MUMBAI: Tel Aviv, Israel indie folk collective Miqedem has released its stunning third studio LP ‘Eshkona’ (meaning “I will rest”), which is the band’s most collaborative and instrumentally diverse album to date and includes guest appearances from many of the band’s friends in the Israeli world-music scene.
Miqedem (the ancient Hebrew word for “of old” or alternately, “from the east”) is a band whose music is best described as Israeli indie folk, with heavy influences from Middle-Eastern and North African music styles, often utilizing microtonal scales, irregular time signatures, and regional instruments.
Hailing from Tel Aviv, Israel, Miqedem’s music reflects a recent resurgence of interest in regional music within the Israeli music scene, a trend found in artists such as Riff Cohen, Yemen Blues, A-Wa, and many others.
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Miqedem’s most unique contribution is their exclusive reliance on ancient Hebrew Scripture in their lyrics, drawing most heavily on the poetry of the Psalms.
Miqedem first came to international attention in 2019 with the viral success of their version of Psalm 23, currently standing at 3.7 million views, with their entire YouTube catalog garnering over 17 million views.
Formed in 2015, the band has toured extensively across North America and Europe, and has released two full-length studio albums, with their third, “Eshkona” (I Will Rest) out this week.
The members of the band come from a mixture of Jewish and Christian backgrounds, but the band maintains the philosophy that people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds can appreciate the beauty of some of humanity’s most ancient, and most beloved poetic works.
