Habibi by Habibi

Brooklyn-based indie quintet Habibi were formed in the spring of 2011 by Detroit expatriates Rahill Jamalifard and Lenaya Lynch, tapping into their Motown roots of simple but infectious pop melodies delivered with punkish attitude. Jamalifard took lead vocal duties and Lynch played guitar and sang, and the lineup was rounded out by drummer Karen Isabel and bassist Erin Campbell. The band played often around the New York City area, eventually releasing several tracks in the form of 7" singles and online streams. They participated in the South by Southwest festival as well as tours with like-minded acts like King Tuff, and by 2014 they released a self-titled debut album of their dreamy-eyed and dancey pop on Burger Records. In 2015, they joined forces with La Luz to release a split single, and a four-song EP, Cardamom Garden, arrived in 2018.

Co-founded by Detroit natives Rahill Jamalifard and Lenny Lynch, Habibi got its start in Brooklyn in 2011, earning early raves everywhere from Pitchfork to The New Yorker. Dreamachine, Habibi’s mesmerizing new record, marks a major sonic evolution, rising beyond the critically acclaimed five-piece’s garage rock roots to arrive at a singular swirl of analog and digital elements.