Meeting of Hearts

Based on the cover alone, you might assume that Meeting of Hearts was something to do with a Jewish self-help group from the 90s. But it is a beautiful album promoting cross-religious and inter-cultural understanding. Yinon Muallem is an Iraqi-Jewish Israeli musician based in Istanbul and this pan-Levantine background is reflected in his music. Based on the words of a handful of medieval Jewish and Sufi poets, each well-crafted track explores our relationship with the divine in a religiously non-partisan way – emphasised in the accompanying booklet that features translations in Hebrew, Turkish and English.

The distinctive sound comes from percussion and oud (lute) – Muallem's two specialisms – cello, ney(flute), kanun (zither) and a few other instruments, as well as exquisite vocals from Gülseven Medar. Cello on the opening track instantly evokes the mysticism of the East with some gorgeous improvisation in a makam mode. Other tracks, such as the percussive ‘Rhythm of the Hearts’ reveal the Sufi influence, conjuring the atmosphere of a zikr (devotional practice). It's well worth a listen for anyone interested in music from the region and, indeed, anyone wishing to hear what happens when you break down barriers.