Veggiestan’s Greatest Hits #19: Alabina

Ah. Alabina. A group which is to 80s/90s Middle Eastern pop what Madonna is to (bits of the less discerning) West. It comprises the lovely Ishtar, a curiously lithesome Jewish, Arabic polyglot, and the flamenco group Los Ninos de Sara. An international mixture which quite encapsulates the border-breaking spirit of Veggiestan. Their toe-tapping, beguiling mix of Spanish and Arabic lyrics and rhythms is, quite simply, brilliant. This is our favourite song: you’ll often find Mr. Shopkeeper and I twirling our best Sevillianas and bellydancing to this when the shutters go down….