Imagine consuming the best candy on earth and going for seconds, thirds, fourths and fifths just to get the satisfaction. Habibi’s self-titled album achieves sweetness without going overboard.
The female quartet from New York City blends Garage Rock with Motown and Middle Eastern sounds. It may sound far fetched at first listen but it creeps up on you as the album runs along.
Nostalgia sets in early with memorable tracks such as “I Got the Moves” and “Detroit Baby.” While each track hovers around two minutes in length, it makes you want to travel to the nearest 1950’s diner and do “The Bop.”
“Sunsets” continues to go down the path of Motown nostalgia, as the harmonies are on par and reminiscent to a time where the summers were fun and the guys so dreamy. Do not be surprised if Habibi chooses to release the track as a summer single.
“Tomboy,” the longest song on the album clocking in at 3:27, provides much needed garage rock edginess, as the rest of the album is light to the touch and vocal-friendly.
While it’s easy to write them off as “another Indie band from New York City,” they possess a charm that has the potential to brighten up a room. Coincidentally enough, Habibi stands for “my love” in Arabic.
