Lana Lubany - YAFA

As ominous synths underpin Lana Lubany’s ghostly vocal on opener ‘I Wish I Was Normal’, it’s near-impossible to imagine that the Palestinian-American artist only began to incorporate Arabic in her songs just two years ago. Where previous EP, last year’s ‘The Holy Land’, showcased shape-shifting alternative pop, here Lana fuses her two musical worlds seamlessly, and with compelling effect. Still in an introductory phase, the six-track collection sets Lana’s stall out well, switching conversationally between Arabic and English, making use of styles and sequences from her homeland – ‘YAFA’ named for her home city – as well as the American pop and R&B she grew up with. ‘Another Year’ takes on turn of the millennium R&B, toeing the line between nostalgic and referential expertly, while better still, closer ‘Set Her Free!’ pairs the mix with the kind of lyrical turns TLC might admire: “Your alibi’s got more holes than a sinking boat”. A captivating and infectious listen.