Mashrou' Leila – Ibn El Leil

Beirut indie collective Mashrou' Leila completely reimagined Arabic pop on this dark, cinematic concept album recorded at Paris's Studio La Frette. Addressing nightlife, personal freedom, and urban alienation, the band fuses driving electronic synthesiser basslines and club beats with Haig Papazian's soaring violin and Hamed Sinno's theatrical, melancholic vocals, creating a landmark of modern alternative Arabic music.