Exotic Dimensions is the name given to the world music collective that is the vision of Japanese-born producer, Shumile. Shumile majored in film scoring at the Berklee College of Music and her impressive career has seen her participate in the music production for the Curious George audiobooks and arrange music for Japanese Pop sensation Mai Kuraki. With Exotic Dimensions, Shumile wanted to fuse the sounds of different cultures and make world music accessible to a larger audience. This has led her to collaborate with high-caliber musicians from each continent. Desert Heat is Exotic Dimensions’ new single and sees Shumile embrace the sounds of traditional Arabian music.
The song begins with an ethereal mix of Nay (Arabic flute) and female vocalization. An exquisite Oud solo follows, and wind sound effects can be heard, transporting the listener into a vivid desert scene. The lyrics were written by American Singer-Songwriter, Mark McQuillen, and follow the plight of a person who wanders the hot sands in search of their lover. McQuillen recalls imagery from his time spent living in Saudi Arabia and uses Arabic words to embellish the story… “I thirst for your kiss / You are missed / Like no Habibi lost before / Follow sunsets / To the West / When climbing white dunes sunrise ascends”. Singer Patrick Tabet performs the song with power, and he is accompanied by a dramatic arrangement of strings and traditional Arabic instrumentation.
This is a highly evocative piece, which captures the essence of Arabic harmony in a modern format. There is a continuous feeling of rise and fall; sweeter melodic passages build to heavy rhythmic moments and one can not help but be swept up in the theatrical intensity of the song. Desert Heat is a complete sonic journey and will enthrall those with a penchant for world music.
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BELOW: Listen to Desert Heat and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support Exotic Dimensions by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!
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