THE HANDOVER (EG) + SOFI NAUFAL (UK) + KOHHEI MATSUDA (JP) & DEAR MILK

The Handover  are a critically acclaimed trio that plays hypnotic, trance-inducing music, inspired by the ritual rhythms of the Egyptian countryside. The trio masterfully combines the delicacy of classical Arabic music with the raw expressiveness of Egypt’s rural and shaabi music, peppered with a good dose of psychedelic improvisation, kraut riffs and experimental sounds. Their eponymous record put out by the American cult label Sublime Frequencies has been dubbed one of the beste releases on the label.

Aly Eissa (EG) – Oud
Ayman Asfour (EG) – violin
Jonas Cambien (BE/NO) – Keyboards

There is, and has been, a prevailing orthodoxy permeating the Egyptian musical hierarchy that would render this spectacular piece as scandalous. But let us remember that over the past 100 years, Said Darwish, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Halim El Dabh, Ahmad Adaweya, and the modern Mahraganat movement have all experienced their fair share of scandal and opposition. Music must always be pushed forward – it may not always succeed as revelatory, but in this particular case, it does.
Much like the venerable magic carpet, The Handover slowly builds to escort you into its swirling, ascending expression of the psychedelic, eventually descending, step by step, back to earth, landing as a wondrous spaceship with wide open doors inviting us inside for repeat listening. Perhaps this should
have been happening in Egyptian music 50 years ago but it’s here right now, and that’s what matters. We are often asked an impossible question to answer: “What constitutes a Sublime Frequencies release?” For the moment, we can point to this record as the answer to that question.
– A l a n B i s h o p / S u b l i m e F r e q u e n c i e s (March 2024)

The Handover debut album appeared May 2024.

”defying the laws of physics and floating skywards” * * * * * – Songlines Magazine

”ferocious and forceful” – the Wire

”A masterful, timeless recording.” – Ley Lines

”one of the best Sublime Frequencies releases I’ve heard” – Dave Segal

”deeply thrilling and transformative” – Magnet Magazine

Sofi Naufal (UK)
Sofi Naufal Based in Brussels and originally from London, Sofi Naufal writes lofi songs via voice, prepared guitar, samples and synthesiser. A dark, folk-like melodrama that wanders off into ambient layers, drifting between melodies, looped vocals, protest chants, drum breaks and snippets of overheard conversation.

KOHHEI MATSUDA (JP)
With hazy electric guitar pluck and live manipulation of his private cassette tape recordings, Kohhei Matsuda explores a labyrinth-like structure of the past and the future memories. This music is a meditative journey through one’s personal
memory, a kind of music that accompanies the listeners to unknown and forgotten time.
Kohhei Matsuda is active in a wide range of fields as a guitarist, synth player, composer and has played for/with variety of people such as Josephine Foster, Grimm Grimm, Serafina Steer, Alabaster dePlume, Keiji Haino, Daniel Blumberg and Damo Suzuki.

BO NINGEN (London-based 4-piece alternative rock)
University Challenged (with Ajay Sagger of King Champion Sound and Oli Heffernan)
Chela (with Ajay Sagger)
B.P.S. (with Mark Cremins)

Kohhei Matsuda is teaming up with B.P.S.’s DEAR MILK for a duo set.

https://kohheimatsuda.bandcamp.com/

poster design by Kohhei Matsuda