Today at KEXP we welcomed Al-Qasar into the studio, and it felt less like a traditional session and more like stepping into a swirling collision of psychedelic rock, North African trance, fuzzed-out guitars, and ecstatic rhythm.
Born out of the multicultural energy of Paris’ Barbès district, Al-Qasar channels what they call “Arabian fuzz,” blending Arabic musical traditions with raw psych-rock intensity in a way that feels both ancient and radically contemporary. The performance was hypnotic, loud, deeply human, and a reminder of how music can dissolve borders while still holding tight to cultural memory.
Looking forward to sharing the full session once the incredible KEXP video team works their magic on the edit.
✈️Upcoming gigs 🇺🇸🇨🇭
May 9 @levitation Austin Psych Fest TX
May 13 UC Irvine CA (Conference - Not a concert)
May 15 KEXP Seattle WA
May 23 Cosmic Sonic RDV NYC
May 30 @palp_festival Marigny CH
Video by @anomallyrecords
🌵Stoked to appear at Austin Psych Fest 2026!
From the Mojave to the Sahara via the Arabian and the Chihuahua. In a one year period we'll have hit the great deserts of 3 continents.
@levitation
#worldtour2026 #arabianfuzz
✈️🇦🇪Abu Dhabi was a trip, the 2nd of two Gulf dates after @xpmusicfutures in Riyadh in December. Workshops, Oman chips, and fat microtonal riffs made this week unforgettable, in big part thanks to the great vibes of @maruja.limon@yasminehamdan and the @nyuadartscenter crew. See you this weekend at @northernwinterbeat 🇩🇰
#arabianfuzz #worldtour2026
@thomasattar talks about the origins of @alqasarband and how she experimented with revolutionary lyrics in classical Arabic set to psych rock. Feeling disconnected from the white rock scene, she drew inspiration from social realities, revolutionary poetry, and folk music, aiming to create a sound that resonates universally, music that connects with the human experience and can be shared across generations.
Don't miss the band's performance tomorrow at the @nyuadartscenter !
Comment with "arts center link" to receive a link to the full episode!
@thomasattar from @alqasarband speaks on the Arab psychedelic sounds that shaped his musical journey, from the 1960s album Hard Rock from the Middle East to the work of Elias Rahbani, and the influence of the Turkish psychedelic scene. He reflects on discovering how oud, darbouka, quarter tones, and rock instrumentation could coexist, opening up new possibilities for merging tradition with experimentation.
Don't miss the band's performance tomorrow at the @nyuadartscenter !
Comment with "arts center link" to receive a link to the full episode!
@thomasattar of @alqasarband joins @nyuadartscenter podcast ahead of their performance at the Tamaas Festival on January 29th. He shares the origins of Al-Qasar, a collaborative project that was an intentional response to a "white rock scene" that felt disconnected from everyday life, aspiring to make music with a deeper connection to the human experience.
He discusses the term "Arabian fuzz," which he uses to describe the band's sound and credits his early musical influences, such as The Beach Boys and 70s Arab rock bands like those on the album Hard Rock from the Middle East, for training his ear to accept later Arab sounds. The conversation touches on the issue of the term "World Music" as a marketing term.
Get your tickets for tomorrow’s Tamaas Festival and comment with "arts center link" to receive a link to the full episode!
🎫Few spots left! Snag one of the last spots for our 2-day masterclass at HAUS with @maquiiinaria
on Jan 24-25.
(English below) Um workshop no HAUS (Lisboa), com a duração de dois dias, de produção, gravação, edição e mistura de um single da banda MAQUINA, com os produtores Makoto Yagyu (PAUS, Linda Martini, Expresso Transatlantico) e Thomas Attar (Al-Qasar, Selma Uamusse). January 24-25, 2026
Link na nossa bio (descrição do curso e link de inscrição).
A 2-day masterclass at HAUS (Lisbon) on producing, recording, editing and mixing a new single by the band MAQUINA, with producers Makoto Yagyu (PAUS, Linda Martini, Expresso Transatlantico) and Thomas Attar (Al-Qasar, Selma Uamusse). January 24-25, 2026
Link in our bio (course description and sign-up link).
#masterclass #musicproduction #analog
This is what we were up to in Riyadh in the wake of @xpmusicfutures . Lots of fun releases & content coming your way in the next few months via @anomallyrecords , stay posted.
#arabianfuzz #alqasar #worldtour2025 #livejam
(English below) Um workshop no HAUS (Lisboa), com a duração de dois dias, de produção, gravação, edição e mistura de um single da banda MAQUINA, com os produtores Makoto Yagyu (PAUS, Linda Martini, Expresso Transatlantico) e Thomas Attar (Al-Qasar, Selma Uamusse). January 24-25, 2026
Link na nossa bio (descrição do curso e link de inscrição).
A 2-day masterclass at HAUS (Lisbon) on producing, recording, editing and mixing a new single by the band MAQUINA, with producers Makoto Yagyu (PAUS, Linda Martini, Expresso Transatlantico) and Thomas Attar (Al-Qasar, Selma Uamusse). January 24-25, 2026
Link in our bio (course description and sign-up link).
#masterclass #musicproduction #analog
