Wewantsounds reissues Omar El Shariyi's (aka Ammar El Sherei) instrumental album Oriental Music from 1976. Here, the iconic Egyptian musician and composer revisits six classic compositions by another Egyptian legend, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, in his own hypnotic way...

Long out of print, Omar El Shariyi's Oriental Music mixes cutting edge (in its day) electronic music with traditional Egyptian instruments to create a cult album that still stand up today.

Quirky and a little trippy, these 6 compositions (35 min, 04 sec) have a charm all of their own, and I challenge you to not tap your feet through pieces like 'Gafnoho'.

Album's like this are important in as much as that they paved the way for others to follow. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's an interesting slice of '70s experimentation.

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Nick Smithson