Nadine Khouri was seven years old when her parents fled Lebanon from the civil war. The family left their hometown of Beirut to live in London. At 18, Nadine went to New York to study, but returned to her adopted country to be closer to her family. "As a child, it was my dream to become a cartoonist," says Khouri. It didn't work out. Which is nothing bad, because in England's capital it seems to have found its true purpose: music. That was the end of the '0s. So she recorded a first 5-track EP, "A Song To The City", which was released on July 13, 2010. No less than 16 musicians recorded the songs, which convince with their wide arrangements, but with Nadine Khouri's voice in the foreground. In addition to the usual instruments, banjo, harp, xylophone, cello, violin, clarinet and trumpet are used. Soulige songs can be found on this first album, partly spartanic on acoustic guitar, partly harsh rocking. The British Mojo summed it up as follows: "Meditative, spectral dream images ... an extraordinary voice."
Two weeks after the release of the EP, more precisely on 29 July, Nadine Khouri then attended a concert by John Parish, who co-produced PJ Harvey, among others. Khouri was a big fan of John Parish. They got into conversation, and the young musician gave him her EP, not knowing if Parish would contact him later. But he came forward, had found pleasure in the soulful voice of the mid-twenties girl and her finely chased yet passionate songs. "I was perplexed because I'm a huge fan of his music. He asked me if I wanted to sing one of his songs. I was totally excited about the recording."
And it didn't stay that way. John Parish has now also produced the official debut album of Nadine Khouri. "The Salted Air" was released on February 3, 2017. Compared to the EP "The Salted Air" is much more restrained and discreet. With a few exceptions, his instruments are limited to drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. This reduction can also be understood as a conscious decision to concentrate on the essentials. Be that as it may, it's good for the album. There is even more melancholy and melancholy in the songs. "On 'A Song To The City', I was still pretty confused. I didn't know where I really belonged," admits Nadine Khouri. This statement can be related both to her musical orientation and to her emotional, mental homeland. Their origin from Lebanon can never be heard on the new album. At least musically she could have found her home with "The Salted Air". Unobtrusive songs with rather gloomy moods, with soul, with spirit, but also marked by zest for action. Right in the middle between singer/songwriter and alternative rock. "When I recorded the new album, I felt that I was coming home in a certain way. The album is a return to myself."
The album is short, it only lasts about 38 minutes. In a nutshell, you could call it. The opener "Thru You I Awaken" doesn't offer much more than Khouri's voice and the drone of a harmonium. After an equally restrained beginning, the following "I Ran Thru The Dark" becomes more atmospheric, even indulgent, towards the end. "Jerusalem Blue", on the other hand, exudes a little US country flair, with a sugar-sweet violin. Melancholy and cautious optimism alternate. Also "You Got A Fire" begins restrained, with little guitar and piano, but suddenly it gets fuller, dreamy, with beguiling melody and polyphonic vocals. The exception on the album is the cheeky, brash, sometimes even aggressive "Shake It Like A Shaman", to which the deep drums and Khouri's challenging voice contribute their part.
Nadine Khouri has the future ahead of her. Wherever she may musically pitch her tents. With "The Salted Air" she walks somewhere in an area which is currently still limited by the cornerstones Joanna Newsom, PJ Harvey, Kate Bush, Anja Garbarek, Stina Nordenstam and Tori Amos. Still.
Another warning: If you look for "Nadine Khouri" at Amazon, the album "Cuts From The Inside" from 2005 will also be offered there. Whatever it is, it is not the work of Nadine Khouri, who moved from Beirut to London at the age of seven.
* * * Bernd Sievers
