Charif Megarbane - Marzipan (Habibi Funk 023) (2023) [Official Digital Download 24/48]

Habibi Funk is excited to share “Marzipan” — our first full length contemporary release courtesy of Beirut’s multi-instrumental producer phenomenon Charif Megarbane. The LP is a journey into Charif’s styling, one he terms “Lebrary”: a vision of Lebanon and the Mediterranean expressed via the prismatic sonics of library music. Drawing influence from artists that encapsulates the Habibi Funk sound such as Ziad Rahbani, Ahmed Malek and Issam Hajali, Charif translates these influences into an LP that is equally at home in ’23.

Following his previous release of EP “Tayara Warak” in 2022, “Marzipan” is a sonic journey that seeks to capture the full scope of Charif Megarbane’s habitus in 17 tracks. As a composer and producer, Megarbane touts hugely versatile, sometimes volatile musicianship—his 100+ catalogue of projects (including groups like the Cosmic Analog Ensemble, the Free Association Syndicate, Monumental Detail, etc.) features a huge domain of sonic direction. This collection was previously developed in Megarbane’s own Hisstology which hosts a wealth of collaborative efforts. Now, Habibi Funk represents Megarbane under his own name. Megarbane finds a sonic through-line in his surrounding soundscapes as he draws on the chaotic energy of the crowded Beirut metropolis (“Souk El Ahad”), the warm atmosphere of the Lebanese countryside (“Chez Mounir”), or the lushness of a Mediterranean beach resort (“Portemilio”). Reflecting the aural composition of his direct surroundings into kaleidoscopic instrumentation provides a unique insight into how one musical phenomenon transposes sight into sound.

Tracklist:
01. Souk el Ahad
02. Tarator
03. Pas de Dialogue
04. Marzipan
05. Chez Mounir
06. 3aks el Seir
07. Abou Boutros
08. Istintaj
09. Ma Ward
10. Yara
11. Chataranj
12. Shanklish
13. Portemilio
14. Pale Baleine
15. Ya Salam
16. A Parking Lot By The Sea
17. Bala 3anouan
18. Mazamir (Bonus)


Thanks to the Original customer!