Sam Karam - Ya Abdo

  • Buzzing techno with jolts of static and Arabic balladry.
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  • On his debut album, Anti Skate boss Sam Karam explores his heritage with samples from Lebanese wedding anthems and love songs. These recordings define most of the LP, though "Ya Abdo" is an exception. Here, the Arabic vocals (taken from a song in a play where women complain to a grocer about his vegetables) take several minutes to surface instead of dominating the track. When they do appear, it's a stealth entry thanks to hushed tones and rhythmic loops. This subtlety shows off Karam's production chops as he chooses to emphasise the nimble interplay of the breaks and hi-hats with the samples.
RA