Haale

Paratrooper

(Channel A)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

Great, another “Psychedelic Sufi Trance Rock” album. Enough, already!  Actually, Iranian-American singer/songwriter Haale breaks the mold on Paratrooper, an attention-grabbing five-song EP that blends hypnotic Eastern rhythms with Western pop chops (another EP, the largely Persian-sung Morning, was also released last year).  She’s a sizable talent and, while she’s still a long way from the mainstream, she’s already made fans of a few prominent fellow New Yorkers - like David Byrne. 

It’s easy to see how Haale caught Byrne’s ear; among many other endeavors, he serves as a sort of “world music” curator for his label Luaka Bop.  Paratrooper presents an exciting mélange of cultural traditions, leading to songs that may sound exotic and intimately familiar at the same time.  Opening track “Floating Down” rides on trance-inducing chants and a primal percussive spine; she was reportedly inspired by Hendrix’s longing to produce a guitar tone that resembled a helicopter.  “Ay Del” also features sharp guitars (played by Haale and producer/co-writer Dougie Bowne), presiding over a muscular drone that Haale navigates effortlessly with her sensuous vocals.

The standout is “Home Again,” which takes the best ideas on Paratrooper and combines them in a single, forward-looking track.  Again, the cultures and traditions are mashed together, and Haale is out front singing with gusto.  The chorus carries a sharp, soulful hook, but despite its relatively conventional construction, the song hardly resembles the usual fare on commercial radio.  The baton is passed beautifully, almost imperceptibly, to “Ay Del,” an ecstatic extension of the mood set by “Home Again.”

By comparison, “This High,” the fourth track, sounds somewhat insignificant; it’s a minimal ballad in the tradition of coffeehouse folk and open mic nights.  Sean Lennon makes a guest appearance on the sumptuous “Before the Skies,” a slow burner that’s a vocal showcase for Haale.  It doesn’t quite return to the stride she hits during “Home Again” and “Ay Del,” but reinforces her standing as an arresting talent - and a singer/songwriter whose star will hopefully continue to rise as she explores her unique cross-section of influences.  Now how about a full-length?