Dai Raft

When Afghan Hazara musician Hamid Sakhizada fled his country and moved to Norway in 2016, he found not only a safe place to live but also an encouraging environment in which he can create contemporary music on his dambura (two-stringed, long-necked lute). This album is the outcome of his music making with an Indian violinist, Norwegian jaw harp player and Iranian percussionist.

Below the soulful violin and hypnotic jaw harp is Sakhizada's percussive strumming, which may sound familiar to people who have heard variations of the instrument in Central Asia as well as Mongolia and China. On top is Sakhizada's soothing voice that tells one after another story. Apparently, this is not just traditionalistic music of the Hazara, an ethnic minority living in Afghanistan's mountains. Here Sakhizada plays both old Hazara melodies and his own compositions in a fusion of musical languages. In doing so, he keeps Hazara music alive and available to wider audiences. The word ‘Dai’ in the title refers to a smaller unit of social structure, while ‘Raf’ means forms or styles of singing in Hazara music. Together, Dai Raft describes the rich musical styles of the Hazara, to which Sakhizada adds his own.