SANAM (Lebanon)

"SANAM arrived especially from Beirut to give a ritualistic performance. Their music was everything except joyful. It was loud, penetrating, impressive, addictive and beautiful. Leader Sandy Chamoun recited Lebanese contemporary poetry as if her life was at stake over dark and expansive textures shaped by buzuk player Farah Kaddour, together with a drummer, bassist, guitarist and an electronics wizard. The instruments were often noisy, creating an effect whereby the Arabic poetry seemed to be floating above apparent chaos. We were totally floored"

PIERRE CUNY (Review of SANAM's performance at Babel Music, Marseille, March 2023 from SONGLINES Magazine, June 2024)