Tag: Cosmic Analog Ensemble

Ruptured Album Release // PREFACES // Acqua Marina

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PREFACES RETURN WITH โ€˜ACQUA MARINAโ€™ โ€“ A SUN-DRUNK, HAUNTED GUITAR ALBUM FOR OFF-SEASON BEACHES

Out 15 August 2025 via Ruptured and Hisstology

Beirut-based trio Prefaces return with Acqua Marina, a luminous and melancholic new album that conjures the empty beach clubs and concrete shorelines of Lebanonโ€™s coastline. Out 15 August 2025 via Ruptured and Hisstology Records (vinyl + digital), the album marks the bandโ€™s second full-length releaseโ€”following their 2021 debut Hippodrome.

Prefaces is composed of Charif Megarbane (Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Habibi Funk), Salim Naffah (Alko B), and Pascal Semerdjian (Postcards, SANAM)โ€”three key players in Lebanonโ€™s independent and experimental music scenes. On Acqua Marina, the trio distills elements of surf rock, Mediterranean psych, and vintage library music, while weaving in the modal turns and rhythms of the Levant.

Where Hippodrome emerged from a spirit of improvisation and spontaneity, Acqua Marina is more deliberate in tone and form. The album was recorded at Tunefork Studios in Beirut and shaped around recurring imagery: abandoned pools, tiled corridors, rusting gates, and the strange beauty of deserted resort towns. Lead single โ€œMarmouraโ€ captures that sensibility with reverb-laced guitar melodies and a gently hypnotic rhythm, drawing the listener into Prefacesโ€™ submerged world.

Acqua Marina speaks in coastal dialects both real and imagined. Fans of Khruangbin, Allah-Las, Omar Khorshid, Ennio Morricone, or Megarbaneโ€™s own Cosmic Analog Ensemble will find plenty to explore in its currents.

The album is released on limited edition vinyl and digital formats, with artwork that mirrors the albumโ€™s themes of faded glamour and seasonal drift.

LISTEN / ORDER

Photo by Mohamad Al Rifai

Ziad Nawfal Guest Mix for Radio Alhara // 19 October 2022

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Ziad Nawfal’s monthly mix for Radio Alhara in Bethlehem, Palestine, with music from Lebanon, Egypt, and the USA.

  1. Heroes and Villains – Snake and feather [LB]
  2. Cosmic Analog Ensemble – S’aventurer [LB]
  3. Interbellum – Another day [LB]
  4. Prรฉfaces [Charif Megarbane, Salim Naffah & Pascal Semerdjian] – Embarator [LB]
  5. The New Year – Snow [US]
  6. Kid Fourteen โ€“ Blood thick silence [LB]
  7. Toni Geitani – Raboukom [LB]
  8. Nadah el-Shazly – Afqid ad dakhira [EG]
  9. El Rass & Munma – Return of the penguin [LB]
  10. The Bunny Tylers – Hello your grace [LB]
  11. Oiseaux-Tempete & The Bunny Tylers – Little known ending fading away [LB/FR]
  12. Radwan Ghazi Moumneh – Ya dam’at al ‘ain [LB/CA]
  13. Tony Elieh & Sharif Sehnaoui – Woe to him [LB]

(2021 end-of-year lists) – JANA SALEH

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It’s been a while (five good years actually) since we’ve done this, and so we’ve gone ahead and asked the musicians whom we worked with this year in some respect or other, to tell us about their favorite albums of 2021.

JANA SALEH

– Senyawa: Alkisah
– Liliane Chlela: Safala
– Jerusalem In My Heart: Qalaq
– Anthony Sahyoun: Proof by Infinite Descent
– Various Artists: Istimrar Phase 1
– Postcards: After the Fire, Before the End
– Prefaces: Hippodrome

Ziad Nawfal’s Hisstology Compendium, Part 3 // 21 April 2021

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A “HISSTOLOGY” COMPENDIUM FOR RADIO ALHARA: VOL. 3, 2018-2021 With an unparalleled discography of over 80 full-length albums since 2005, Charif Megarbane is the prolific Lebanese producer and multi-instrumentalist behind Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Heroes & Villains, Twyn Towers and Monumental Detail, among others. Here is the 3rd and final part of a tribute to his music(s), effortlessly strolling from acoustic folk, free jazz and Saharan blues to cinematic soul, grainy funk and old European film scores.
Excerpts from the following albums:
– Muhadathat Vol. 2
– Une Vie Cent Dรฉtours
– El Cรณndor Aparece
– TANGO GRAVLAX
– Pรฉril Imminent
– In The Lobby
– Penelope
– Tabarja Blues
– Footprints & Handshakes
– The Kaya Collective
– The Submarine Chronicles Vol. 1 to Vol. 10
– Birdwatching

Ziad Nawfal’s Hisstology Compendium, Part 2 // 17 March 2021

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A “HISSTOLOGY” COMPENDIUM FOR RADIO ALHARA: VOL. 2, 2014-2017

With an unparalleled discography of over 80 full-length albums since 2005, Charif Megarbane is the prolific Lebanese producer and multi-instrumentalist behind Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Heroes & Villains, Twyn Towers and Monumental Detail, among others.

Here is the 2nd part of a three-part tribute to his music(s), effortlessly strolling from acoustic folk, free jazz and Saharan blues to cinematic soul, grainy funk and old European film scores.

Excerpts from the following albums:

– La Fonte Des Glaces
– La Montรฉe Des Eaux
– Libans De Reves OST
– “Plays” Brothers Nylon (Extra Hissy Tape)
– De l’Usage Des Crampons Sur Terrain Glissant
– The Forgotten Boomerang
– Asleep At The Switch
– Grands Pays
– Petits Pays
– All By Mistake
– Fortune Tellin’ EP
– Before The Film
– Aprรจs Le Film
– Les Sourdes Oreilles

Ziad Nawfal’s Hisstology Compendium, Part 1 // 17 February 2021

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A “HISSTOLOGY” COMPENDIUM FOR RADIO ALHARA: VOL. 1, 2009-2013

With an unparalleled discography of over 80 full-length albums since 2005, Charif Megarbane is the prolific Lebanese producer and multi-instrumentalist behind Cosmic Analog Ensemble, Heroes & Villains, Twyn Towers and Monumental Detail, among others.

Here is the first part of a three-part tribute to his music(s), effortlessly strolling from acoustic folk, free jazz and Saharan blues to cinematic soul, grainy funk and old European film scores.

Excerpts from the following albums:

– Anatomy Of A Moment: Infants-Children-Teenagers
– Concrete Abstracts
– Innertimes/Outerspace
– Plays Fayrouz
– Ya3tik el 3afieh
– Ghost Notes In Between
– Like Morning To The Insomniac
– 4/4 x 10
– In The Land Of A Thousand Snares
– ล“
– Monumental Detail
– Fish Fingers
– Kachumbari
– As The Suntanned Shared A Toast
– Ruptured Sessions Vol. 6: For Beirut

Ruptured Sessions Mix for Radio Alhara // 21 August 2020

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Ziad Nawfal’s guest mix for Radio Alhara, featuring selections from all 6 volumes of โ€œThe Ruptured Sessionsโ€ [2008-2019]:

1. El Rass & Munma – Freestyle [2012]
2. Fareeq El Atrash – Njoom `Am Te’rab [2009]
3. The Incompetents – Cannibal Blues [2011]
4. Intensive Care – Another You [2010]
5. White Trees – The Game of Love [2010]
6. Charbel Haber – Building A Nest [2008]
7. Sandmoon – Dead of Jericho [2010]
8. Charlie Rayne – Madeleines [2013]
9. Postcards – Flying Saucers [2018]
10. Youmna Saba feat. Fadi Tabbal – Tehfi [2008]
11. Safar – Overlove [2015]
12. Alko B – Some Things [2019]
13. Cosmic Analog Ensemble – Early Embankment [2011]
14. The Wanton Bishops – Whoopy [2013]
15. Who Killed Bruce Lee – Pool Party [2013]
16. Mashrouโ€™ Leila – Im Bimbillila7 [2009]
17. Kinematik – Lalochezia [2017]

Ruptured News // MUSIC RELIEF FOR BEIRUT #3: Ruptured Sessions Vol.6 + Tunefork Musicians’ Fund

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In the aftermath of the August 4th explosion in Beirut, which left several hundred people dead, thousands injured, and resulted in city-wide material damage, several labels and platforms have started releasing compilations in support of the crisis.

The Ruptured Sessions Vol.6 is the latest iteration of Ziad Nawfal‘s series of live recordings in the studios of Radio Lebanon. Spanning a period of 10 years, this collection includes live versions of songs by Lebanese musicians Alko B, The Incompetents, Kinematik, Postcards, Safar, The Wanton Bishops, Who Killed Bruce Lee, and Youmna Saba, as well as previously unreleased tracks by Charlie Rayne, Cosmic Analog Ensemble, and El Rass & Munma.

All Bandcamp sales from this release will be forwarded to Tunefork Studios‘ Beirut Musicians’ Fund, aimed at providing relief to musicians impacted by the deadly blast of August 4th. The fund will replace musicians’ damaged recording equipment, instruments and various music gear.

Buy The Ruptured Sessions Vol.6 here.
Read Scene Noise‘s review here.
Donate to Beirut Musicians’ Fund here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruptures Radio Show // January 2019

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Featuring artists from Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Turkey and the USA:

1. Alko B – Elephant In The Room [Ruptured Session]
2. Cosmic Analog Ensemble – Phoenician Rose
3. Al Rajul Al Hadidi – Qossat Al Tapline
4. Hadi Zeidan – Taksim Juno & 808
5. Dabaka – Ya Nass
6. Maurice Louca – One More For The Gutter
7. Karkhana & Nadah el Shazly – Enlevez les trottoirs, je n’ai plus nulle part oรน me rendre
8. Nadah el Shazly – Afqid Adh-Dhakira
9. Zeid Hamdan & Maii Waleed – Ehdefni
10 Muqataa – Marj Ibn Amer
11. Ziad Qoulaii Allstars – Mystique
12. Jerusalem In My Heart – Bein Ithnein
13. Kid Fourteen – Can You Be More Concerned
14. The Bunny Tylers – I’ll Make It Up To You
15. Calamita – FTC

Ruptures Radio Show // December 2018

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Featuring artists from Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco and France:

1. Interbellum – Ready to dissolve
2. Postcards – Revolvers
3. Alko B – Elephant in the room [Ruptured session, to be released Xmas 2018]
4. Mme Chandelier – Exodus
5. Oiseaux-Tempete + Bunny Tylers – The little known ending fading away [Live]
6. Munma – Eole
7. Kid Fourteen – Ice in my eyes
8. Cosmic Analog Ensemble – Phoenician rose
9. Heroes & Villains – The rest is history
10. Tapeman No. 1 – Le coeur sec
11. Ziad Qoulaii Allstars – Mystique [Unreleased]
12. Maryam Saleh, Maurice Louca & Tamer Abu Ghazaleh – Nefsif akli
13. Panstarrs – Dor el fo2 [Unreleased]