Karen Ruimy is a glorious fusion oddity; a French-Moroccan ex-banker who abandoned her steady job at 30 to become a writer and performer. This second album, co-written with producer Youth, accompanies a live show that traces flamenco’s evolution from India to Spain via the Middle East. It’s an intriguing story, with the depth of flamenco’s roots in India brought startlingly to the fore before it turns into the hand-clapping, foot-rapping strut of Andalucia. While Zik’r East lacks some of the frenzy of its inspiration, its clean sound is arresting, a very distant cousin to Gipsy Kings’ pop. A companion remix album, Zik’r West, is mostly content to add deep house beats, although 4hero and Groove Armada conjure quirky delights.
