Lekhfa
Maryam Saleh vocals, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh vocals/synth/ud/bouzouki, Maurice Louca guitar/keys, Mahmoud Waly bass, Ghassan Bouz percussion, Raafar Muhamad drums
Lekhfa is the creation of three musicians who came of age in Cairo. Singer Maryam Saleh, singer/multi-instrumentalist Tamer Abu Ghazaleh and guitarist/beatmaker Maurice Louca have each blazed their different paths through the alternative Arabic music scene. For example, Louca played in Dwarfs of East Agouza with Sam Shalabi and Alan Bishop.
Now they explore the dystopian poetry of Mido Zoheir, one of the most talented Egyptian poets of his generation. Together with a rhythmsection they mix Western and Arabic beats, as well as Eastern and Western instruments, from guitar and synth to oud, buzuq and mizmar. Lekhfa’s eponymous debut has been praised as an album full of dark beauty. The Guardian rewarded it with the maximum score of five stars.