An underground icon throughout the Arab world, vocalist Yasmine Hamdan presents her mesmerizing debut solo album - an elegant mutant strain of electro folk, inspired by various Middle eastern traditions - written and produced in collaboration with Marc Collin of Nouvelle Vague.
Yasmine first became known with Soapkills, the duo she founded in Beirut, which was probably the first indie/electronic band to appear in the Middle East. The music of Soapkills quickly became the soundtrack to the vibrant, young arts scene which developed in postwar Lebanon and elsewhere in the Arab world. On moving to Paris Yasmine worked with CocoRosie and French electronic music producer Mirwais.
The inspiration for the melodies and the lyrics of her music comes from the great Arab women singers of the mid-20th century and the mischievous sensuality and the subtle, ironic social criticism which pervades their lyrics. Yasmine's vocals are connected to traditions of Arabic music but the structures and arrangements of the songs are very remote from its codes. She takes a personal, unconventional and fresh approach that might be described as a kind of elegant, mutant strain of electro folk, mysteriously springing from somewhere in the Persian Gulf, with acoustic guitars, vintage synths, inspired atmospheres and Yasmine's multi-faceted, wonderful voice.
Personnel: Yasmine Hamdan (vocals), Marc Collin (co-producer, keyboards & programming), Kevin Seddiki, Thibaut Barbillon, Julien Deguines, Marc Kodsi (guitars), Gael Rakotondrabe (keyboards, programming), Sliman Kouidri (karkabou, guimbri), Bruno Ralle (synth).