Lyrical Sovereignty.
Direct from the sun-baked streets of Ramallah, Falastin, Julmud's second studio album emerges as a seminal revelation, forged unyieldingly from the raw fire of hip-hop. It weaves a tapestry of resistance and resonance, infusing the authentic timbres and intricate drum patterns drawn from the vast sonic landscapes of the MENA region with bold, innovative reinterpretations of hip-hop's unbreakable core.
At the heart of this sonic architecture, the Darbuka thunders with ancient authority, laying unshakeable foundations for a rhythm that captivates and commands, drawing listeners into a hypnotic sway that echoes across generations. This primal beat is met, seamlessly and with electric precision, by glitch-inspired production that fractures and reforms the soundscape, layering digital distortions like shards of shattered checkpoints, creating a hybrid groove that feels both timeless and urgent. Creating a bridge between heritage and disruption, where every stutter and skip amplifies the urgency beneath.
Julmud & Haykal's dominion over flow is nothing short of masterful, a lyrical sovereignty that channels words like weapons of witness, manifesting verses which etch the lived experience of dispossession deep into the listener's soul, leaving indelible scars of empathy and ignition.
These are not mere rhymes but vivid, dazzling depictions of life under occupation all carved with unflinching precision to reveal the raw, unvarnished realities of endurance. Rooted in a fury-fueled survival that simmers like embers in the Palestinian night, this album alchemizes the bitter iron of politics into the transcendent gold of poetry. Every bar becomes a manifesto, every hook a hymn of defiance.
A profound collaborative effort, born from unbreakable bonds. Julmud unites with Haykal, fellow Ramallah-based rapper and steadfast member of the Saleb Wahed collective, whose verses add layers of shared grit and unbreakable camaraderie. Joined by the visionary NYC-based Palestinian producer and filmmaker Acamol, whose beats carry the diaspora’s restless echo across oceans. Together, they craft a work that epitomises the remedial, redemptive nature of community and culture.
The result is a defiant bulwark against the destructive tides of colonisation, proving that in the alchemy of art solidarity stitches wounds into wings, and shared stories become the unbreakable currency of liberation.
Words by Emad Al Hatu