UNDERGROUND: Black Theama

No more underground I guess...More 'over'-ground than ever now with their first album released. Black Theama represents everything I ever loved about the Egyptian underground music scene: the experimental-ism, the pure and un-electronic voices and the originality and crispness of the lyrics. The words you hear with Black Theama are so diverse, interesting and often surreal that at points; it doesn't feel like you're hearing a song at all but, quite literally, living it.

I'm addicted to particularly four songs of their album Bahar (Sailor). Those being: Zahmet El Metro (Crowded Subway), A'ol Ah (I Say Ah) and Ensan (Human Being). Of course, the major attraction to me was that the title did not include anything about loving, missing, kisses, hugs or leaving the ones you love. We sure got a whole load of that the last three or four decades.

More underground music bands will be covered in later posts...Well not exactly 'more', probably just two or three more. Here is a YT video of Black Theama's Zahmet El Metro...Possibly my favorite song of their album. The starting violin solo, the closing lines and the dreamy and vivid imagery involved in the lyrics are incredibly captivating. Enjoy!