A band being able to fill ecstatic dance floors without any form of percussion or drums, acoustic or electric, is not something you see every day.
But that is exactly what The Handover does. The critically acclaimed trio plays hypnotic, trance-inducing music, inspired by the ritual rhythms of the Egyptian countryside. They combine the delicacy of classical Arabic music with the raw expressiveness of Egypt's rural and shaabi music, peppered with a good dose of psychedelic improvisation, kraut riffs and experimental sounds. Their debut record The Handover was put out by the American cult label Sublime Frequencies, and received rave reviews in outlets such as Songlines Magazine and The Wire. In concert, there is simply nothing quite like them.
Native Alexandrian Ayman Asfour plays the violin with breathtaking beauty, while not being afraid to make the violin buzz, squeak and rattle. The Belgian/Norwegian keyboardist Jonas Cambien has made his mark on the Norwegian experimental scene, combining a love for exploratory jazz with a vast range of musical influences.
In The Handover, his vintage Farfisa organ can remind the listener of the deep connection between garage rock and free jazz, while in other moments it seems like he’s coming straight from an Egyptian wedding gig. Aly Eissa’s oud is the backbone of The Handover’s sound – his solos guide the listener from minimalist, meditative drones to epic climaxes. There is plenty of stuff for thought in this music – it’s transcendental, surprising, full of possibilities. But, as many concert goers have experienced, you don’t have to think too much about it – you can just move freely.
