Omar Souleyman

The other day I heard Bjork on NPR. She oh-so-whimsically introduced me to Omar Souleyman, a Syrian musician. I could listen to his distinctly Arab take on techno probably forever. I don't know the name of the traditional stringed instrument you usually hear in Arabic music, but Souleyman replaces it with a synth. Further, as you see in this rock and roll video , another man often whispers lyrics in his ears, which are then added to the song.

In Bjork's significantly more endearing words:

When they are really warmed up and going for it at a good-times party, Harbi stands next to him on stage and chain-smokes. Then he will whisper poetry in his ear that he's writing at the moment. Omar will sing it immediately in the microphone and run around the room, exciting people there. I thought it was quite exciting for a poet and an emcee to work together.

The collaboroation, however, doesn't strike me as particularly innovative--I grew up watching qawalli videos with my dad, where they often write-sing poetry as they go. That said, those performers didn't wear leather jackets and aviators with their old school mustaches and dishdashas (they also didn't really wear dishdashas, since qawals aren't Arab). It's also a little like freestyling, except that Souleyman uses someone else's lyrics.

To summarize:
1) expect to hear the song "Leh Jani" on repeat in my precense and at my wedding. I might even try to get everyone to do the dance--it will be a "good-times party".
2) listen to Bjork on NPR's You Must Hear This; even if you don't care for Souleyman's music, her voice is so irresistably sweet and cute.