Ariel Shapiro 2016 – Hineh
What your eyes behold – by Masha Scharf
People will talk about an album they’ve heard. Not so with Ariel Shapiro’s debut, Hineh. In Hineh you get to see the sounds - as we did at Mt. Sinai. As we do when the words speak to the soul. It’s the calm and cool vocals that draw the listener into Shapiro’s domain, where lyrics and music find common ground. Perhaps it’s atypical for a collection of songs to be thought-provoking throughout, but then again, typical is not what you’re aiming at on your next music-hunt… The haunting ‘Yerushalayim’ with its guitar-dominated overture automatically transports you to a Kumzits atop a hill in Jerusalem’s Old City. In ‘Hashem Yevarech’, its distinctly contemporary genre is felt throughout, gradually falling into an ‘80s rap. ‘Gone But Never Forgotten’, a ballad with lyrics written by Ariel in collaboration with Natalie Austin, tells a story of reminiscence and legacy where you will feel the loss and sense the resilience of a mourner whose fond memories of days gone by will live with him forever. You’ll see a night sky in ‘Hamalach’, as the chords surge in dissonance, proceed with piano and culminate in hopeful prayer. Ariel’s articulation is both exacting and warm, blending professionalism and heart in a most unique manner. In Hineh it’s all about what your eyes behold as the compositions takes you on a journey of modern music and timeless words. The mixture is endearing and foretells a promising future for England’s Jewish music with Ariel on the rostrums.
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