Photo: Felicia Abban

Some records take a while to find you. Tarabesque did, but we have barely stopped listening since. The new full-length from Palestinian composer and kanunist Firas Zreik is the third release from Amir ElSaffar’s Maqām Records, and another stunning addition to the musical worlds the label is bringing into focus. Based in New York City, Zreik is a Palestinian composer, performer, lyricist and educator, widely recognised as one of the most compelling voices working with the kanun, a Mediterranean harp. He has spent years performing, recording and collaborating across the world, expanding perceptions of the instrument and preserving its identity while revealing its remarkable versatility across different musical settings and traditions. Zreik’s music draws on the improvisational spirit of the maqam tradition, treating it as a living and evolving language open to new possibilities. On Tarabesque, Zreik places the kanun at the centre of a jazz quartet, a hybrid ensemble and an Arab takht ensemble. The new album sees him creating a musical world where maqam-driven melodies move effortlessly through rich harmonic and modal landscapes. The result is an enthralling and beautiful piece of work, rooted in tradition but also open to new sounds and forms.

Coinciding with the album announcement, Zreik has shared the gorgeous and compelling ‘Fields of Figs’ as the first single. The track comes with an accompanying video and you can watch it below.