One of Lebanon’s most acclaimed artist, Yasmine Hamdan gives us much more than just “modern Arabic pop” on her new album “Al Jamilat”.
We’re introducing Yasmine Hamdan’s second solo album with quite a delay – it came out mid-March – but at least at this point we can recommend it as a lasting experience that remains it’s charm even after many spins.
Among 11 tracks that make up “Al Jamilat“, you’ll find some of the most beautifully-written songs arranged with a balanced approach. Piano, strings and even hang drum team up with ambient-ish textures, together highlighting Yasmine’s outstanding vocals.
This way, the album provides a complex experience and offers to set you in a particular mood, rather than just offer music in some particular styles. (Which are extremely hard to define here, by the way, and that’s only for the better).
The ambiguity of “Al Jamilat” can be of course explained by Yasmine’s wide-ranging inspirations and all kinds of works she’s done over the last 20 years, traveling around the world (she’s now based in Paris) and working with all kinds of musicians.
One thing you’ll notice on “Al Jamilat”, which appropriately means “The Beautiful Ones”, is that she never tries to enforce herself on the listener. Rather, she tries to seduce you into her world and keep some secrets for the next stages of the relationship.
And that’s why, a quarter after the album’s official premiere, we’re still listening “Al Jamilat”, as enchanted as during the first listen.
Stream “Al Jamilat” LP here.
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Photo credit: Flavien Prioreau
