From the moment I hit play on Hindi Zahra’s new album Handmade I was transported to other lands. Although Hindi is a Franco-Moroccan singer, her music and production occasionally have undertones from the South Pacific of the 1950s. I was taken back to my youth watching reruns of the television show M*A*S*H with my father, remembering that funky, kitschy music that was the soundtrack to the series like it was yesterday.
With the low-fi vocal and skanky rhythm of the track “Beautiful Tango” I couldn’t help but think of Tom Waits. Hindi’s voice is emotive yet still upbeat with a cadence and sense of melody reminiscent of Amy Winehouse. I suspect they would both lead you back to Billie Holliday. When Hindi goes falsetto there is a haunting hint of PJ Harvey and just a glimmer of darkness.
Hindi Zahra’s songs are mostly in English but some lyrics like the song “Imik Si Mik” are in the Berber languages, closely related languages and dialects that extend across North Africa through the Sahara. The Berber languages are still commonly used in modern-day Morocco, where Hindi grew up with her mother.
All great music affects you on an emotional level and–if you’re lucky–transports you to a landscape of the artist’s choosing. Hindi Zahra achieves this to perfection. Songs from this album will definitely make it to my Yoga class, and more importantly, to my home stereo.
Reviewed by Daniel Overberger a Los Angeles-based Yoga teacher, the author of Leaving Stress Behind, and founder of alt-kirtan group, Dharma Gypsys: leavingstressbehind.com
Daniel Overberger is a Los Angeles-based Yoga teacher, the author of Leaving Stress Behind, and founder of alt-kirtan group Dharma Gypsys. leavingstressbehind.com