Alrighty, let’s talk about an album. No, not just any album; you’re not the one in charge here. I am the one in charge [editor’s note: say what??], and I say we’re going to talk about the new Jerusalem In My Heart record that’s coming out September 4 on Constellation. What do you say to that? Just kidding, I don’t care what you say to that. We’re doing it. And don’t even try to tell me that we’ve already talked about enough Jerusalem In My Heart-related records, what with 2013’s excellent Mo7it Al-Mo7it and the collaborative album from Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart from earlier this year.
And you know what? Before you come with me to the next paragraph where we’ll talk about more details related to the album, why don’t you go ahead and read this great interview Birkut did with Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, founder of Jerusalem in My Heart. I don’t want you to end up with egg all over your face when we start talking turkey.
Alright, now for that egg-free turkey I mentioned. The new album is called If He Dies, If If If If If If, and it’s the product of Moumneh working with Montreal-based artist Charles-André Coderre. If He Dies, If If If If If If reportedly expands on the compositional palette that Moumneh established on his first album by “exploring new deconstructions and juxtapositions of both traditional and popular Arab musical currents.” Although the first Jerusalem In My Heart release came only in 2013, Moumneh had been performing live under the name for some time before that, drawing together the sounds he was making with a vital visual angle. As such, his collaboration on this release with Coderre (a visual artist who also created the album artwork) is a natural extension of the central goals of the project.
Pre-order the album via Constellation here, and watch a short video pairing Coderre’s visual’s with Moumneh’s music below.
If He Dies, If If If If If If tracklist:
01. Al Affaq, Lau Mat, Lau Lau Lau Lau Lau Lau (The Hypocrite, If He Dies, If If If If If If)
02. A Granular Buzuk
03. 7ebr El 3oyoun (Ink From The Eyes)
04. Qala Li Kafa Kafa Kafa Kafa Kafa Kafa (To Me He Said Enough Enough Enough Enough Enough Enough
05. Lau Ridyou Bil Hijaz (What If The Hijaz Was Enough?)
06. Ta3mani; Ta3meitu (He Fed Me; I Fed Him)
07. Ah Ya Mal El Sham (Oh The Money of Syria)
08. 2asmar Sa7ar (The Brown One Cast A Spell)
• Jerusalem In My Heart: http://jerusaleminmyheart.com
• Constellation: http://cstrecords.com
More about: Jerusalem in My Heart
