Browse by Artist: SHALABI, SAM

Artist:	SHALABI, SAM
Title:	Osama
Label:	ALIEN8 RECORDINGS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$10.00
Catalog #:	ALIEN 037CD

"...'protest music about Arabophobia in a Post 9-11 World'. Musically, Osama takes quite a leap from the territories occupied by Shalabi's last solo outing, Hashish, comprised of field recordings, tape music and improv sewn together to fantastic results. Osama features contributions from over thirty Montreal musicians and takes a straight-ahead hard rock, psyche and pop approach, but still utilizes many improv and experimental techniques. The recording's closing and golden moment is the incredibly beautiful seventeen minute epic, 'Guantanamo Bay', which begins with an eerie similarity to Soft Bulletin-era Flaming Lips. Once again the blissful pop elements fade and dissolve into layers of sound. This track builds into an incredible crescendo driven by static, brushes, crackles, noise and the distant sound of muffled epic soundtrack music."

Artist:	SHALABI, SAM
Title:	Eid
Label:	ALIEN8 RECORDINGS (CANADA)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	ALIEN 074CD

"Sam Shalabi's third solo outing for Alien8, Eid, was written and conceived in Cairo, Egypt in 2006 while Shalabi was living there and further realized in Montreal and Vancouver during the first half of 2007. The album is a result of two separate ideas that slowly coalesced over a couple of years. The first was Shalabi's idea of composing songs for singers he knew and enjoyed. The second idea was that of creating a 'modern Arabic pop' record. It was during the time that Shalabi was living in Cairo that he came to the realization that Arabic pop music was much more wild, wide and weird than he had imagined and this also had a huge influence on this recording. Over time Shalabi became less interested in trying to make pop songs and more interested in allowing the material to take its own shape. Upon listening to Eid, it becomes clear how Shalabi was influenced by the wide breadth of Arabic pop music: each piece is stylistically its own and allowed to take its own shape. The recording opens with a beautifully played piece of Shalabi's solo oud playing that gives one the impression they are in store for a gentle acoustic journey. Gears shift drastically with the follow-up track 'Jessica Simpson,' which can also be considered one of the recording's most interesting and unusual selections. Guest vocalist Radwon Moumneh does an excellent job delivering his vocals over repetitious percussion; then a totally unexpected Guitar Hero-style solo slips in out of nowhere. Sam Shalabi enlists the help of far too many guests to list here, although among the standout contributions is that of singer/songwriter Lhasa de Sela who has a thriving solo career and has collaborated with the likes of the Tindersticks and Nick Cave. Constellation Records recording artist Elizabeth Anka Vajajick sings on 'Billy The Kid' and Katie Moore is absolutely stunning on 'Billy The Kid Pt. II.' This will mark our ninth release with Shalabi, not including his efforts in various projects as a guest or studio musician."

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