Gremlin Monroe
Ahwar is hard to be described in other way, than simply as "unique and experimental".
It's kinda jazz, but not really. Atmospheric and psychodelic, but too heavy and uneasy to let you fly loosely. On top of that, every track differs from the rest.
But it's sure as hell worth your time and money
Favorite track: Afqid Adh-Dhakira (I Lose Memory).
Ahwar by Nadah El Shazly is available as a 140 gram black 12” vinyl LP, 140 gram limited edition clear 12” vinyl LP and as a streaming and download album including Mastered for iTunes and lossless high-definition 24-bit/96kHz audio files.
credits
released November 10, 2017
Afqid Adh-Dhakira composed and written by Nadah El Shazly, arranged by Osama Shalabi and Nadah El Shazly.
Barzakh composed by Nadah El Shazly, written by Alia Ayman and Nadah El Shazly and arranged by Nadah El Shazly, Osama Shalabi and Maurice Louca. Features a sample from Dawr Afrahh Wesalak by Abd al-Hay Hilmî (1857-1912) from a recording on Baidaphone.
Palmyra composed and arranged by Nadah El Shazly and Maurice Louca, written by Nadah El Shazly.
Ana 'Ishiqt composed by Sayyid Darwish (1892-1923), written by Younes Al Qadhi (1888-1969) and arranged by Nadah El Shazly and Osama Shalabi.
Koala composed and arranged by Nadah El Shazly, Maurice Louca and Osama Shalabi.
Mahmiya composed and arranged by Nadah El Shazly and Maurice Louca, written by Nadah El Shazly.
---
Nada El Shazly: vocals, keys, piano (track 1), saz (track 6), kalimba, electronics, programming.
Maurice Louca: folk guitar/folk slide guitar (track 3&6), electric guitar (track 3), keys (track 1).
Osama Shalabi: electric guitar (track 1 & 6), synthesizer (track 3).
Alexandre St-Onge: electronic voice.
Dave Gossage: flutes.
Philippe Lauzier: tenor clarinet.
Simon Millerd: trumpet.
Yves Charuest: alto saxophone .
Devin Waldman: alto saxophone.
Jason Sharp: baritone saxophone.
Sarah Pagé: harp.
Josh Zubot: violin.
Gen Heistek: viola.
Kareem Taylor: oud.
Jérémi Roy: double bass (track 5), divan saz (track 2).
Jonah Fortune: double bass (track 1, 2 & 5).
Pat Conan: drums (track 1 & 5).
Konrad Agnas: drums (track 3).
Pierre-Guy Blanchard: riq, tabla, electronic drums (track 5).
Dina Cindric: choir conductor, piano (track 6).
The Monday Night Choir: Jeremy Eliosoff, Gordon Hashimoto, Martin Howard, David Simon, Spike Taylor, Jeremie Vienneau.
Recorded by Thierry Amar at Hotel2Tango, Montreal, Canada, June 2016.
Vocals recorded by Adham Zidan, Cairo, Egypt, February 2017.
Additional vocals on track 6 recorded by Peter Ayman at Studio Vibe, Cairo, Egypt, March 2017.
Drums on Palmyra recorded by Maurice Louca and Nadah El Shazly at EMS, Stockholm, Sweden, August 2016.
Additional electric guitar recording on Palmyra by Adham Zidan, Cairo, Egypt, Autumn 2016.
Keys on tracks 1, 5 & 6 and acoustic guitar on tracks 3 & 6 recorded by Maurice Louca and Nadah El Shazly in Agouza, Cairo, Egypt, Autumn/Winter 2015-2016.
Edited by Maurice Louca and Nadah El Shazly in Cairo, Egypt, Autumn/Winter 2016-2017.
Mixed by Thierry Amar at Hotel2Tango, Montreal, Canada, February 2017.
Mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market Mastering, Montreal, March 2017.
Album cover artwork by Marwan El-Gamal.
Design and typography by Valerie Arif.
Lyrics translation to English Nariman Youssef.
What a beautiful album, and "Max Brown" in particular is one of the most meditative jazz songs I've heard in some time. Listen with a good pair of headphones. blayze hembree
This collaborative R&B dreamscape from Flanafi and Ape School exults in absurdity, hewing together beats from birdsong, synths, and static. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 21, 2021
I saw Mdou at Solid Sound Festival a couple of years ago. He was amazing, and blew the crowd (and myself) away with a mesmerizing performance. I love the combination of psychedelic rock and African music/rhythms. sylvester66