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— The Analog Vault // Essential Listening —

Berlin’s Habibi Funk has done much to reintroduce the hidden gems of Arabic music to wider audiences through their deep pool of compilations. But for their 18th release, the boutique label shines the spotlight squarely on Libyan-Egyptian hero Hamid El Shaeri. Affectionately called “El Capo” by his fans, the singer-songwriter has been a sensation for over three decades now, but this particular anthology goes further back to survey his earlier works between 1983 and 1988, just before he rose to superstardom.

Made up of eleven choice cuts derived from his releases on Hany Sabet’s Cairo-based SLAM! imprint, this album features a bevy of delectable synth-pop and disco boogies. Besides highlights like“Yekfini Nesma’ Sotak” and “Ayonha”, this record also includes extensive liner notes, an interview with Hamid, as well as candid photos. — The Analog Vault

If there was a defining Habibi Funk track, there are a few that come to mind: from Fadoul’s “Sid Redad,“ Dalton’s “Soul Brother“ to Ahmed Malek’s “Omar Gatlato.“ However, none are as widely connected with us at this point as Hamid Al Shaeri’s “Ayonha.“ Listening to his releases from the early 1980’s opened a whole new door for Habibi Funk. At the time, Hamid had just left Libya to pursue his career in Egypt via a detour in London, where he recorded his first album. Hamid’s distinct sound of the sound is quintessentially reliant on heavy synths and so it was particularly important to purchase these synths in a timely manner. “Whenever a new one [synthesizer] would come out, we would have to buy it immediately, otherwise someone else would get their hands on that sound.” London also played an important role for Hamid as a musical epicenter. He fondly reminisces about the many live shows he attended there, including some of the biggest international musicians like Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. After returning to Cairo where he also recorded his following albums, he connected with SLAM! for the release of his debut, laying the foundation of a collaboration that lasted for 5 albums.

Hany Sabet had started SLAM! records in the early 1980s and focused on cassette tape releases, the format that expedited the success of a new generation of record labels in Egypt. By the mid 1980’s, SLAM! had become one of the most successful and economically dominant record labels in Egypt, with Hamid El Shaeri being just one of their key artists, alongside Mohamed Mounir, Hanan, Hakim, Mustafa Amar and many more. Luckily, Hany Sabet turned out to be a friend of Habibi Funk Record's team member's father, which probably helped to warm him to the idea of licensing “Ayonha” to this - in the scale of his world - tiny label from Germany. Eventually “Ayonha” ended up becoming a widely successful release and Habibi Funk Records brought up the idea of a full album dedicated to Hamid El Shaeri’s work on SLAM!. This release is dedicated to Hany Sabet, the founder of SLAM! and his wife Rosemary Jane Sabet (who took the photos we used for the cover and the booklet), who sadly passed away during the time it took Habibi Funk to prepare the release. — via Label

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Label: Habibi Funk
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Released: 2022
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop, World
Style: Synth-pop, Soul

File under: Global Sounds
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