Fadi Tabbal Reflects on 20 Years in Lebanon’s Underground Scene

Often described as the hardest-working man in Lebanon's alternative music scene, Fadi Tabbal has spent the past two decades serving as a foundational pillar of independent music in Beirut and across the wider Arab region. After studying sound engineering in Montreal, Tabbal returned to Lebanon in 2006 to launch Tunefork Studios, a creative hub that has since recorded, mixed, and launched many of the region’s most prominent contemporary, experimental, and indie acts, including Mashrou' Leila and Postcards. Beyond his work behind the mixing desk, as the technical director of the pioneering Irtijal Festival, and as a band member in influential outfits like The Incompetents, Interbellum, and Scrambled Eggs, Tabbal is a prolific solo composer whose works explore ambient, drone, and contemporary classical textures.

In a candid interview with Tabbal at the 2026 edition of Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands, he opens up about the creative philosophy driving his solo output over the last decade. Rooted in feelings of urban alienation and disconnection, his atmospheric compositions blend samples and synthesisers with a custom-built small guitar crafted by Lebanese luthier Abou Fadel Electric. By routing electronics through analogue hardware, Tabbal injects a distinctly human warmth into his sound, embracing an improvisational method he calls "controlled randomness." Combining elements that naturally complement one another yet interact in unpredictable ways, he reacts to the music in real time, ensuring that no two live sets are ever the same.

Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of Tunefork Studios, Tabbal looks back at his original mission to foster a cross-genre, solid and sustainable community within Lebanon’s alternative scene, one spanning traditional music, hip-hop, electronics, and everything in between. He also reflected on how the older generations of Lebanese independent artists have gone on to tour internationally more often, paving the way for new waves of talent. Following a quiet period triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon’s compounding crises and the ongoing Israeli attacks, Tabbal notes an exciting resurgence among Beirut’s youth, specifically pointing to Dajje, a grassroots movement of free punk concerts. For Tabbal, this new wave captures the resilient spirit of the city’s underground: a scene born out of justified anger at surrounding realities, yet sustained by a deep sense of solidarity and love.

Watch the full interview below: