{"product_id":"charif-megarbane_hawalat_2025_pia","title":"Hawalat","description":"Lebanese composer and multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane returns with \u003ci\u003eHawalat\u003c\/i\u003e, a new album that seamlessly blends together a mix of global influences of sounds and collaborations. Set for release with Habibi Funk, \u003ci\u003eHawalat\u003c\/i\u003e builds on Megarbane’s distinct ability to merge Mediterranean psychedelia, jazz, hip-hop, and orchestral elements into an evocative listening experience.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTracklisting\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Hanadi\u003cbr\u003e2. Dreams of an Insomniac\u003cbr\u003e3. Al Dollarji\u003cbr\u003e4. Les Vents Dominants\u003cbr\u003e5. Al Bahriye\u003cbr\u003e6. Miramar\u003cbr\u003e7. The Invisible Cut\u003cbr\u003e8. Helia featuring Sven Wunder\u003cbr\u003e9. East of What\u003cbr\u003e10. La Calypso 02:41\u003cbr\u003e11. Hawalat\u003cbr\u003e12. Sfiha\u003cbr\u003e13. La Virgule Suspendue\u003cbr\u003e14. Preamble to the Conclusion\u003cbr\u003e15. Chou Ostak\u003cbr\u003e16. What Happened Next\u003cbr\u003e17. Jana\u003cbr\u003e18. Bil Fey (Digital bonus track)\u003cbr\u003e19. Ni Vu Ni Inconnu (Digital bonus track)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTaking inspiration from \u003ci\u003ehawala\u003c\/i\u003e, a system of informal money transfers made to certain countries impacted by a lack of currency or unstable contexts. Megarbane spins this concept on its head, reimagining it as an artistic exchange spanning cultures, generations, and geographies. This spirit of creative movement is embodied in the album’s amalgamative nature, featuring contributions from an international lineup of artists, including London-based jazz vocalist Sahra Gure, Italian-Tunisian singer LNDFK, Neapolitan pianist Dario Bassolino, Berlin beatmaker and violinist FloFilz, and an 18-piece orchestral arrangement by Swedish composer Sven Wunder.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRecorded across multiple locations, from Beirut to Brooklyn, Stockholm to a rural French commune, the album’s sonic journey mirrors its thematic premise. Musically, the track list of \u003ci\u003eHawalat\u003c\/i\u003e travels through a varied journey of textures and temperaments. The album’s opener, \u003ci\u003eHanadi\u003c\/i\u003e, is a percussive, Somali-inspired groove with wordless vocals and soaring saxophone lines. Tracks like \u003ci\u003eAl Dollarji\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAl Bahriye\u003c\/i\u003e encapsulate Megarbane’s signature Mediterranean sound, while \u003ci\u003eHelia\u003c\/i\u003e, performed with the Stockholm Studio Orchestra, showcases his cinematic sensibilities. \u003ci\u003eJana\u003c\/i\u003e, an homage to the late Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté, sees Megarbane transform his guitar into a kora-like instrument, staying true to his commitment to experimentation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFollowing \u003ci\u003eMarzipan\u003c\/i\u003e (2023), which took a look inwards at the heart of Lebanon, \u003ci\u003eHawalat\u003c\/i\u003e expands further outwards, exploring themes of diaspora, exile, and artistic migration. “As much as \u003ci\u003eMarzipan\u003c\/i\u003e was a portrait of Lebanon from the inside, \u003ci\u003eHawalat\u003c\/i\u003e picks up where it left off,” Megarbane explains. The album avoids nostalgic recreations of the past, instead situating itself comfortably in the present with a sound that is both timeless and contemporary.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKnown for his prolific output—having released over 100 projects under various monikers—Megarbane continues to defy categorisation, crafting what he calls “Lebrary music”: a borderless, Mediterranean-rooted fusion of library music, Afrobeat, hip-hop, and jazz. His ethos of spontaneity extends to his live performances, where he and his band reinterpret songs anew wit","brand":"Charif Megarbane","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55443190153560,"sku":null,"price":20250808.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0898\/4943\/0360\/files\/0673790037398.jpg?v=1760468143","url":"https:\/\/vinyles.com\/en\/products\/charif-megarbane_hawalat_2025_pia","provider":"Vinyles.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}