About

After a sell out show at The Rose Hill in Brighton last year, Lost Property and MAIS UM are delighted to invite Beirut’s most exciting underground band back, this time playing at Lewes Con Club.

SANAM’s music is a ritual where improvised rock, free jazz and noise underscore an exorcism of traditional Egyptian song and Arabic poetry. They bring a myriad of influences gleaned from years performing either solo or as members of influential acts in Beirut’s tight-knit independent music scene.

SANAM formed following an invitation to perform with Hans Joachim Irmler from the legendary German experimental group Faust, at Beirut’s Irtijal music festival in 2022. After that they decided to go on a recording residency together instead in a traditional house in the village of Saqi Reshmaya, Lebanon. “The musical direction for SANAM was set out by the improv sessions with Joachim,” says Sahyoun. “We weren’t looking at doing something specific, it ended up coming out as a weird mix between improvised rock, tarab/arabic song and ambient.”

The record has met with a great critical reception in the UK, and the group are lined up to play Cafe OTO, End of the Road and We Out Here festivals along with Lewes Con Club on this summer tour!

_“Beirut group Sanam’s debut record blasts to life with its mix of low-tuned guitar jams, industrial drums, and earthy vocals – an immersive collection of dark and spacious textures”_ – The Guardian

_"Absolutely love this record, it’s amazing” _– Tom Ravenscroft, BBC 6Music

_“A bit post punk and experimental and very, very interesting”_ – Gilles Peterson

_“A gritty blend of noise rock, ambient textures and Arabic forms that cast the traditional material in a visceral new context”_ – The Wire