Somoud
new single - parallel universe
SOMOUD (صمود), meaning resilience or steadfastness, is the opening single from Parallel Universe – Volume 1, and stands as a poetic, uncompromising anti-war statement.
Framed as a sonic manifesto, the track opens with a beat-poet invocation from guest artist TUUP (The Unorthodox Unprecedented Preacher), whose spoken words cut through illusion and propaganda: “Don’t be fooled — bombs will never be weapons of peace…”
From this incantatory opening, Somoud unfolds as a slow-burning uprising, vacillating between classical Arabic melodic lines, quarter-tone distorted violins, and hypnotically pulsing electronic beats. A rising choral chant evokes collective resistance, turning the song into both lament and call to consciousness. More art piece than conventional single, Somoud channels fortitude in the face of violence — a refusal to be silenced, and a reminder that resilience itself can be an act of defiance.
Parallel Universe – Volume I is music from a future that remembers its past — where Arabic pop, electronic experimentation, and alternate timelines converge in a sound both timeless and unmistakably now.
Natacha Atlas is an internationally-acclaimed artist with one of the world’s most distinctive voices. Long known for synthesising western and middle eastern vocal traditions with mind-blowing dexterity, Natacha’s latest work sees her push vocal and musical boundaries even further by effortlessly weaving jazz traditions into her already unique blend.
It is thus unsurprising that Natacha’s output is as rich as it is diverse. In the past, she has worked with Peter Gabriel, Nitin Sawhney, Nigel Kennedy, Indigo Girls, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Ibrahim Maalouf, to name but a few, while, most recently, Natacha has been collaborating with the likes of Omar Sosa and Paolo Fresu, whilst co-composing (with frequent collaborator Samy Bishai) the score for Herve Koubi’s 2019 contemporary dance creation “Odyssey".
Over the years, Natacha’s exceptional talent has been repeatedly recognised by her peers and fans alike in the form of a host of music awards (incl. a French ‘Victoire’) along with numerous invitations to be the star vocalist at major events (such as the Millennium concert at the pyramids in Egypt in 2000 with Jean-Michel Jarre) and to appear on the scores and soundtracks of numerous Hollywood blockbusters, incl. Sex & the City 2, The Hulk, Kingdom of Heaven, Brick Lane and Sahara.
