HAIFA MELLITI - Mélodie de la déesse

​HAIFA MELLITI

Mélodie de la déesse
self-released; 2026

​​​​By ​Dino DiMuro​​​
​

Hello, my name is Dino and I'll be your reviewer and translator! Today we explore a new album of improvisational piano works by Haifa Melliti titled Mélodie de la déesse, which in English is "Melody of the Goddess." Melliti's bio describes her as "a French-Tunisian multidisciplinary artist, pianist and painter whose work explores the spiritual and poetic dimensions of the sacred feminine."

The album's press release further notes that this album was born of "intimate solo piano pieces from intuitive improvisation. Each melody unfolds like a quiet prayer, inviting the listener into a moment of calm, contemplation and emotional connection... a musical sanctuary where piano, emotion and serenity meet."

Playing this album brought back fond memories of my friends arguing about whether Keith Jarrett's "The Köln Concert" was truly improvised, with its perfectly-evolving melodies and stellar playing. I would not have that argument about Melliti's work, as it really does feel improvised with the occasional missed note and more of an exploratory feel to the melodies. As someone who writes my own music largely from piano improv, I totally connect to the restless experimentation coming straight from Melliti's psyche or soul.

"L'Appel" means a call, appeal or summons, which is an appropriate starting point. The melodies start high on the keyboard with a Middle Eastern flavor, and sounds like a distant cousin to Rossini's overture to "The Barber of Seville." Because most of the playing stays in the high register, those moments where Melliti moves close to the midrange are surprising and thrilling.

"Lumière de la Déesse" means "Light of the Goddess" and is the longest track at eleven minutes. This composition starts in the middle keys much as Keith Jarrett would. The recording tone is interesting in that it sounds like a reverberant living room instead of a studio with baffles, so that you feel you're listening from an easy chair with feet up. This track is basically a cluster of melodies in a single key, that modulate octaves in a leisurely fashion. The track ends suddenly, as if clipped by scissors.

"Souffle de la Déesse" meaning "Breath of the Goddess" is built from repeating arpeggios that suggest a new-ish piano student finding the tones of the piano so compelling that they're loathe to stray from their newly discovered melodies, though again playing in multiple octaves. Though slightly less abrupt, the next track "Coeur de la Déesse" (Heart of the Goddess) cuts right at the end of the previous track, for which this could easily be a middle section. "Offrande sacrée de la Déesse" (Sacred offering of the Goddess) is the final track and the only one with a clean separation from the preceding music, including pedal noise. 

Basically we have the same style of insistent melodies freely jumping octaves, though this one starts and continues with a bit more complexity.

Improvisational music is hard to review as it will sound different every time, and will mean something unique to every listener. But what a great reason to check it out!

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