Photo: kafrawy

With just under a month to go until the release of her long-awaited new album Laini Tani, Nadah El Shazly has shared its powerful title track, along with a stunning accompanying video. Following on from the riveting and rousing first single ‘Ghorzetein‘, ‘Laini Tani’ blends freeform mawal-style vocal improvisation, Arabic scales, pulsing electronics and delicate harp. A disorienting and exhilarating listen, the track unfolds with both spontaneity and intent, constantly shifting its centre of gravity. The song, like much of the upcoming album, features harpist and experimental musician Sarah Pagé. Describing the track, Nadah shares:

“This song has a freeform mawal style beginning, where the words are about being in a relaxed, unbothered state and enjoying the moment. The beat comes in and breaks the mawal, and I start wondering what fate is bringing next. The melody switches to a more major scale when the beat disappears, asserting that if anyone wants to come visit, or enter my life, they should come back another time instead. And find me again later — maybe in a next life even! Musically it celebrates my close relationship with Sarah. We’ve been playing together since we met at Hotel2Tango recording studio in 2016 in Montreal, when I was recording my debut album, Ahwar. Sarah tunes her harp to Arabic scales, in this case, the Saba scale, and we can totally be in the same body and mind when we play together.”

Kafrawy directed the accompanying video. Watch it now.

Laina Tani is out on June 6th through One Little Independent Records, and Backward Music in Canada.