Kelmti Horra

Is this the sound of post-revolutionary Tunisia? Perhaps. Certainly it is a self-assured, outward-looking and proudly individual debut from a girl from the Tunis suburbs. Youth and personal freedom are unusually powerful elements in the Middle East right now, a region that has for too long been synonymous with aged autocracy – both political and social. If Emel Mathlouthi does represent the future of Tunisian music, it's a bold beginning. Her previous collaboration with Tricky is evident in the trip-hop beats and cool, sparse arrangements, and while she cites the influence of Joan Baez, more contemporary females come to mind, such as Björk and French flavour-of-the-moment, Camille.

Prominent traditional Tunisian percussion blends effortlessly with a Western string trio, violin snaking melodies over the top. Mathlouthi's voice has a sharp stillness, her vocals inventive, from hush whispers to rippling crescendos. Added to this are backing vocals that layer together to build a steady, rich tension in standout tracks such as ‘Dhalem’ (Tyrant) and ‘Kelmti Horra’ (My Word is Free).

Those two song titles reveal the other overriding element of this debut – its strong political message. Mathlouthi got out of Tunisia and, like so many North Africans, made for the freedoms of Paris. She now delivers a timely paean to her homeland, lamenting its tormented past and meditating on its future. Whether it is one in which the likes of Mathlouthi will return remains to be seen. This is, however, a sophisticated rallying cry to all those Tunisians in exile.