Glsah Sanaanea with Shiran – جلسه صنعانيه مع شيران

It was 2018 since SHIRAN‘s breakout and self-titled debut album in which she saluted her cherished family home of Yemen, singing songs in both Arabic and Hebrew, from her base in Tel Aviv.

With her new album Glsah Sanaanea with SHIRAN, the connection with Yemen delves further. Shiran breathes familiar but new life into Yemeni traditional songs in a stripped back and acoustic set with a backdrop of string, wind and percussion instruments like the oud, kawala, and kanun. Where her first album used various western pop tropes and synthesis, her latest tows a much more modest line in respect of the original songs and compositions some of which date back hundreds of years.

Lead single Ya Banat Al Yemen, a song often heard at weddings in Yemen, was originally featured in her previous album but instead of the funky breaks and organ stabs, it’s now rooted with a chorus of voices alongside Shiran, driven by a galloping set of percussion.

SHIRAN’s musical landscape has developed and been inspired by the many stories and experiences of her cherished and much-loved Grandmother who left Yemen in 1949 for Israel as part of her ‘Aliyah’ in search of the Jewish homeland. Her new tunes reveal a sense of longing and curiosity and also highlight a powerful women’s voice in the contemporary Arabic world.

It features eight tracks and includes a guest appearance by fellow Yemeni musician and singer based in Tel Aviv, Eyal El Wahab best known as El Khat.

Glsah Sanaanea with Shiran is also available on vinyl LP. Order now on our Bandcamp Store.