Darbet Shams
Bio
Members of Darbet Shams (literally “sunstroke”) came together amid a complex Palestinian reality to form a Palestinian-Syrian musical project that carries political, social and emotional messages reflecting the Palestinian and Arab reality with critical words that range between the serious and satirical.
Influenced in part by the work of Egyptian singer and composer Sheikh Imam, the band formed in 2018 and presented songs with social and political critique as their themes. They released “Al-Maash” (The Salary), a song about the realities of Arab workers, with Youssef Hbeish on percussion. The band then released “Bisan,” a song that dreams of a free homeland for every Arab child, followed by a political critique in “Ittifaqiyat Salam” (Peace Agreements).
Darbet Shams released their first album, Shu Bedor al-Amal (What’s the Harm in Hope), in 2022. Containing eight tracks, the record was a milestone for the group, as they decided to explore various genres and tackle the personal and emotional, conveying subtle social and political messages. The band was able to produce the album independently, forgoing any conditional funding.
Darbet Shams’ musical identity is characterized by a blend of Eastern and Western genres and non-adherence to traditional musical templates or branches. The band creates its sound through collective interaction fueled by creativity and free expression. Every individual member expresses how they relate to their own instrument and to the group and their input, in a shared space and experience where the form of a given song can be weaved.
Released track Raqsa
“Raqsa” opens with, “Feet on the ground, head among the stars, eyes dance in sorrow and a heart is drawn onto the sun,” describing an artist who draws their creativity from people’s dreams in order to manifest change. “They plant a melody in the crust of the earth and create a homeland that mirrors us.”
Blending Western and Sahara rhythms with desert blues-inspired melodies, oud with electric guitar and bass, the song embodies music’s ability to seamlessly merge different cultures and speaks to the ear’s capacity to spontaneously translate musical vibrations into movement within the body.
Production Team
Performance: Darbet Shams
Lyrics: Samer Asakleh
Composition, Oud Player: Samer Asakleh
Vocals: Hanan Wakeem
Electric Guitar: Hisham Abu Jabal
Percussions: Haiman Suleiman
Bass Guitar: Mazen Hamdan
Arrangement: Hisham Abu Jabal
