Badā
Asadun Alay, 2024
8/10
The debut for the Beirut artist Farah Kaddour, the talented buzuq player, researcher and educator is well versed in folk and classical Arabic sounds, which is displayed across these 7 worldly tracks.
“Estechial” starts the listen with the meticulous string playing from Kaddour’s very capable hands that mesmerizes us, and “Bulbul el-Afrah” follows with dense strumming that is quite exciting, and occasionally quivering with intensity.
In the middle, “Fil-Bamb” welcomes Ali Hel Hout’s percussion to the dynamic and unpredictable landscape that’s uniquely rhythmic, while “Hijazkar Halek” rumbles with a bit of mystery via the stop and start ideas that build into a swift and exploratory delivery.
The final 2 tracks are equally interesting, where “Taraddud” swirls with an infectious energy, and “Madd ou Jazr” exits with El Hout’s percussive techniques back for a rich and daring exit.
An instrument that hosts few female players, Kaddour’s improvisational technique is both traditional and modern, but still stays true to the folk core of the Levant.
Travels well with: Ruiqi Wang- Subduing The Silence; Eve Egoyan & Maurico Pauly- Hopeful Monsters