ZERO DEGREE ATOLL: Nashid

©image: Jok.r Studio: Nashid & Friends, Jazz Café, Male’ Maldives.

I had the incredible experience of listening to the Dhoani album by Zero Degree Atoll on a tape cassette, and it immediately captured my heart.

The album beautifully expressed stories about our culture and lifestyle in a way that still resonates with me today. The soothing sound of the oars cutting through the water brought a sense of calm to my senses and tranquility to my restless mind, a feeling that I now recognize as true peace.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would have the opportunity to meet these remarkable individuals in person, let alone have the chance to talk to them or work with them in any capacity. However, destiny had its own plans for me.

This is the story of how our paths crossed with the members of Zero Degree Atoll and the team behind this timeless masterpiece.

ZDA - Nashid

One day, my friend and classmate Nai and I were chilling in his room, either listening to or maybe he was playing "Ohio" by Neil Young—I can't quite remember. Suddenly, the door swung open, and there stood Nai's elder brother, Nashid (from ZDA), holding out a copy of one of the first pressed audio CDs of the new version of the Dhoani Album, now called "Island Pulse."

Let me tell you, the cover art of that CD was absolutely mesmerizing, and the tracks? Oh, they were something else! I can only think of one word in Dhivehi to describe it: "Habeys." The music transported my mind to a state of pure euphoria.

ZDA.1 - To be continued...