Release Radar: April 2024

At the end of each month, Afterglow presents a staff-picked list of new albums and singles that left a lasting impression on our ears. This month, we’re looking at Arab artists to celebrate Arab American Heritage Month.

Written by Afterglow Staffers

Photos courtesy of Spotify

Afterglow is an organization that prides itself on highlighting diverse voices, and it would be remiss not to mention the Israel-Hamas War and its subsequent immeasurable casualties and impact on the Palestinian people. Across the United States, pro-Palestine student protests have resulted in hundreds of arrests, which serves as an undemocratic blockade against creating meaningful activism.

At Columbia, 109 protesters were arrested after taking over Hamilton Hall, which houses the Dean’s office and the undergraduate college. Protestors renamed the building “Hind Hall” after a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was tragically killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The death of Hind Rajab and over 35,000 Palestinians have deemed the war a genocide. 

At the University of Texas, 79 protesters were arrested during a second protest on Monday, April 29, after there was an attempt to create an encampment. As an organization, we detest our university's problematic actions when combatting peaceful protests that attempt to shed light on a horrific and divisive issue. The University of Texas has blocked peaceful protests, needlessly brought in extensive law enforcement, and brutalized students and non-students. The University of Texas has touted its famous, now ironic line, “What starts here changes the world.” Certain parties are blocking efforts to enact any sort of meaningful change. Peaceful protests have always been a part of the American way of life, and the protests that started here truly can empower individuals to learn more about the brutal conflict and create advocacy channels for change.

This month is Arab American Heritage Month. In all ways, Afterglow stands with those whom this conflict has irredeemably harmed. Music is transformative and has always had the power to serve as a channel for empowerment and activism. In solidarity, we highlight Arab artists who bring joy through their music. 

For more reviews of recent releases, check out our album review page!

Shiny Singles We Loved This Month

 “5am in Paris” by Saint Levant 

In this new dreamlike single, multinational artist Saint Levant reveals his complicated feelings surrounding the many places he calls home. Saint Levant comes from a multicultural background; he was born and raised in Gaza, but following the 2007 Fatah-Hamas conflict, he was forced to flee to Jordan with his family. Singing in Arabic, French, and English, Saint Levant languishes in his diasporic situation and reminisces on his past in the sleepless hours of the morning. — Rachel Green 

“Law Saalou Habibi (لو سألوا حبيبي)” by Najwa Karam

Najwa Karam maintains her title as “The Sun of Song” with this bright, resonant declaration of love. Tied together by Karam’s mature timbre, traditional strings and pounding drums signal a celebration, while a joyous choir encourages listeners to laud their own habibi. — Antonio Arizmendi

“WTFF IS GOING ON?!” by Artistbasm

Artistbasm introduces listeners to his new single with heavy bass and futuristic synths. The Egyptian artist primarily implements drums, bass, and ambient instruments to convey a dreamy pop-like sound less focused on vocals. — Jesseca Romo

GLOWING ALBUMS & EPS WE LOVED THIS MONTH

MRA by Emel

Image courtesy of Little Human Records

Emel’s fourth studio album, MRA, is her most recent entry in a long career of socially conscious pop. The album, which also features artists like Ami Yèrèwolo, Camélia Jordana, and Nayomi, is full of rich production and instrumentation that draws the listener in and leaves room for the political calls to action to resonate. On the opening track, “Massive Will,” Emel provides ethereal vocalizations and punchy messages layered over an intense drumbeat that sets the aural and lyrical tone for the rest of the album. She calls to the listener, urging them to recognize that “It’s the love that is born / I am you and you are me.” Her internal struggle as an Arab woman feeling helpless to fight back against misogyny and the conflicts in the Middle East is most evident in the track “I’ll Leave.” In perhaps the most compelling and stripped-back song off the album, Emel battles with the chaos of the world but reasons that “I can sing to possibly find the truth.” The honest and compelling nature of MRA is fascinating to listen to and is a powerful call to action for artists to use their voices to fight against sexism and oppression, even if it comes in the form of emotional reflection rather than specific political messaging. — Rachel Green

Support Emel on Spotify and Apple Music.

Live at Cambridge Folk Festival by Akram Abdulfattah

Image courtesy of Levantine Music

In this live album, Palestinian-American violinist Akram Abdulfattah extolls passionate themes of yearning and vigor without words. Drawing from several influences, including jazz rhythms and Hindu melodies, Abdulfattah crafts a syncretic performance that revolves around traditional, classical Arabic music. “Saba Rock” leads the album with a strumming bass and drum kit. The violin executes speedy runs evocative of saba (صبا), an Arabic name meaning “youthfulness.” The following track, “Slaves of the Century,” undoubtedly references the destruction of the artist’s homeland through a somber chord progression that morphs into triumphant double-stops and concludes with a resolving, peaceful harmony. “Nubi Dance” carries additional dynamism, featuring a duet between Abdulfattah’s lower register on the violin and the breathy air of an alto sax, while “Ya Hbaieb” emerges the listener in a wave of jazzy improvisations. Concluding with “Stones and Maqams,” where the artist emphasizes his traditional Arabic chords and slurs, the album’s ultimate purpose is made clear — Abdulfattah seeks to bring a lively sound to his violin, relating both the “music image of Palestine” and the boundless imagination of abstract sounds. — Antonio Arizmendi

Support Akram Abdulfattah on Spotify and Apple Music.

Bayaan Estinkari by Kokym

Photo courtesy of Spotify

Kokym is a Palestinian artist who coined the term “Fallahi pop” to describe his unique blend of Palestinian folk music and local Palestinian dialect, also known as Levantine Arabic. In his new EP, Bayaan Estinkari, Kokym incorporates these elements of traditional Palestinian music with a modern arrangement that consists of a primary melody, chorus, and a strong beat. Beginning with the first track, “Bayaan Estinkari '' Kokym expresses his intense frustration revolving around the ongoing war atrocities, such as the multiple airstrikes carried out across Gaza, causing massive destruction. He eludes to the funding of the Israel Defense Force: “اسمع اسمع اسمع / صوت فلوسك يدبع / طالع من بوز البارودة” (“Listen, listen, listen / The sound of your money is ticking / Coming out of the gunpowder”). The second track of the EP, “Hizam Nar,” begins at a slow tempo characterized by longer vocal scales. “Hizam Nar'' describes Kokym’s experience of seeing his country face severe acts of war: “طلعونا من جوات الدار / فجأة السما صارت تمطر نار” (“They took us out of the house / Suddenly the sky started raining fire”). Despite hostile conditions in his home country, the Palestinian singer offers a sense of hope in the fourth track, “Rakesna Ya Abbas.” The song leads with varying patterns of beats while also incorporating melodic acoustics. Kokym signifies the hope that prevails despite the mass destruction and loss of lives occurring in Palestine. The role of the drums is repetitively mentioned throughout the track, in lyrics such as "دقاته هدتني" ("His beats calmed me"). Considering the nostalgic, soothing tone that Kokym expresses, the drum beat of the darbuka is another example in which Kokym keeps his Palestinian heritage close despite his home being attacked. It serves as a reminder of the perseverance and the faith that Palestinian people will be able to dance and rejoice once more. Ending with the track “Nam Ya Hob (Gaza Lullaby),” Kokym solidifies the EP’s humanizing theme by singing, “احنا فيه مش أخبار / احنا فيه مش اعداد / احنا عنا اسماء / وعنا حياة وولاد” (“We are free there / We are not news / We are not in numbers / We have names”). — Jesseca Romo

Support Kokym on Spotify and Apple Music.