Habibi

Brooklyn’s Habibi know a thing or two about the power of minimalism. Drummer Karen Isabel has a polite, sweet way with her toms and snares, bassist Erin Campbell isn't averse to the same note thumping away for a measure or two, and guitarist Lenny Lynch chooses and picks her notes carefully, for a sound that's refreshingly clean and airy. The icing is the effortless, girl-group perfection of singer Rahill Jamalifard, whose detached coolness factor nudges Habibi’s songs into perfectly formed pop treats. The music's roots are in early female punk, garage, and surf music, but without the typical layers of distortion and fuzz. There’s a bit of Austin’s Yellow Fever in Habibi's minimalist approach, a shade of Vivian Girls (sans macerating reverb), and a hint of Brooklyn’s The Babies’ restrained jangle. Though the focus here is pretty clearly on love and lust, Jamalifard says the religion and folklore of her Persian ancestry play a role in her songwriting. Whatever inspired the adrenaline buzz of “Siin” and “Sweetest Talk,” the ‘60s glee of “I Got the Moves,” or the shimmying, booty-mover “Far from Right,” we’re just happy for the inspiration.