Gifted producer and composer Idan Raichel introduced his take on modern world music with the 2002 eponymous full-length album by The Idan Raichel Project. Blending Amharic and Hebrew vocals with North African and Middle Eastern rhythms, Raichel presents flowing melodies in the well-constructed context of modern pop production—all while respecting ethnic and musical traditions. As a result, The Idan Raichel Project was off to a running start—and instant commercial success.