While Lebanese
DJ and producer, thelittlehouseofg (aka G!), has long been known to work in a range of
different sounds into his electronic production and DJ sets, the Beirut-based
beat-maker has looked to the other side of the world for this new single, ‘Never
Knew’.
Released on
Beirut label, Diggers' Delight – in which G! has been a key player for some
time - the track is described as “a downtempo shuffle, infused with warm
strings, lazy percussion and vocal echoing the soft howls of the desert breeze.”
We couldn’t put it better ourselves, but there’s more at play here, including a
strong bossa nova influence that washes over the track, putting you in a dimly-lit
rooftop bar overlooking the night-time skyline of Rio.
Another
notable element is the track's vocal samples. G! uses a recitation of a
literary adaptation of 'Majnun Layla', an old folktale about 7th-century Najdi
Bedouin poet, Qays ibn al-Mullawah, and his love, Layla bint Mahdi. The samples
are used to form what can only be described as pseudo-drops that help both
build and release the soft drama of the track’s breaks. They add a unique layer
to the track, one that infuses the kind of spirituality that one would glean
from Sufi singing, in addition to the vocals being almost similar to Quranic
recitation.
While house and lo-fi are the two phrases most attached to G!'s work, 'Never Knew' is a distinctly sleek, clean and warm track that showcases the producer's appreciation for everything from samba to the folkloric music of the Middle East, all the while having a particular ear for something that is often relegated to a background ticktock in electronic production: percussion.
‘Never Knew’ is out exclusively on Traxsource and will be available on other platforms on June 12th.
Follow G! on Soundcloud and Instagram.
Photo by Eyedia Production/The Ballroom Blitz.
