Yasmine Hamdan can sing! She already did so in damaged Lebanon with the duo Soapkills, or as Y.A.S. with star-producer Mirwais in Paris. She's even worked with CocoRosie.

But, in the meantime, the love for the Arabian female tradition continued to grow. That has now resulted in the elegantly brilliant CD 'Ya Nass'; produced by Marc -Nouvelle Vague- Collin and out on (we keep repeating it) the alert Crammed label.

Any other desirably difficult names? Aisha El Marta, Nagat El Saghira, Asmahan, Shadia, Mounira El Mehdeyya: just a few of the singers that apparently inspired Yasmine for these shrewd, sensual and casually critical songs.

Whereby she again artfully switches from Lebanese to Kuwaiti, Palestinian, Egyptian and other Bedouins!?

La Libre then speaks of a 'voix suave et sensuelle... dans sa bouche liberté rime voluptueusement avec féminité...'

Yasmine Hamdan sings and plays herself in the latest Jim Jarmusch film: 'Only Lovers Left Alive.' The Huffington Post on that: 'In fact, what gives the movie its force is the soundtrack, which culminates in a stunning performance in a Tangier bar by the Lebanese singer Yasmine Hamdan.' Now you then?

Look no further. Not in Tanzania either. MOUNT MERU is now to be found on stage in the ABClub. As support-act for Yasmine Hamdan. Apparently named after a mountain neighbouring on the Kilimanjaro and with members of Ifa y Xango, Mâäk's Spirit,.... Their first album, Arbres, was released this month on Hollands' Challenge Records.

Mount Meru is:
Sanne Huysmans: Vocals
Niels Van Heertum: Euphonium,
Hugo Antunes: Double bass
Seppe Gebruers: Piano
Lander Gyselinck: Drums
Benjamin Sauzereau: Guitar