Habibi, the critically acclaimed Garage girl group from Brooklyn, recently released their new record, Dreamachine, featuring James Richard-son, the multi-instrumentalist from MGMT. Under the production of Tyler Love and Jay Heiselmann, Habibi’s latest work marks a significant evolution in their music, surpassing their garage rock roots and exhibiting a mix of post-punk, experimental pop, and vintage disco. The band’s love for Middle Eastern psych music is evident throughout, and the record is compared to the works of Tom Verlaine, Diana Ross, Kate Bush, and Kim Deal.
Each song on the record is a unique world of its own, and the band’s performances are relentless, paired with lush synthesizers, sinewy guitars, and a robust rhythm section. The record is fearless, aggressive and fervent, ascending to new heights as it deals with love and surrender, rebellion and reality. The band set out to create music that explores the spiritual and physical transcendence and clearly delivered it through Dreamachine.
Habibi recently took some time to chat with Shoplifting during their performance at the Rough Trade NYC store. During the session, the band roamed the record racks in pursuit of their most influential and inspiring musical recordings, which had shaped and influenced their sound significantly. Habibi encouraged their fans to check out their new album on Kill Rock Stars.
Rahill Jamalifard chose Asha Puthli, the Indian singer who fused jazz, disco, pop, and Indian classical music together, along with Every Bird Ever by the band Ilithios. It’s a beautiful, melancholic, and textured piece of art. Ana Becker picked Antena’s Camino el Sol, which is bossa and minimal, sounding like it’s from the past and yet the future while picking Every Bird Ever by Ilithios as well. The album’s lush and evocative sound is mesmerizing.
Yukary had a special connection to Liars’s Sisterworld, as her mom is a massive fan. The electronic style adds a new layer to the band’s music, and the scenic atmosphere makes the tracks much more interesting. In contrast, her second pick, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, offers experimental and eerie sounds, unnerving, yet beautiful. Lyla Vander chose Who is William Onyeabor? that exemplifies the magic one can create with a beat casio, and The Cure’s raw album, Three Imaginary Boys, highlighting the band’s transition from punk to emo.
Habibi’s Dreamachine provides a unique blend of modern and classic music, serving the purpose of exploring the spiritual and physical transcendence while delivering new sounds. Habibi is a remarkably talented band, and Dreamachine is their masterpiece
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