Mehdi Haddab has put his oud in unusual situations before as part of the band
DuOud, but this takes it further, mixing it up with some serious rock and electronics. After a brief intro, the band states its case with the overpowering title cut, which is actually a traditional song, although it sounds anything but: with instruments roaring, it's hard to tell where oud ends and electric guitar begins. Covering "Killing an Arab" could have been an act of genius, a chance to turn the song inside out, but instead it's played fairly straight and fast. Things really take off with "Dubai," which offers echoes of
Massive Attack if they'd come of age in Cairo instead of Bristol, while "Galvanize" is pure metal (possibly the very first oud-metal track ever). Even when it lets off the gas a little, as on the brooding "Erotic Chiftetelli," or "Hotel Zyannides," there's an atmosphere of menace about the album, with odd samples low in the mix (and sometimes higher) here and there. The real shock comes when the band revert -- more or less -- to their Maghrebi roots with "Parov Yegar Siroon Var," which is essentially a showcase for
Haddab's virtuoso oud playing, although it inevitably takes a left turn into a kind of warped, modern prog rock. But this band is all about confounding expectations, since "Idemo Dalje" puts a traditional piece through a modern wringer and turns out something very danceable, but with its origins recognizable. It's not so much music that crosses boundaries as it is music that doesn't even acknowledge that boundaries even exist. But at the same time, it avoids being an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink affair, thanks to precise arrangements, and the skill and taste of those involved. The whole thing is rounded out by a pair of remixes, both interesting and offering different perspectives to the music, but peripheral to the core itself.