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LP
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BTR 088LP
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Acclaimed Tel Aviv bassist, band leader, composer and producer Shay Hazan radiates with musical diversity on Wusul, his second solo album on Batov Records. This groundbreaking musical odyssey artfully melds the enchanting sounds of Gnawa music, spiritual jazz, hip hop grooves, and electronic production, with a rich tapestry of Middle Eastern and African influences. The album's enigmatic title, "Wusul" (Arabic for "arrival"), celebrates the expected birth of Hazan's first born child, expected to arrive around the same time as this album. Fitting, given that the latter is the result of a transformative phase in Hazan's career, with many of the album's songs evolving and taking shape during live performances. Most notably, a majority of the musicians featured on Wusul are integral members of Hazan's live band, bringing a synergy and connection to the music that is palpable. Shay Hazan's creative process reveals a cross-cultural narrative influenced by his extensive travels, from Central America to Japan, where he encountered the rich tradition of Gnawa musicians in Tel Aviv. Wusul is an introspective journey through the intricate tapestry of musical influences that have shaped Shay Hazan's unique sound. While Western and Mizrahi pop have left their marks on the record, they serve as threads in a larger, more intricate musical fabric. Hazan's profound exploration transcends traditional boundaries, weaving together a rich sonic tapestry that defies easy categorization.
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LP
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BTR 053LP
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The multi-talented Shay Hazan fuses rubbery North African Gnawa grooves, with haunting jazz horns and hip-hop inflected beats on Reclusive Rituals. His first project for international groove artisans, Batov Records. Tel-Aviv based musician Shay Hazan is a composer, producer, bassist and bandleader. His versatile bass is frequently heard on national radio, providing the hits of tomorrow with a foundation in the groove. Having commenced producing the album during the first Covid lockdown, this process of creating the album was a marked departure from previous projects. Whereas he would normally call and gather his band together to record his new compositions live, Hazan would come up with a groove first before sending the recording parts to a drummer in Berlin or a saxophonist in Tel Aviv to add a complementary rhythm or melody, and then finally editing the results himself. Having already mastered the double and electric bass, Hazan learned how to play the three-stringed guimbri: a camel-skin-covered bass plucked lute used by the Gnawa people of North Africa, as heard on their hypnotic music. Hazan repurposes the unique qualities of the instrument with a jazz approach. The title, Reclusive Rituals, is inspired by a Jean-Michel Basquiat interview from 1985 where he discusses his reclusiveness and the public demand for gossip on well-known figures. In particular, how advantageous it can be to stay out of the limelight, as the crowd's very nature is to eventually turn on their idols. Hazan interpreted this to imply that personal behavioral patterns are significantly affected by the fear of negative responses, often leading them to non-action. The guimbri's natural inclination to groove is instantly felt on the Gnawa-meets-Afrobeat first single, "Afrobeatz", which is destined to play a large role in DJs record bags as dancefloors reopen. But the laidback, beat-driven foundation opener "Deloop" and "Pink Collar" reveal Hazan's affinity for hip hop and RnB, in particular the UK label Village Life, whose cutting-edge blend of underground jazz and hip-hop was a lockdown favorite. Reclusive Rituals is an exciting new chapter in Shay Hazan's career. His most personal, hands-on album to date, fusing his love of jazz, hip-hop, and Gnawan music. As open-minded purveyors of the finest grooves, Batov Records is its perfect home.
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