The Intifada 1987

The first few echoey seconds of album opener Intifada sound like they’ve been beamed from a different era, communicating urgent messages to the present. And that’s not too far from the truth: the tape was recorded in Jerusalem during the first Intifada, and the sentiments expressed here are just as relevant today. Almost lost forever after most copies were seized by the Israeli military, the record was rediscovered by Palestinian actor, DJ, and founder of the Majazz Project Mo’min Swaitat during a rummage through thousands of old dusty tapes in a boarded up music shop in his hometown of Jenin. Recorded by Riad Awwad, his sister Hanan Awwad, and with lyrics by Palestinian national poet Mahmoud Darwish, The Intifada 1987 is in part a love letter to Palestine, in part soundtrack to a revolution, calling upon Palestinians to stand up to their occupiers. This shines through whether you understand the lyrics or not,  with its compelling but rough around the edges mix of synths, percussions, and impassioned vocals perfectly expressing feelings of pride, despair, anger, and optimism.