Notes

‘Ayonha.’ There’s a rich collection of Arab-pop performances kept alive by reissue labels like Habibi Funk Records, based in Berlin, and this a standout example from 1983 Egypt recorded by Hamid al-Shaeri. Al-Shaeri was born in Benghazi, the son of an Egyptian mother and Libyan father. This style you hear came to be known as Al Jeel—“the generation”—for its smooth mixture of Arab rhythms and instruments with new Western synthpop. Al-Shaeri’s success stretched from the ‘80s to well into the 2000s—here, with an ode to “her eyes.”

What’s Habibi Funk Records?

—Brendan Hasenstab