranger), Lee Hamblin (Mixing), Renaud DeGreef (Percussion), Morgan Heritage (Guest Appearance), IG Culture (Producer), Richard Bona (Vocals), Mario Canonge (Keyboards), Robert Mitchell (Fender Rhodes), Nicolas Gueret (Brass Arrangement), Anouch Adjarian (Vocals (Background))