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The playlist – Middle Eastern and north African: Yasmine Hamdan, Of Golden Visions, Imed Alibi and more The playlist – Middle Eastern and north African: Yasmine Hamdan, Of Golden Visions, Imed Alibi and more
(about 1 month later)
Lebanon: Yasmine Hamdan – NediyaLebanon: Yasmine Hamdan – Nediya
Cineastes will no doubt have already Cineastes will no doubt have already seen Yasmine Hamdan’s striking turn in the recent Jim Jarmusch film Only Lovers Left Alive, in which she shares screen time with Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, while singing the track Hal. Here's the first look at her new video for the excellent track Nediya, from her 2013 debut, Ya Nass which was shot with a western audience in mind, given that it appears to be an American Apparel marketing manager’s feverish daydream.
seen Yasmine Hamdan’s striking turn in the recent Jim Jarmusch film Sure enough, Hamdan is undoubtedly being touted as a crossover star in Britain and elsewhere (she's already achieved modest success in France and the US). Nediya interpolates lyrics from an old Kuwaiti song, part of which roughly translates as: “Morning dew, go to my lover’s house as an offering to him. Oh, my dewy rose, go to my lover.” Which goes some way to confirming the idea that Arabic romantic poetry is often chaste on first listen, but is slightly more torrid on second.
Only Lovers Left Alive, in which she shares screen time with Tilda
Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, while singing the track Hal. Here's the first look
at her new video for the excellent track Nediya, from her 2013
debut, Ya Nass which was shot with a western audience in mind, given that it appears to be an American Apparel
marketing manager’s feverish daydream.
Sure enough, Hamdan is
undoubtedly being touted as a crossover star in Britain and elsewhere (she's already achieved modest success in
France and the US). Nediya interpolates lyrics from an old
Kuwaiti song, part of which roughly translates as: “Morning dew, go
to my lover’s house as an offering to him. Oh, my dewy rose, go to
my lover.” Which goes some way to confirming the idea that Arabic
romantic poetry is often chaste on first listen, but is slightly more torrid on second.
Pan-Arabia: Norient – Oriental-Trap MixPan-Arabia: Norient – Oriental-Trap Mix
This rigid, two-hour mix is astounding, you This rigid, two-hour mix is astounding, you shouldn’t expect anything less from the online magazine Norient. Dedicated to the search for “music, sound and noise” from around the globe, Norient aims to represent local culture from the perspective of its producers. Throwing raw street sounds from Egypt and Lebanon next to gritty UK grime and hyped French house, and blending crossover Syrian dabke with underground Algerian beats, this mix forces you to consider the complex, multi-directional influences, appropriation, references and pastiche surrounding contemporary Arab electronica. Although you've got to make up your own mind about this music, it does pose the wry but reasonable question: is Oriental-Trap another orientalist trap for the western listener, or is there more substance and cultural significance happening here?
shouldn’t expect anything less from the online magazine Norient. Dedicated to the search for “music, sound and
noise” from around the globe, Norient aims to represent local culture
from the perspective of its producers. Throwing raw street sounds
from Egypt and Lebanon next to gritty UK grime and hyped French
house, and blending crossover Syrian dabke with underground Algerian
beats, this mix forces you to consider the complex, multi-directional influences, appropriation, references and pastiche surrounding contemporary Arab electronica. Although you've got to
make up your own mind about this music, it does pose the wry but reasonable question:
is Oriental-Trap another orientalist trap for the western
listener, or is there more substance and cultural
significance happening here?
Tunisia: Imed Alibi – MHDTunisia: Imed Alibi – MHD
It’s counterproductive and narrow-minded to It’s counterproductive and narrow-minded to think that there's a "pan-Arabic sound", but this doesn’t mean there aren't such things as Middle Eastern and north African fusion music. When done well – and the music of Tunisian percussionist Imed Alibi is done very well indeed – this hybridised sound is immensely satisfying. If you're in the mood to see him live, you’re in luck: he’s playing Womad on 24 July.
think that there's a "pan-Arabic sound", but this
doesn’t mean there aren't such things as Middle Eastern and
north African fusion music. When done well – and the music of
Tunisian percussionist Imed Alibi is done very well indeed – this
hybridised sound is immensely satisfying. If you're in the
mood to see him live, you’re in luck: he’s playing Womad on
24 July.
Mali: Imarhan Timbuktu – Akal WarledMali: Imarhan Timbuktu – Akal Warled
Northern, sub-Saharan Mali has the kind Northern, sub-Saharan Mali has the kind of instantly and globally recognisable sound that very few other locales have been able to boast in the past, and in this respect it's worthy of comparison to Detroit during the early years of techno, or Jamaica during the rise of ska. In a scene relatively crowded with talent, Imarhan Timbuktu (the band also spell it Tombouctou) manage to play a more soulful and introspective style of Tuareg blues-rock than the relatively raw Tamikrest and face-scrubbed Tinariwen. There are many compelling reasons for the growing popularity internationally of modern Tuareg rock, but one of them is the sad fact that the collective dismay in this music at the continued, necessary flow of people away from their homeland is something many people around the world can appreciate.
of instantly and globally recognisable sound that very few other
locales have been able to boast in the past, and in this respect it's worthy of
comparison to Detroit during the early years of
techno, or Jamaica during the rise of ska. In a scene relatively
crowded with talent, Imarhan Timbuktu (the band also spell it Tombouctou) manage to play a more soulful and introspective style of Tuareg blues-rock than the
relatively raw Tamikrest and face-scrubbed Tinariwen. There are many compelling reasons for the growing popularity internationally of modern Tuareg rock, but one of them is the sad fact that
the collective dismay in this music at the continued,
necessary flow of people away from their homeland is
something many people around the world can appreciate.
Morocco: Of Golden Visions – ElodieMorocco: Of Golden Visions – Elodie
When Of Golden Visions frontman Mike When Of Golden Visions frontman Mike Title recently visited the Berber city of Tiznit, in southern Morocco, he met a charismatic man named Mourad Aamri, who, on seeing Title's camera, asked him if he was a film-maker – Aamri wanted to be a movie star.
Title recently visited the Berber city of Tiznit, in southern Morocco, Aamri ended up loaning his larger-than-life presence and insistent flow to this South African house music-inspired track/promo by OGV (a project of Title and LV’s Will Horrocks). Along with Younis Jackson and Marion Ravel, they collaborated on this track and an accompanying film that captures Aamri’s rich inner life but also some of his loneliness. Title wanted to show Aamri’s day-to-day life, which seemed to involve wandering round the maze-like city, and says: “We seemed to get more and more into a loop: it helped with writing the song.” Aamri reportedly loves the video, but was disappointed Title didn't include scenes featuring motorbikes into the finished product – even though they didn't film any.
he met a charismatic man named Mourad Aamri, who, on seeing Title's camera, asked him if he was a film-maker – Aamri wanted to be a movie star. • Thanks to Mike Title, Mourad and Sally Reeves. Email suggestions of music for future playlists to john@thequietus.com.
Aamri ended up
loaning his larger-than-life presence and insistent flow to this
South African house music-inspired track/promo by OGV (a project of Title and LV’s Will Horrocks).
Along with Younis Jackson and Marion Ravel, they collaborated on this
track and an accompanying film that captures Aamri’s
rich inner life but also some of his loneliness. Title wanted to show Aamri’s day-to-day life, which seemed to
involve wandering round the maze-like city, and says: “We seemed to
get more and more into a loop: it helped with writing the song.” Aamri reportedly loves the video, but was disappointed Title didn't include scenes featuring motorbikes into the
finished product – even though they didn't film any.
• Thanks to Mike Title,
Mourad and Sally Reeves. Email suggestions of music for future playlists to john@thequietus.com.