{"product_id":"imarhan-essam-vinyl-ltd-indie-exc-ed-transparent-petrol-gatefold","title":"IMARHAN - ESSAM VINYL (LTD. INDIE EXC. ED. TRANSPARENT PETROL GATEFOLD)","description":"\u003ch3\u003eLIMITED INDIES EXCLUSIVE EDITION TRANSPARENT PETROL VINYL GATEFOLD\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRelease Date: 16th January 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Essam is the band’s fourth album, recorded with the same core lineup, but marks a significant shift in their sound and approach. Musically, it marks a departure from the rocky,bluesy, psychedelic Tuareg guitar-driven sound influenced by Tinariwen’s heritage—moving toward something more open, modern, and exploratory. For the first time, their long-time sound engineer Maxime Kosinetz stepped in as producer. He travelled to Tamanrasset with Emile Papandreou (of the French duo UTO), a multi-instrumentalist who introduced electronic elements by sampling live instruments and reprocessing them in real time with a modular synthesizer—subtly reshaping the band's sonic identity. The album was recorded mostly live, in one big room at Aboogi Studio—the band’s own rehearsal and recording space in Tamanrasset. The studio, a converted concert hall, has become a kind of cultural hub for the local youth. Friends dropped by during the sessions to contribute handclaps, vocals, and just be part of the energy. It’s a space where people gather, hang out, play dominoes, smoke chicha—a rare communal spot in a city that doesn’t offer many for young people, somewhat like a youth and community center. This context—the creative shift, the live recording process, the atmosphere around Aboogi—might be interesting threads to explore in the conversation.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSLANG5056X\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VENUS VINYL","offers":[{"title":"LTD. INDIE EXC. ED. TRANSPARENT PETROL GATEFOLD","offer_id":55413321826680,"sku":"VEV-04538","price":28.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0003\/6395\/4238\/files\/IMARHAN-ESSAMVINYL.jpg?v=1768086351","url":"https:\/\/venusvinyl.com\/products\/imarhan-essam-vinyl-ltd-indie-exc-ed-transparent-petrol-gatefold","provider":"VENUS VINYL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}