Tanita

Imagine a fusion of Latin, Middle Eastern and Arabic-flamenco music, with some hip– hop and reggae thrown in for good measure. Then imagine a melismatic voice that swoops and soars with seemingly effortless ease, delivering lyrics that tell of love, life and loss in Spanish, English and French. Imagine this being performed by a dark-eyed Mexican-born beauty of Middle Eastern Jewish heritage. It's easy to see why Nuriya is already making waves in her New York base. A living, breathing riposte to the erroneous notion that world music isn't sexy, Nuriya is surrounded by next-big-thing hype and it's only a matter of time before it crosses over to this side of the globe.

Nuriya caused a stir on touring Europe a couple of years ago with redoubtable French outfit Babylon Circus, a feisty addition to the crusty ska and reggae crew. For her debut solo CD Tanita (Little Gypsy), however, Nuriya delves deep into her cross-cultural past. A whole host of influences are thrown into the melting pot: Nuriya studied Afro-Cuban music in Cuba, Hebrew and Arabic melodies in Israel and composition in Paris. Thankfully, Nuriya avoids the temptation to overcrowd her music. Aided by input from a host of esteemed Latin American and Middle Eastern musicians (including her BBC Award-winning cousin Yair Dalal) on everything from percussion and guitar to piano and violin, tacks feel streamlined and carefully considered. Standouts include the horn-driven ‘Dejame Quererte’ though Nuriya's own voice is the real highlight of this album as a whole. Somewhere in between Oum Kalthoum and Maria ‘la Canillas’ Abad from Ojos de Brujo, it's a voice that transcends her appearance.