Album lore

Resonance/Dissonance, Khyam Allami’s 2011 debut on Nawa Recordings, marks an early but assured statement from a musician steeped in the oud’s modal intricacies. The double-disc set pairs a studio album with a live DVD featuring percussionist Vasilis Sarikis, capturing both the precision and immediacy of Allami’s approach. Rooted in the Maqam system, the compositions unfold with a blend of structured improvisation and recurring motifs, navigating unusual rhythmic cycles and a notable rendition of the Iraqi Maqam Nawa. Born in Damascus to Iraqi parents and raised in London, Allami channels a diverse lineage—from Middle Eastern masters like Naseer Shamma to the avant-progressive touch of Frank Zappa—into music that is simultaneously dense and lucid. Tracks such as “Individuation” reveal a deft balance of restraint and intensity, reflecting influences as varied as Jungian thought and Borges’s mysticism. Resonance/Dissonance stands as a singular artifact, bridging tradition and modernity without concession, and rewarding attentive listeners versed in both Arabic music and experimental idioms.

Album lore

Resonance/Dissonance, Khyam Allami’s 2011 debut on Nawa Recordings, marks an early but assured statement from a musician steeped in the oud’s modal intricacies. The double-disc set pairs a studio album with a live DVD featuring percussionist Vasilis Sarikis, capturing both the precision and immediacy of Allami’s approach. Rooted in the Maqam system, the compositions unfold with a blend of structured improvisation and recurring motifs, navigating unusual rhythmic cycles and a notable rendition of the Iraqi Maqam Nawa. Born in Damascus to Iraqi parents and raised in London, Allami channels a diverse lineage—from Middle Eastern masters like Naseer Shamma to the avant-progressive touch of Frank Zappa—into music that is simultaneously dense and lucid. Tracks such as “Individuation” reveal a deft balance of restraint and intensity, reflecting influences as varied as Jungian thought and Borges’s mysticism. Resonance/Dissonance stands as a singular artifact, bridging tradition and modernity without concession, and rewarding attentive listeners versed in both Arabic music and experimental idioms.