Lebanese producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane returns with another iteration of his signature »Lebrary« sound, honouring his Lebanese and Mediterranean heritage through the language of library music. Hawalat, the follow-up to his debut on Berlin-based label Habibi Funk, is a concept album inspired by hawala—an informal money transfer system—here reimagined as a creative exchange between »places, persons, generations«, reflecting the dynamics of diaspora and exile.
This marks his 110th release to date, many of which were issued under pseudonyms on his own Hisstology label, such as Cosmic Analog Ensemble. Hawalat is also his first record to feature a full orchestra: »Heila« includes a lush arrangement by the Stockholm Studio Orchestra and features Swedish jazz musician Sven Wunder. The result is a dreamscape of sweeping strings and soft guitar licks. A similar emotional resonance is found on the delicate opener »Les vents dominants«. Megarbane’s signature is most pronounced on »Chou Ostak«, where snarling guitars drive the track with swagger and pace. Other highlights include the disco-tinted title track, complete with filtered club aesthetics; the 1980s Somali pop-inspired »Hanadi«; the gentle »Dreams of an Insomniac« featuring Sahra Gure and FloFilz’s violin; and the soul-infused beauty of »La Calypso«.
Hawalat
