At 1051 Magazine we love discovering musical gems, searching through the huge amount of daily releases that reach us. And this album that we are presenting today has been playing insistently in our office, and every time it did, our love for its songs grew unstoppable.
Probably the main reason is their extraordinary work in the percussion and rhythmic base. Perhaps the most surprising of the year in this aspect. And the most incredible thing is that its author almost threw in the towel a year ago. This is what he said a few days ago on his Facebook account:
“It’s crazy to think that about a year ago I was ready to give up a career in music. I made this EP really for myself at the time, something that felt true without any second guessing. Fast forward to now and the response has really blown me away. I feel more connected to my community than I’ve ever had in my entire life. Sharing my story through my music has made me realise I’m not alone from all the messages I’ve been receiving of your stories.
This EP has given me a second life when I least expected and I’m truly grateful to each and every one of you who have supported me over these last few months. This record allowed me to come to terms with my identity and be proud of my Egyptian heritage. I can’t wait for you all to hear this come Friday and more importantly, I look forward to the journey that lies ahead. You’ve all made this possible.I made this EP really for myself at the time, something that felt real without any doubt. Now, the response has surprised me. I feel more connected to my community than I have ever felt in my entire life. Sharing my story through my music has made me realise that I am not alone because of all the messages I have received from your stories.
This EP has given me a second life when I least expected it and I am truly grateful to each and every one of you who have supported me over the past few months. This album has allowed me to reconcile with my identity and be proud of my Egyptian heritage. I can’t wait for you all to hear it on Friday and, more importantly, I can’t wait to embark on the journey ahead. You have all made this possible. Love Mok ”
Mok is Moktar, an Australian-born, Sydney-born, Melbourne-based artist with Egyptian roots and ancestry. The album he refers to and which we talk about today in 1051 Magazine is Moktar, a truly remarkable five track mini album. One of those gems that we are delighted to discover.
Moktar is a well-known fixture on the local, Melbourne scene, having played in multiple bands and produced and remixed Australian artists. But the release of his debut album has marked the beginning of a search towards his Middle Eastern roots, which have become a source of pride and inspiration expressed through his music. Again we return to his words, which perfectly explain the pride and inspiration that led him to create his first album:
“For most of my life I was led to believe that being Middle Eastern had only negative connotations. Today I am proud to be Egyptian, completely comfortable in my own skin, and willing to share my story through music in order to help others. DJ Plead is Lebanese from Sydney, and weaves many Middle Eastern influences into his music. Watching his progression and how people reacted to his music in such a positive way gave me a lot of confidence to go out there and do the same. Not many people from the Middle East have a platform in Australia and I’d like to start using mine to inspire people, like DJ Plead did for me.”
The result is five tracks of extremely high quality, released on Steel City Dance Discs. Five listens that grab you from the first second, with carefully crafted rhythmic base work, combining Arabic elements with addictive bass lines and vocals that add just the right amount. The album opens with Silk, a story in which Moktar tells how difficult it has been to grow up in Australia, sometimes swimming against the tide due to racism, feeling ashamed of his origins. It is followed by Lemon, which like Silk were chosen as advance singles, with another penetrating and hypnotic rhythmic base, combined with tribal melodies. Drip brings us another work of rhythmic gold work, to which percussive elements and melancholic melodies are added. In the following cut, Moktar takes us on a journey with darkouba sounds that he then combines with an electro rhythmic base; a sonic madness with a narcotic result called Blue. To close the album comes Cotton, a crescendo that starts with a synthesizer pattern that again breaks another excellent rhythmic base.
We are glad that Moktar didn’t give up a year ago. We hope that this tour, which begins in December in Australia, will be extended, that it reaches our latitudes and that he continues to produce music, and that he does it with that love for his roots, because the result will be great.
Already available here
