Review: Brooklyn Gypsies – Sin Fronteras

Brooklyn Gypsies
Sin Fronteras

Wonderwheel Recordings
Street: 05.05
Brooklyn Gypsies = Beats Antique + Alsarah & the Nubatones

Since its birth, New York City has been a medley of international culture. Keeping true to New York tradition, Brooklyn Gypsies combine Middle Eastern musical elements with Spanish flamenco guitar styling and modernize this combination with a suffusion of dub-electronica and trip-hop percussion. Traditional West Asian oud and maqams make the base melodies distinctly exotic—see “Zeina.” Multilingual lyricism and Bhangra influences round out the diversity. Visions of sandy desert twilight are brought to mind while listening to “Marfa,” and they left me in a sweltering and surreal haze. Without having to leave my couch, I’ve been transported on a breathtaking journey across the globe with Brooklyn Gypsies at the helm. They truly live up to their names as music nomads with their wide array of diverse traditions and a home on the world stage. –LeAundra Jeffs