Tashkezar’s “Reesha” builds on a 9/8 Anatolian rhythm, an uneven time signature common in regional dance music, carried by tapan and electric bass. The tapan, a large double-headed drum struck with contrasting thick and thin sticks, creates both low-end drive and sharp accent patterns. Based in London and made up of musicians from Egypt, Uzbekistan, France and the UK, the group is known for live psych-funk sets. This recording shifts toward a more deliberate, studio-focused structure.

Clarinet and saxophone move between unison riffs and loosely phrased variations. The melody follows the hijaz scale, a modal system marked by half-step and augmented-second intervals, typical in Arabic and Turkish traditions. Vocals enter in Egyptian Arabic, delivered in clipped, groove-locked lines that sit inside the pulse rather than floating above it. Brass voicings reference Balkan ensemble playing but remain minimal and tightly framed.

“Reesha” previews the group’s upcoming EP, marking a move away from stage-driven energy toward tighter, regionally grounded arrangements that draw on Anatolian, Levantine and Balkan elements without collapsing them into uniformity.

Stream and listen to the single HERE