Hanitra Rasoanaivo, along with her sister, Noro Raharimalala, was originally introduced to American audiences when a group called Tarika Sammy appeared on a couple of high-profile compilations of music from Madagascar. After a parting of the ways, the sinuously beautiful singer-composer held onto half of the name and all of her talent, becoming one Africa"s still-relatively-rare woman bandleaders. Since then, Tarika has achieved enduring international fame; they even made Time Magazine"s end-of-the-20th-century "Top Ten Bands On The Planet" list. And no wonder! Their rootsy-yet-polished sound offers an irresistible blend of polynesian-influenced close harmony vocals floating over valiha log harps, kabosy lutes, and jejy voatavo fiddles, augmented by electric guitars and lively percussion. This lavishly annotated retrospective offers a generous feast of pleasures for longtime fans and beginners alike. The 17 tracks showcase a well-chosen hit parade, remixes, rarities and a pair of festive videos from their recent Soul Makassar CD. --Christina Roden