YASMINE HAMDAN

Al Jamilat (2017)

DOUSS That war was thrown upon us. Enmity you and I did not seek. Wallowing in bitter strife. One you and I did not seek. Their governments, rulers, ministers. One you and I did not seek. Oh the shame the sorrow. Their rings of outlaws we did not seek. The spring for Arabs is here. Feeding us slogans lies and deceits. All of which you and I did not seek. Their conflicts undying greed. Drained our souls, emptied us whole. Their motives, insatiable hunger. You and I did not seek. Oh the shame. And the sorrow. The plots they hatch we did not seek. The spring for Arabs is here

LA BADEN (Until later) You're crusty, you're being grumpy. I pissed you off I know you are angry. hey, don't get nasty, don't get touchy. Postpone it, will you? Until later. Later. Let's talk about it later. Ok, I'm being silly I misbehaved. I confess I took it out on you forgive me. hey, don't get upset Don't be moody. Postpone it, will you? Until later. Later. Let's talk about it later.

ASSI (grim) So cruel yet your love grows in me. Despite all. Whirling me around day in day out. You are capricious, and flirtatious. Now that's my scar, My lover and I

CHOUBI All it took was a single look a sharp arrow, a left hook. I see you thrilled with delusions scores of girls floock to your door. My heart is overrun laid down at your floor, how vicious all those promises give me none. I blame myself for being dumb

IZA (if) When I grieve too much. When I hate I hate too much. When I drink I drink too much. When I worry I worry too much. I am much too much, I get wasted too much. When I nag I nag too much. I am much to much, I am all so very very. But why, but why, but why, bur why. That's me all the way. That's very me

K2 I believe I hear a voice in my brain. Grips and hums I feel in my veins. Naming ghosts I had locked away. I leaned by this hole long enough. My arm grew numb I'll say. Shove the bruises away. Let's call it a day. I will lose myself there is no shying away. I still won't trade the game. I twist the last curls of sorrow as I float and let them drift away. I know in my heart that everything will be ok. My hands made free for every tide. I swallow fury and sweat to shores. dazzle fields of grass growing my way. Here goes nothing come what may. I will lose myself there is no shying away. I still won't trade the game. I twist the last curls of sorrow as I float and let them drift away.

AL JAMILAT (the beautiful ones) (From the poem "Al Jamilat Honna El Jamilat" by Mahmoud Darwish)  Beauties are beautiful, by Mahmoud Darwish Beauties are beautiful "The tattoos of the 'violin' around the waist". The beauties are vulnerable "A throne without memory". The beauties are the strong ones "A desperation that shines but does not burn". The beauties are princesses "Mistresses of an anxious revelation". The beauties are the relatives "A rainbow neighbors". The beauties are the distant ones "Like songs of joys". The beauties are the poor ones "Such as roses in the battlefield". The beauties are the lonely ones "Such as the slaves serving the Queen". The beauties are the tall ones "The aunts of a palm tree touching the sky". The beauties are the short ones "Drank a cup of water". The beauties are the older woman "Mango peeled and wine mellowed": The beauties are the young ones "The promise of a future and the buds of a lily". beautiful, all beautiful, you If they came together to choose for me the noblest killer. (Translation by Diane Skelton)

BALAD (country) I stand still and I see the country in a pickle. They talk of wars and strife and strains. It feels absurd, all this pain. Up in flames and down the drain. I struggle for daily bread. Forget about the butter now. Where are my volatile elected friends? I am orphaned. Well I'm the highjacked and the alien. I am the deserted subject. So I'm the highjacked and the outcast. i am the cheated subject. I'm choking on my angry tears. I stand still and no one hears. Don't blame it on me I'm disowned. I'm the stripped fellow I am dethroned. Well I'm the highjacked and the alien. I am the  deserted subject. So I'm the highjacked and the outcast. I am the cheated subject.

LA CHAY (nothing real) We were all set, we were real cool. hey, keep it together love, don't play the fool. We were all chilled, mellow and smooth. Keep it together love, don't play the fool. Shake it off, you're all baked. It ain't there, it ain't real. You're bad-trippin, it's all clear. Stay with me love, ain't nothing there. Hanging easy, hanging loose. Keep it together love, don't play the fool.

YA NASS (2013)

BEIRUT People are drinking along the road People are playing brave and bold. They bet on horses they scout ghosts, They wear temptation, They cruise around, They fool around and that's Beirut. Beirut, a flower out of its season, her beauty, her good old days, what an end what a waste it withers. There is no hope left, that's how it went, the camel kneeled, his leg was sealed. Redeemed and dammed, all unemployed, they cast the spell, and that's Beirut. Beirut, a flower out of its season, her beauty, her good old days, what an end and what a waste it withers.

BALA TANTANAT we hear rhapsodies, vultures singing the same old tune. We crave for answers, but we see our soil become more gloom. Stop your bell-sounding your clangs and your bleeps. Peacock days are over. We known your tales we've heard all your booms. You screwed us up, now we're dead and doomed. Stop your bell-sounding your clangs and your bleeps. Peacock days are over. Ol'Good people have some mercy. All that's needed is all the patience there is. By god. All that's needed is all the patience there is. Stop your bell-sounding your clangs and your bleeps. Peacock days are over.

YA NASS People. Show me the way to the path through the clutter. For the black ocean took him that day. I'm wrapped in sorrow I'm strained. His beauty haunts me I can't kepp the memory of him at bay. Does my love upset you, do you want to see me broken? I have chosen to thrive. I know from his birthmark that he will be kept alive.

DENY Short nights revive memories, of his smell, resin wood. I feel his breath on my ears. Short nights clear the void, those cracks and holes I feel restless. Never mind the distance I still feel his breath on my ears.

ALEB I have heart failure, high blood pressure. A diseased liver, discomfort all over. I panic, I get frenzy whenever I paw my liver. I have compulsions, I have delusions if my blood pressure swerves I’m full of confusions. When I read of an illness I assume I have it and then I obsess over my blood pressure by habit. I’m weary I’m wasted and I am strangled. I am a lost case, even in my sleep I’m entangled  I gather evidence and symptoms I know I feel them. If my doctor’s off duty, then I definitely know I have them. I am the lonely I am the isolated I am the homesick. All that matters. Bad luck by nature I am so knotty and silly. Whatever I do just turns out to be so sticky. I feel cranky grumpy I am an eerie. My heart starts pumping I can hear the fury. When I breathe on my back it can get very zany. I feel back flashes crawls I feel stings in my tummy. My whole body strains i become very dizzy. I am the lonely I am the isolated I am the homesick . All that matters.

SAMAR Shine on, silver moon. Stars prancing around you in swoon. I long for your cool warmth. Your fire banished sleep from my eyes. Hums and murmurs. Such a teaser. Such a pleaser.

HAL I live it full I live it all. Yearning for you. I tried and failed to leave you. I learned to play the game. For the joy and the pain. I’ll always praise you. Nights are filled with ghosts like you. My poor heart .With the pain of absence. I am helpless. When love strikes.

Yasmine Hamdan 

Ever since the release of her debut solo album Ya Nass (2013), Yasmine Hamdan's personal, modern take on Arabic pop has been getting tremendous attention in Europe and America, as well as in North Africa and the Middle East (where she's enjoyed iconic stature since the days of Soapkills, the duet she had founded in her native Beirut, which was one of the first indie/electronic bands in the Middle East). 

From televised news shows to glamourous magazines, a spectacularly broad spectrum of European media have fallen in love with her moving voice, seductive personality and outspoken stance.

She's performed prestigious shows on four continents (including a series of performances for the launch of the Jim Jarmusch movie "Only Lovers Left Alive", in which she's featured singing, onscreen, in one of the film's most memorable scenes).  

While Yasmine's vocals are definitely connected to traditions of Arabic music (to which she takes an unconventional and fresh approach), the structures and arrangements of the songs are very remote from its codes, and take in elements from contemporary Western electronic, pop and folk music.

Her unique vision is fully realized in her upcoming second solo album, provisionally entitled "Al Jamilat" ("The Beautiful Ones"), which she jointly produced with UK producers Luke Smith (Foals, Depeche Mode, Lily Allen) and Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Carl Barät), and recorded with contributions from NY musicians Shahzad Ismaily (Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, John Zorn, Marc Ribot) and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley.