Building off of the themes of identity, storytelling and experimentation on her critically acclaimed debut album, Khonnar (2018), Deena Abdelwahed’s new opus is the next chapter of a reimagining of what Arabic club music. The album spans seven tracks of bass, techno, and experimental music all within the different frames that Arabic dance music can offer.
Jbal Rrsas opens with the seductively apocalyptic opener, The Key to the Exit, a twisted Egyptian mahraganat. Deena builds off a traditional drum beat, and warps the track into a deconstructed landscape, with lilting synths and familiar Arabic rhythms. This instrumental track offers a taste of the album, a reimagining and experimentation on Arabic post-club music.