British-Lebanese singer-songwriter Nadine Khouri's enigmatic debut The Salted Air is a haunting and atmospheric collection of poetic meditations on loss and transformation.
Out Friday February 3rd via One Flash Records and currently streaming in full via Clash Mag, The Salted Air was recorded live with legendary producer John Parish (PJ Harvey, Giant Sand) at Toybox Studios in Bristol.
FULL ALBUM STREAM VIA CLASH UK
Stream/Share: "I Ran thru the Dark (to the Beat of My Heart)"
Featuring highlights such as the exquisite new track "I Ran thru the Dark (to the Beat of My Heart)" plus previously released breakout tunes "Broken Star" + "You Got A Fire", it sees the London-based artist in her element, crafting dreamlike sonic moodboards, smattered with spoken word
The album has been hailed by MOJO as "A thing of dark possessed beauty" in their four-star album review, celebrated for it's "Smoke damaged torch songs" by Q (Feb 2017 Critics Choice) and is one of Rough Trade's January 2017 Albums of the Month.
Throughout the collection, Khouri's singular voice soars above droning organ, pulsating shakers, and an occasional choir of male voices, creating an intimate self-contained world, reminiscent of Stina Nordenstam &
Mazzy Star in their heyday. Pumping harmoniums meld into reverb-drenched electric guitar, while Khouri's languid voice offers a dream-like incantation set against a beating Moroccan tar on 'Broken Star'. An esoteric thread runs throughout the album, notably on 'Shake it like a Shaman' (a tribute to the late Jeff Buckley).
In addition to Parish, the album features guest contributions, Irish singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley, violinist Emma Smith (James Yorkston, Hot Chip) alongside a core band assembled by Khouri, including J Allen (keys, BVs) Huw
Bennett (double-bass) Ruban Byrne (electric guitar, BVs) Jean-Marc Butty (drums) and Florian Tanant (piano.).
Acclaimed music photographer Steve Gullick (Nirvana, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy) directed the video for lead single "You Got A Fire" and shot Khouri's press photos and album art, providing the visual tone for an album of delicate and complex, sparse, haunting beauty.
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