XP Releases of The Month - November 2023

Releases of the Month is a collaboration between SceneNoise and XP Music Futures that brings you a playlist of the month's most noteworthy and not-to-miss tracks.

In this month’s selection, we heard from regional trailblazers such as Marwan Pablo, whose latest full length album ‘The Last Piece of Art’ was released earlier this week. Off the album, the track ‘El Mabda2’ stands out in particular, for its balanced blend of shaabi rhythms, trap production, and explosive mahraganat inspired bass and energetic vocals.

You can also hear levantine inspired sonics on the tracks ‘We Are One’ by The Wanton Bishops, and R3HAB’s remix of ‘Habaytak (feat. Ghizlane Melih)’ by Acid Arab, where the former delivers an explosive, post-rock infused blend of blaring synthesizer melodies over washed out textures and energetic grooves, and the later delivers a club-ready mix of Arabic vocals, hard-hitting rhythms, and meandering synth solos.

On YokoO & Zone+’s ‘Once I had It’, we dive into more laid-back territory, as the track’s catchy rhythms, rubbery bassline and subtle vocal chops blend together into a care-free and danceable instrumental. The track ‘Emergency Broadcast’ by AgainstCelebrities then picks up the energy of the playlist with a sonic palette that ranges from vintage sounding synthesizers and retro snare sounds, to a ripping, harmonically rich synth melody in the drop, playing over a steady groove and detailed sound design.

Saudi-Arabian alt-rock outfit Ana.n7n also make use of retro aesthetics, as they blend chip-tune arpeggios with elements of alternative and prog rock, with memorable guitar riffs, roomy drums, and a powerful vocal performance on their track ‘La Tetnammar’.

Lebanese-English artist Laughta is also featured on this month’s selection with her latest single ‘Aint The Same’, in which she delivers a pop-inspired interpretation of traditional Arabic rhythms, which she laces with an ear-wormy vocal hook and air-tight rap flows throughout the different sections of the song.

Taking a look at more rap releases from the region, we feature beloved Saudi-Sudanese artist Dafencii, who delivers introspective, train-of-thought vocal delivery through his signature, highly-rhythmic flows on ‘El Maktoob’, where he openly discusses his inner conflicts over a smooth and ear-grabbing drill beat. Meanwhile, Morrocan rapper Furelise looks to Jersey club sonics to deliver his non-chalant vocals over a simple yet catchy beat, where a playful melody goes hand-in-hand with the steady pace of the rich drum sounds.

Tracklist:

Acid Arab - Habaytak (R3HAB Remix) feat. Ghizlane Melih

Laughta - Aint the Same

The Wanton Bishops - We Are One

Marwan Pablo - El Mabda2

YokoO & Zone+ - Once I had It

DAFENCII - EL MAKTOOB

AgainstCelebrities - Emergency Broadcast

Furelise - Akhennouch

Ana.n7n - La Tetnammar

Listen to the full playlist here: