Simin Tander - The Wind

German-Afghan and internationally celebrated singer and composer Simin Tander, known for her expressive and emotionally evocative voice, received the German Record Critics' Award in 2016 for her ECM album with pianist Tord Gustavsen. Recently nominated for the German Jazz Prize 2024 in the "Vocal" category, Tander continues to captivate audiences with her powerful yet delicate timbre.

Her new album, The Wind, released by Norwegian Jazzland Recordings, features collaborations with Swedish bassist Björn Meyer, Swiss drummer Samuel Rohrer, and Oslo-based Indian violinist Harpreet Bansal. Together, the quartet weaves a rich, global musical tapestry influenced by Tander's Afghan heritage (via her father) and multicultural upbringing, creating an ethereal yet grounded soundscape.

To bring her sonic vision to life, Tander partnered with two-time Grammy nominee Joshua Valleau, who mixed the album in New York, and Grammy winner Daddy Key, who completed its masterful finishing touches in Los Angeles. Drawing on the folklore and poetry of Afghanistan, Spain, Italy, England, and Norway, the album’s title, The Wind, symbolizes the merging of contrasts—gentle breezes and storms alike—while evoking transformation, freedom, and unity.

The Wind represents both a continuation and evolution of Tander's artistic journey. It balances a spectrum of dynamics and moods, from soft, flowing harmonies to energetic, danceable rhythms, all unified by themes of devotion and longing. Tander’s unmistakable voice e ortlessly transitions from dark and tender to playful and bold, while Meyer’s resonant basslines, Rohrer’s intricate grooves, and Bansal’s raga-inspired violin lines add layers of texture and emotion.

The album opens with “Meena” ("Love"), a mystical piece based on a poem several hundred years old in the Pashto (Afghan) language that sets a broad, inviting tone. Highlights include the original composition “Woken Dream,” which shifts between dreamy harmonies and rousing grooves, and Tander’s stripped-down interpretation of the Neapolitan classic “I Te Vurria Vasà,” offering subtle intensity over melodrama. Other original compositions such as “The Wind Within Her” celebrate resilience and light, while tracks like "Nursling of the Sky," inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry, and "My Weary Heart," rooted in Norwegian tradition, reveal the fiery live energy that defines Tander’s performances. Rohrer’s delicate use of electronics adds a shimmering, modern dimension, subtly enhancing the album's narrative arc.

The closing track, "Outro – The Wind," serves as a reflective finale, encapsulating Tander's genre-defying musical philosophy. Singing “I am the wind” with poignant intensity, Tander embodies the timeless and unifying power of wind, an element that transcends boundaries, connecting cultures and eras in a seamless, magical flow.