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Chapter 1 (​ا​ل​ب​ا​ب ا​ل​أ​و​ل​)

by KUWAISIANA

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1.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF LYRICS Verse Take me to the Friday market Sell me off, be done with the likes of me Put me in a crappy shopping cart Push me off the highest skyscraper Chorus Dead are the days when I was your love Gone are the days when I was your love Vintage are the days I was your love Beware! The promises of new generation. Verse Take me to the Friday market She tells me your song has no benefit Sell me off, cheaper than a chicklet Put me in the middle of a whale’s stomach Chorus Dead are the days when I was your love Gone are the days when I was your love Vintage are the days I was your love Beware! The promises of new generation. ARABIC LYRICS Verse I ودّيني ودّيني سوق الجمعة بيعيني بيعيني من كل امثالي بتفتكّين حطّيني حطّيني في عربانة سكراب دزّيني دزّيني من أعلى ناطحة سحاب CH أيام ماتت أيام ماتت كنت لك حبيب أيام فاتت أيام ماتت كنت لك حبيب كنت لك حبيب vintage أيام دير بالك من وعود الجيل الجديد Verse II ودّيني ودّيني سوق الجمعة تقول لي تقول لي أغنيتك ما منها فائدة بيعيني بيعيني أرخص من الكتكوت حطّيني حطّيني في وسط بطن حوت
2.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION Verse My morning coffee is the color of the night What it lacks, though, is a lunar disc whispering ceased since yesterday. Chorus Everyday, it’s bitter VII My morning coffee tastes like pain A coffee-flavored piece of chocolate. My morning coffee is the color of the night The sun sets in my cup Chorus Everyday, it’s bitter ARABIC LYRICS Verse I بلون الليل قهوتي الصباحية ينقصها قرص قمر غاب همسه عن أمس CH مُرةٌ / كل يوم Verse II بطعم الألم قهوتي الصباحية قطعة شيكولاتة بنكهة البن بلون الليل قهوتي الصباحية تنكسف الشمس في فنجاني CH مُرةٌ / كل يوم
3.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION V A magazine with never-ending pages It contains adverts which chase me around They caught up to me and tripped me up Search for your ground Hands on your heart CH Come along above love Music that protects us Music to protect us from our inner demons A band that lifts us from skyscrapers. V II A building without an infrastructure An ad without an ending They finish what I have to say, as if expressing my thoughts. Stabilize my body With my hands are on my heart. CH We built a high fence A shadow protecting us from our neighbors’ evils A band protecting us from our inner demons BRIDGE CH We built Kuwaisiana. We built Kuwaisiana. Songs which distance us from our inner demons A wall protecting us from the sins of America ARABIC LYRICS Verse I مجلّة صفحاتها ما تخلص فيها إعلانات تلحقني وُصَلّتي تشان تعرقلني دوّر ارضك / إيدك على قلبك CH I تعالو فوق الهواء موسيقى تحمينّا من شرور نفوسنا فرقة ترفعنا من ناطحات سحّاب VII بناية بدون هيكل دعاية بدون نهاية تكمّل كلامي, كأنها تعبّرعن أفكاري. يوّد گشّي إيدي على قلبي CH II بنينا سور عالي ظلٌ يحمينا من شرور جيرانا فرقة تحمينا من شرور نفوسنا CH III بنينا كويزيانا أغاني تبعدنا من شرور نفوسنا طوفة تحمينا من ذنوب أمريكا
4.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION V The recycling of our personalities Begins from a moment of recovery. No going back after our doors are opened Break them down for eternity. CH “Sufi Islam we don’t want it. Throw them out, from their arms and legs. Throw them out, from their legs and arms.” We cut the breath of the Arabian Peninsula VII The pressure of the world mounted up on us The natives of this land beat the shit out of us The pressure of the world broke our hands Arrows deepening in our bodies CH VIII “We don’t want to return their salam. Pleasantries wasted on dead hearts. Man, don’t tell us about their philosophies. Throw them out of the country right away!” CH ARABIC LYRICS V إعادة تكوين شخصياتنا تبدأ من لحظة إنتعاشها لا عودة بعد فتح ابوابنا تكسير فيها للنهاية CH إسلام الصوفي مانابي گطوهم برّة ريل او إيد گطوهم برة إيد او ريل عيدوا التاريخ من جديد VII ضغط الدنيا گام علينا آل الديرة غسلوا شراعنا ضغط الدنيا كسّر إيدنا أسهم تتعمق في أجسامنا CH إسلام الصوفي مانابي گطوهم برّة ريل او إيد گطوهم برة إيد او ريل گطعنا نفس الخليج VIII ما ودنى نرد على سلامهم مجاملات على قلب ميت لا تحكيلنا عن فلسفاتهم حذف برة الديرة ريل او إيد CH إسلام الصوفي مانابي گطوهم برّة ريل او إيد گطوهم برة إيد او ريل قطعنا نفس الخليج
5.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION VI Purify my green leaves Wash away the dust of pride. Are you the most beautiful or the Goddess of Rain’s daughter? CH Nada - our neighbor’s daughter Nada - she’s a lake in a drop of water. VII Nada, pure & transparent You torture me with your sweetness I can not taste you CH Nada - our neighbor’s daughter She’s a lake in a drop of water. ARABIC LYRICS VI طهري أوراقي الخضراء إغسليها من غبار الكبرياء وانزحي عليها ببطء حسناء هي أنت؟ أم بنت إله الَمطر؟ CH ندى بنت جيراّنا \ ندى بحيرة في قطرة ماء VII نقية شفافة ندى عذبتني بعذوبتك لا أ ستطيع تذوقك CH ندى بنت جيراّنا \ ندى بحيرة في قطرة ماء
6.
Virgin 04:45
Give me a joystick | Take me to warships I’m a virgin | with a pink gun The last silo | wants to lay low Upgrade police force | Dressed in camo A hand floating around killing people. A drone flying around, stealing land. ------ A hand floating around killing people A drone buzzing around, carpet bombing I want to be free from the violence that surrounds me Give me the key to the oxygen in the coffin. Ambushed by our nature History repeating itself Spread your legs, there’s no place like home On a pornoshoot Ambushed by our nature I'm a virgin in a VR headset Show me the army occupy me
7.
Men in Power 06:28
VI Gosh it’s hard to replace The innocence of a child Hypnotized by the land That was once shining bright The weights of time broke apart Put every bond in the fog Blurry lights, a signs of time Brought to you by the men in power. CH | I stay way in the south / I stick right by the water VII Take me back to the basics Oh youth speak to me again I’m in a hurry, such a hurry To find my identity CH | I stay way in the south / I stick right by the water VIII Oh I’m so far from that place Where my heart does operate Yes I yearn to replace the lies of men in power.
8.
VI Door-to-door she talked to / Refugees without a refuge Between a hard and a good life / A hotel and a war crime People watching all day / Writing down everything they say Elders kissed her forehead / Children knew her name CH My bloody Valentine / in love with Palestine VII Driving down with a young boy Swallow salt with their hands Haunted by that moment, they say “kill them all with lasers!” CH My bloody Valentine / in love with Palestine VIII Heavy skin on her eyelids Sun between the clouds is thick The darkness of their robots They’ll take your land with cold eyes My bloody Valentine in love with Palestine
9.
Say Yea 05:11
Verse I We’re driving past the deepest fear I have. Rejection tastes so sweet. I rebuild my confidence. Turn to your baba. And ask him for your hand He ripped one into the curb. And we laughed until it hurt. CHORUS I will wait for you | Will you be waiting for me? Till your daddy says yea, your mama say yea Till your siblings say yea, and all your friends say yea VERSE II You’re searching for answers Memorizing the book So you cut me from your life I rebuild my confidence Turn to your mama I see you in her eyes Ignoring the alarm The deepest fear I have CHORUS I will wait for you | Will you be waiting for me? Till your daddy says yea, your mama say yea Till your siblings say yea, and all your friends say yea! VIII I’m down by the Quarter | Find a second line Get myself in front of them & I’m out to space again. I’m searching for answers | Clawing through the parade Get myself to somewhere new & I’m by myself again. I hear the ocean whispering to me You’re so special but I’m so sorry Find myself out holding hands by the levee Extra special, anti-social.

about

The Future is Multilingual ⚡ This is the debut work of Kuwaisiana, a full-bodied indie rock band with a world music influence.

Chapter 1 is split into an A(rabic) Side and English side. It offers 9 dynamic songs reflecting a dedication to unearthing an exciting global sound.

With songs in Arabic and English, KUWAISIANA is a New Orleans-based sextet led by Kuwaiti songwriter +Aziz. The band works to produce a raw, danceable, full-bodied sound and explore their band leader’s Arab identity by drawing comfortably on world music, alternative rock and beyond!

The cosmopolitan group blends a wide range of genres spanning ska, funk rock, Sub-Saharan blues, Khaleeji rhythm, and New Orleanian jazz. Their recent EP, Chapter 2, demonstrates a crystallization of their sound, compared to the “genre-hopping” nature of their debut album Chapter 1.

While there is a spectrum of alternative Arabic music being made today in places like Beirut and Cairo, Kuwaisiana’s sound explores new territory for the Khaleeji dialect (the culture associated with the Arabian Peninsula, which is typically more closed off and protective of its symbols). The result is a unique twist to what “Alternative Arab Rock” or a “New Orleans band” can sound like and a highly imaginative journey for listeners.

credits

released May 18, 2018

Nick Ferreirae is a tenor sax player originally from San Diego, California. He moved to New Orleans in 2013 to study jazz in the city of its birth at Tulane University. While his musical focus is primarily jazz, Kuwaisiana has allowed him to explore other styles of musical expression while incorporating his jazz knowledge. Besides music, Nick loves travel, the outdoors, beer, Star Wars, the ocean, and New Orleans. Some of his influences and favorite musicians/groups are Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Snarky Puppy, Tower of Power, BADBADNOTGOOD, Kanye West, NxWorries, Led Zeppelin, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Frank Ocean, Thundercat, and Flying Lotus.

Patrick Driscoll has over 16 years of experience in the world of percussive arts. He cut his teeth with Chicago bands Get up with the Get Downs, Videobug, and Dust Bunnies. Upon recently moving to the beautiful city of New Orleans, he has been privileged to play with KUWAISIANA and 2nd Chance Brass Band. He is also an educator, teaching young children the basics of brass band music as part of an after-school program for the Art Klub. His performance hijinx over the years have led him to open up for Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Youngblood Brass Band, The Diplomats of Solid Sound, and Low Cut Connie. It should be noted he is also an ardent lover of cats.

Dehan Elçin hails from Istanbul, Turkey where he was born and raised. He started his musical journey with piano when he was three years old and a few years later he started studying classical piano part-time at the Istanbul Conservatory. He picked up the trumpet in middle school and it has been his primary instrument since. During high school he became very interested in jazz and attended the Bahcesehir University certificate program. Upon graduating high school, Dehan wanted to be closer to the roots of the musical idiom he wanted to study and chose to move to New Orleans to attend Tulane University. He recently graduated from Tulane University where he had been studying under the guidance of Jesse McBride and Jim Markway. Kuwaisiana's vision of bringing different musical idioms together excites him a lot, as he wants to connect his Middle Eastern musical roots with the music of the Big Easy. Currently, he is also a part of the Next Generation Band and EMCM Jazz Orchestra.

John "Soltrane" McCloskey on bass, Michael Stalios on keys, Luke Koeferl on accordion.

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KUWAISIANA Seattle, Washington

Rock band for the next normal • Songs in Arabic & English by Kuwaiti songwriter +Aziz 🇺🇸🇰🇼فرقة روك عربي/خليجي قام بتشكيلها مؤلف
كويتي ⚡ خليط ثقافيّ جديد ⚡Born in NOLA, now to Seattle.
خليط ثقافيّ جديد

Chapter 1 (2018)
Chapter 2 (2021)
Chapter 3 (2022)
... more

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