As a fan and friend of the amazingly talented DC-based electro-lounge pioneers, Thievery Corporation, we cannot tell you how excited we are about the release of Thievery’s much-anticipated album, Culture of Fear.

If you thought 2008’s Radio Retaliation couldn’t be topped, well we’ve got some news for you: Culture of Fear, the sixth album in a line of brilliant melodies that have served as the soundtrack to the past decade of our life, is yet another example of the genius that Eric Hilton–whose directorial debut film, Babylon Central, has received decent buzz–and Rob Garza are capable of producing over, and over, and over again.

Naturally, our favorite songs on the album feature sexy-voiced Persian songstress, Loulou.

Purring three tracks on the album in her  unique sultry sound: “Take My Soul”, “Where It All Starts”, and “Safar (The Journey)” are more than repeat-button-worthy, per usual. (Especially “Take My Soul”.)

“Safar”, which the multilingual singer who speaks English, Persian, and French, sings in Persian, is not her first time using our beautiful language in her work. Her song “Omid” from Thievery’s 2002 masterpiece, The Richest Man in Babylon, was the singer/songwriter’s initial Persian language work.

Like “Omid”, “Safar” is on the slower tempo side and comes charged with a spiritual vibe that haunts…Whether you speak Persian or not.

The lyrics are:

(In Persian)

cheraa cheshm-haato  baaz nemikoni?  

delam baraayeh to tang shodeh  

cheraa delam baraat tang shodeh?                  

delam baraayeh to tang shodeh                        

chera cheshm-haato baz nemikoni?          

bacheh-ha koja rafteen?                                          

rafteen…    

dast beh dast  

koja rafteen?

(In English)

Why don’t you open your eyes?

I miss you

Why do I miss you?

I miss you

Why don’t you open your eyes?

Where did you guys go?

You went…

Hand in hand

Where did you go?

“Culture of Fear” by Thievery Corporation is now available for purchase via ESL Music’s shop, iTunes, and/or Amazon .

Watch Loulou do her thing in the official video for “Take My Soul”, below.

About Author

Sanaz Khalaj-Santos

Sanaz is Founder and Editor in Chief of Persianesque Magazine.