by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Inheritance is the debut album from Palestinian-American artist Omar Ahmad. Ahmad is a multi-instrumentalist, and as the only contributor to this record his list of instruments makes impressive reading. On Bandcamp he is credited with contributions on cello, synthesizer, guitar, percussion, voice, programming, CDJ, field recordings and effects – so pretty much everything bar the kitchen sink!

Ahmad hones his talents into emotive music that provides a soundtrack for some of the bigger questions. As stated on his Bandcamp page, they are: What is a right to a land? What is the responsibility of the youth to carry forward the struggles and undertakings of their elders? How can we break the recurrence of intergenerational trauma that gives rise to the cyclical conflicts that tear away at the heart of humanity?

Ahmad does not pretend to have any answers to hand, but his wish is to provide music that grants the listener a chance to react freely, either in animation or in reflection, and to connect not just with their inner adult but with the inner child as well.

What’s the music like?

Ahmad’s music rewards close inspection – but it is equally effective if the listener chooses to listen from afar, and let the overall mood wash over them.

Close up, there is a good deal going on. Fragments of melody, often fitting into the ‘pentatonic’ scale, are consistently attractive features of the music, as is the texture, with the ear often panning out for a wide-angle sonic lens. Here the field recordings, and other vocal snippets, are helpful. The start of Gesso, for instance, has middle ground voices but soon cuts to running water and a soft, held chord the listener can easily dive into.

Often there is a heat haze in Ahmad’s workings, so when the rhythm kicks in during A Little Time For Me it creates a shimmering horizon in the mind’s eye. Rhythm plays a bigger part in Sham Oasis and Lapses, both of which create dubby profiles while Ahmad bends a few samples in and out of focus. The excellent Usra generates more energy through a quicker rhythm.

There are some mind bending sonics here, too. Descended from a Wanaque Tree (Borrowed Memory) is the standout, with some bewitching timbres and playful execution that prove hypnotic on headphones.

Does it all work?

Yes, it does. Ahmad’s musical language is immediately attractive, and its cosmopolitan outlook will wind many friends, as will his sonic invention.

Is it recommended?

Yes, enthusiastically. Omar Ahmad offers something a little different, something well above the average, run of the mill. This is certainly an album to chill out with, but the rewards are ultimately far greater.

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