British-Iraqi producer Peaky Beats has just released a modern Arabic Dubstep 2LP ‘Bloodlines’, a harmonious fusion of Middle Eastern sounds and UK bass music.
Released under Peaky Beats’ self-titled record label, the LP features 10 weighty two-stepper tracks squeezing reams of tricksy garage fun with dub sirens and old record samples from traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern music. It is technically refined with no fillers whatsoever, which demonstrates Tom’s sound engineering prowess.
“My dad is an Iraqi immigrant and I grew up in the UK during the first Dubstep era. So, I wanted to make a record that authentically mirrors my musical upbringing and honours the richness of my Middle Eastern roots,” Peaky Beats, aka Tom Meyer, tells SceneNoise.
The LP’s moniker encapsulates the multi-cultural identity of Meyer as a British and Iraqi artist. “I like to think of the album as bridging two almost completely different sounds from two worlds, the East and the West, with such rich culture, together through the power of music,” Meyer says. “It took me three years to make the record. It was originally 50 tracks that I had to whittle down to 10, a journey of trial and error until it felt like me.”
‘Bloodlines’ opens with ‘No Brainer’, a stripped-down instrumental track featuring bold manipulation of low bass tones and repetitive beats. One would see it as somewhat of a time capsule to the 2000s Dubstep era in the southern London EDM scene. Meanwhile, as we move on to the second track ‘Kabbalah’, Meyer starts riffing off the mystical promises of traditional Jewish melodies, incorporating sweeping flute arrangements with swerving beeps akin to the rumble of an Alienware.
On ‘Wenu Dub’, amidst a cluster of sub-bass frequencies and swerving synths, Tom integrates samples from the classic hit ‘Wenu Wenu’ by legendary Syrian singer Omar Souleyman. “It was the first track I wrote off the LP. I instantly knew then how I wanted the album to sound like. It just set the tone for the entire record,” Meyer explains. “This, coupled with the incredible melodies of Rizan Sa’id, really opened my eyes and inspired me whilst writing the album to incorporate more samples from the Levantine music.”
The feline gaze of ‘Cats Of Iraq’ and ‘Hot Cat Summer’, however, have some kind of an entrancing melodious feel, capturing the essence of the Levantine region through the light bubbly and bouncy beats of the UKG music.
The 2LP closes with ‘Abi’, which features upbeat accelerated dubs swift gut-puncturing breakdowns and transitions. “This is probably my favourite track off the album,” Meyer says. “I made it the second I got back from my first tour in Istanbul last year, where I had the most fun connecting with a lot of talented independent artists from the MENA music community.”
