Desert Wind (album)

Last updated
Desert Wind
Ofra Haza Desert Wind cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 16, 1989
Recorded1988-1989
Genre
Length49:15
Language Hebrew, Arabic, English
Label Sire/Warner Bros. Records (U.S.)
25976
Teldec/WEA Records (international)
Warner Pioneer Records (Japan)
Hed Arzi (Israel)
Producer Arif Mardin
Joe Mardin
Ofra Haza
Thomas Dolby
Bezalel Aloni
Ofra Haza chronology
Shaday
(1988)
Desert Wind
(1989)
Kirya
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

Desert Wind is an album by the Israeli singer Ofra Haza, released in 1989. [6] [7] Popular in Israel, Haza was unknown in the rest of the world until the previous year, when the song "Im Nin'Alu" and the album Shaday were released. Desert Wind was therefore more oriented toward the international market.

Contents

The main language of the album is English, however Haza also sings in Arabic, Hebrew, and the ancient language of Aramaic. The album includes traditional folk Yemenite songs. [8] The sound is a mainstream form of dance music with elements of synthpop and, on track 8, an influence of house music. The album ends with "Kaddish," a Jewish prayer that, as Haza writes, is meant to hold all the world's sorrows on the wings of an angel. The song has a short English introduction; the main part of the prayer is in Aramaic.[ citation needed ]

Production

The album was produced by Arif Mardin, Joe Mardin, Haza, Thomas Dolby, and Bezalel Aloni. [9]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote: "Making a self-conscious effort to maintain a connection to her musical roots while reaching out for mainstream appeal, Haza locates a fascinating midpoint between the Middle East and the Midwest on 'Ya Ba Ye', 'I Want to Fly' and 'Da’Asa'." [10] New York wrote that "the novelty of combining religious music with drum programs is interesting only the first few times ... Haza is at her best on the slow, dolorous closing cut, 'Kaddish'." [11] Spin thought that the music "teases our Western rock'n'roll longing for strangeness, then satisfies it by giving us soul and personality and cultural context." [12]

Track listing

  1. "Wish Me Luck" (Aloni, Haza) - 4:10
  2. "Ya Ba Ye" (Aloni, Haza) - 5:06
  3. "Middle East" (Aloni, Haza, Mardin) - 4:37
  4. "I Want to Fly" (Aloni, Amram, Haza) - 4:26
  5. "Slave Dream" (Aloni, Haza) - 4:46
  6. "Taw Shi" (Aloni, Dolby, Haza) - 3:28
  7. "Mm'mma (My Brothers Are There)" (Aloni, Haza) - 4:23
  8. "In Ta" (Aloni, Haza) - 5:50
  9. "Fatamorgana (Mirage)" (Aloni, Haza) - 4:59
  10. "Da'asa" (Aloni, Haza) - 2:41
  11. "Kaddish" (Aloni, Haza) - 4:34

Personnel

Production

Charts

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References

  1. "Desert Wind (Middle East) - Ofra Haza | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  2. Heim, Chris. "Ofra HazaDesert Wind (Sire) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)In some ways,..." chicagotribune.com.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 200.
  4. Gettelman, Parry (2 February 1990). "Ofra Haza". Orlando Sentinel .
  5. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 313.
  6. "Ofra Haza | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  7. "RIDING THE DESERT WIND // Israeli singer brings the sound of another world to U.S. on tour". Tampa Bay Times.
  8. Willman, Chris (21 Jan 1990). "OFRA HAZA 'Desert Wind' Sire". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 77.
  9. Gettelman, Parry. "OFRA HAZA". OrlandoSentinel.com.
  10. "Ofra Haza". Trouser Press. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  11. Wurtzel, Elizabeth (January 8, 2020). "Fragile Innocence". New York.
  12. "Spins". Spin. 6 (2): 76–77. May 1990.
  13. "Ofra Haza". Billboard.