Jarak Qaribak

''Jarak Qaribak'' ("Your neighbour is your friend") is an album by the Israeli musician Dudu Tassa and the English guitarist Jonny Greenwood, released on 9 June 2023 by World Circuit. It was produced by Tassa and Greenwood and mixed by Nigel Godrich, the longtime producer of Greenwood's band Radiohead. The album comprises reworkings of Middle Eastern love songs, with vocalists from countries including Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia.

Background and recording

Greenwood first heard Tassa's music on a trip to Israel with his band Radiohead in the early 2000s. He contributed to Tassa's 2009 album ''Basof Mitraglim Le'Hakol'', and Tassa opened for Radiohead on their 2017 tour.

''Jarak Qaribak'' was recorded in studios in Tel Aviv, Oxfordshire, and across the Middle East. "Taq ou-Dub", a Lebanese song, was the first recorded. Tassa said that the music "sounds 1970s", but with drum machines and Arabic lyrics, which he liked to imagine would confuse listeners. Greenwood said his process involved "trying to imagine what Kraftwerk would have done if they'd been in Cairo in the 1970s". He denied any intent to make a political point with the album, and said: "I do understand that as soon as you do anything in that part of the world it becomes political ... possibly especially if it's artistic."

Release

''Jarak Qaribak'' was released on 9 June 2023 by World Circuit. It was announced on 13 April, along with the release of the lead single, "Ashufak Shay", which features vocals from the Lebanese singer Rashid Al Najjar. On 27 April, Tassa and Greenwood released a live video for "Ya Mughir al-Ghazala", featuring the Iraqi vocalist Karrar Alsaadi. The second single, "Taq ou-Dub", featuring the Palestinian singer Nour Freteikh, was released on 18 May, with a live video filmed at the Hamam in Tel Aviv.

Live

A European tour for ''Jarak Qaribak'' was canceled following the outbreak of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. On May 26, 2024, Greenwood and Tassa performed at the Barby Club in Tel Aviv, a day after Greenwood appeared at a protest against the Israeli government. The performance was criticised by pro-Palestine activists; the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel called for "peaceful, creative pressure on his band Radiohead to convincingly distance itself from this blatant complicity in the crime of crimes, or face grassroots measures". On June 4, Greenwood responded to the criticism and wrote in a statement that Israeli artists should not be silenced. He described the project as a group of Middle Eastern musicians "working together across borders", and made no mention of Israel's war efforts.

Reception

''The Herald Scotland''s Michael Bedigan called ''Jarak Qaribak'' a "truly intriguing musical collection". ''The Guardian'' wrote that its arrangements "uplift the essence of their originals ... highlighting how its longing melodies can be reapplied into new voices, transmitting similar emotions through unusual settings". ''Der Spiegel'' named ''Jarak Qaribak'' one of the best albums of 2023.

Track listing

Personnel

* Jonny Greenwood – producer, guitar, bass, synthesisers, electronics
* Dudu Tassa – producer, guitar, bass, vocals
* Nigel Godrich – mixing
* Ahmed Doma – vocals (1)
* Rashid Al Najjar – vocals (2)
* Nour Freteikh – vocals (3)
* Mohsinne Salaheddine – vocals (4)
* Karrar Alsaadi – vocals (5)
* Safae Essafi – vocals (6)
* Lynn A. – vocals (7)
* Noamane Chaari – vocals (9)
* Zaineb Elouati – vocals (9)

Charts

References

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2023 albums
Jonny Greenwood albums
Dudu Tassa albums
World Circuit (record label) albums
Middle Eastern music