Ekova

The epitome of world fusion, Ekova (pronounced eck-O-vah) literally attempted to create new worlds in their music. Neither dance nor ambient music, Ekova creates new genres within world fusion. They defy easy labeling. They are even radically different from previous world fusion acts such as Dead Can Dance, their nearest but still distant cousins.  Deeply cosmopolitan in their nature, American singer Dierdre Dubois, Iranian percussionist Arach Khalatbari and Algerian oud player Mehdi Haddab bring a sense of boundless possibility to their music. Mostly based on North African and Middle Eastern music, Ekova travels well beyond those roots and creates some new ones. 

Adding to their otherworldly aspect are the lyrics. In most Ekova songs, the words are invented by Dubois. Like Dead Can Dance did earlier, Dubois creates words that fit the mood and meaning of the song. The words are never nonsense, they express a meaning of a deeper language and are consistent within each song and they live within the context of the song. Even the name of the group, Ekova, was a word coined by Dubois when she combined the words "echo" and "ova." 

Their debut album, Heaven's Dust, combined  African, Celtic, Indian, and Near Eastern elements with modern instruments and arrangements.  and Dubois' unique, self-created language. The album was released in France in 1998 and found a U.S. release in 2000 on Six Degrees Records. Six Degrees released a remix album, Soft Breeze & Tsunami Breaks with some great new mixes from the Six Degrees stable of artists. Space Lullabies and Other Fantasmagore was another superb release, but sadly Ekova's last. Dubois went on to record a solo album, One, in 2005 as "Diedre." Arach Khalatbari joined Niyaz, and Mehdi Haddab formed Mehdi Haddab & The Speed Caravan now playing the world fusion club circuit in London.