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Sold outVisit product page →Following an intense year performing live in Lebanon and abroad, Munma return to the studio in 2007 to deliver the 2nd volume of what is rumored to be a trilogy, hovering around the Lebanese-Israeli war of July 2006.
The band's familiar layers of synthesized sounds are augmented with a formidable array of processed bleeps and glitches, excerpts from radio speeches and political discourses, as well as expertly diverted samples of traditional Arabic instruments.
The only live electronics band of its kind in Lebanon has managed to deliver yet another haunting masterpiece, a record that seems to defy any possible categorization and labeling, posed somewhere between ambient soundscapes, moody electronica, and weary world music
Tracklisting:
1. Pluie d'Été
2. Finem Respice
3. Ambidextre
4. Dark Water
5. IRM
6. Open Source -
Sold outVisit product page →Although this is his first CD release on the Lebanese market, Jawad Nawfal has been active on the local dance scene for a solid number of years, under a variety of guises (AEX, Ae_quo, etc.). '34 Days' is a set of 6 electro-ambient tracks, featuring minimal beats, ominous vocal samples, and a rich tapestry of interlocking, layered sounds.
The album was recorded during Israel's attacks on Lebanon in the summer of 2006, which explains to some extent the overall sombre and introspective mood of the tracks. At times, '34 Days' recalls the ethereal, hushed moods of Warp label artists such as Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin at his ambient best; with an oriental twist, added for good measure.
Tracklisting:
1. Yaqiin
2. Mind Over Matter (Arranged by Wajdi Elian)
3. 3cc
4. Qana (Arranged by Victor Bresse)
5. Munma
6. Judas -
Sold outVisit product page →Often referred to as the founding father of electronic music in Lebanon, Jawad Nawfal's first 3 releases as Munma came as a musical response-of-sorts to the war of 2006 in Lebanon.
Unholy Republic is the third of these short albums, and continues this reclusive artist's explorations of ambient electronica, with a reliance on samples of traditional oriental instruments, excerpts from radio & political speeches, as well as his trademark aquatic beats and fractured glitches.
Tracklisting:
1. Aegri Somnia
2. Time Collapse
3. Engram
4. Broken Chime (Arranged by Nabil Saliba)
5. Deep Down
6. Exodus -
Visit product page →Munma grew out of the aftermath of Israel's 2006 bombardment of Lebanon when Nawfal decided to explore traditional Arabic harmonies and rhythms within a cutting-edge electro aesthetic.
The resulting albums combine a dark and often unsettling tone with a fragile beauty. "Previews and Premises" is no exception. Somewhat gentler than the accompanying live performance, Nawfal's latest album leaves room for reflection amid the unabashed beats and makes use of an intriguing array of samples.
The Arabic connection, for instance, is easier to discern in the recorded version. Amid the Doppler-effect drones and elastic bass tones of "Motion Sickness," it is possible to discern a lamenting voice. The opening number, "Soft Integration," positions a tremulous flute over a science-fiction array of bleeps and burps.
As in previous albums, Nawfal uses snatches of recorded speech. On "The Alchemist," an extended diatribe on musical aesthetics from a crisp-voiced gentleman is woven in and out of a prowling, moody beat and glitch-dominated electronic tones. There is still plenty of music for dancing to on the disc. "Ear Damage" combines a propulsive, punchy beat with drifting curtains of sound. "The Alchemist" uses a concatenation of beats that almost brings to mind the catchiness of last summer's German breakout act, Moderat.
"Previews and Premises," is a compilation of Nawfal's work from the past four years. "Some of it was meant to appear on previous Munma releases," Nawfal explains in the sleeve notes, "but eventually kept aside for later inclusion." Perhaps made with a little less urgency than previous EPs,
"Previews and Premises" is nonetheless an absorbing listen, showcasing the range of Nawfal's vision. From the spacey dance tunes of "Bits and Dust" and "Explorer" to the eccentric electro of "Attention Disorder," "Previews and Premises" signals a notable talent in full command of his material. The Daily Star
Tracklisting:
1 Soft Integration
2 The Alchemist
3 Motion Sickness
4 Ear Damage
5 Explorer
6 Attention Disorder
7 It Came From Under The Sea
8 Bits And Dust
