CHARIF MEGARBANE: Marzipan (HABIBI FUNK)

From the one-sheet:

“Our first full length contemporary release courtesy of Beirut's multi-instrumental phenom Charif Megarbane, also known as the man behind prolific Cosmic Analog Ensemble. The LP is a journey into Charif's styling, one he terms 'Lebrary': a vision of Lebanon and Mediterranean expressed through the kaleidoscopic sonics of library music. Drawing from artists that encapsulates the Habibi Funk sound, such as Ziad Rahbani, Ahmed Malek and Issam Hajali […] Marzipan is a sonic journey that seeks to capture the full scope of Megarbane's habitus. As a composer and producer, Megarbane touts hugely versatile, sometimes volatile musicianship -- his catalogue of projects (including legendary groups like the Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Free Association Syndicate, Monumental Detail, etc.) features a huge domain of sonic direction […] as he draws on the chaotic energy of the crowded Beirut metropolis ('Souk El Ahad'), the warm atmosphere of the Lebanese countryside ('Chez Mounir'), or the lushness of a Mediterranean beach resort ('Portemilio') […] Megarbane's instrumental catalogue is vast: toy glockenspiel, harpsichord, pedal steel, a classic Wurlitzer, et al are used liberally on the record. The resultant sound is as sprawling as the musician's instrumental dexterity."