CHARIF MEGARBANE

Artist links

RESPONSIBLE AGENTS

Tim Levy - tlevy@outermostagency.com

BIO

With a DIY music ethos, Charif Megarbane has crafted an inimitable style of instrumental music, a melting pot of global sounds that effortlessly glides between 1960s Italian library music, Middle Eastern psychedelia, afro-beat and hip-hop breaks. Megarbane refers to this as “Lebrary” music: a vision of and from Lebanon and the Mediterranean expressed through the kaleidoscopic approach of library music. Megarbane’s innovative instrumentals draw on his wide-ranging musical influences, from the fuzz-drenched guitar riffs of Blaxploitation films and the percussive rhythms of West African funk to Lebanese bellydance psych and 1960s European cinema scores – all reimagined through a contemporary lens. In little more than a decade, Megarbane has released over 100 albums under various monikers on his own Hisstology imprint, offering an experimental musical diary of his late-night improvised sessions, recorded across Beirut, Nairobi, Paris, London and Lisbon – the various cities he’s called home. Megarbane takes a novel, playful stream-of-consciousness approach to composition, one defined by sophisticated yet spontaneous instrumentation and unfiltered improvisation - a conscious resistance against the modern-day commodification of music and a welcome tonic for the polished, digital overproduction that defines today’s industry.

Following the release of the critically-acclaimed “Marzipan“ as Charif Megarbane with Habibi Funk Records in July 2023, the first contemporary release by the label whose previous work with Ahmed Malek and Issam Hajali has deep connections with Charif‘s music, Charif unveiled in January 2024 his new opus, “Les Grandes Vacances“. The LP marks a triumphant return to ensemble storytelling. The LP title can be thought of as both “great holidays“ and “vacancies“, the LP‘s dual sonic essence, a melodic tapestry woven from an eclectic panorama of sonic tools. Funky bets, dreamy melodies and cinematic flair creates an experience that transcends time. From vibrant funky energy to introspective moods and library infused tunes, “Les Grandes Vacances“ captures the essence of past and present, inviting you to indulge in the perfect balance of “groove-stalgia“.

Press

“Megarbane’s prolific recording practices have in the past seen him skid across the classic sounds of slimy-grimy European B-movie scores, symphonic soul, heavy psych rock, delicate folk, hissing beat tape hip-hop, funky Afrobeat, and more.” - Bandcamp

“The joy of listening to Megarbane has always been the sheer range of music that he draws from.” - Esquire