Sandaraa

Sandaraa are a musical manifesto defying ethnic, linguistic and national borders and tracing a shared human experience through their ‘trans-Eurasian’ sound. Yiddish, Balkan, Turkish, Balochi and Pashto traditions merge in a thoroughly hypnotic album that sees Zebunnisa Bangash's distinctive voice vying for centre stage with Michael Winograd's dizzying klezmer clarinet.

One half of Pakistani duo Zeb and Haniya, Bangash's vocals are more powerful than ever, and she is as captivating on the fast-paced opener ‘Jegi Jegi Lailajan’ as on the mournful ‘Mana Nele’. Winograd nevertheless manages to steal the show on the emotionally compelling Afghan folk track ‘Bibi Sanem Janem’, aided by violinist Eylem Basaldi. Basaldi wreathes through the album beautifully and Patrick Farrell's accordion lightly accentuates her riffs, while David Lizmi grounds each track in a reassuring bass line. Yoshie Fruchter's guitar mimics the oud in a glorious opening to ‘Dilbarake Nazinin’ and Richie Barshay's acclaimed percussion is what makes the energetic finale ‘Haatera Taiyga’. Every band member brings something unique to this work of art, and it shows: the only fitting response is applause.