Amin Al Aiedy Shams

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, film/record producer, satirist, and author. He is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts, original songs that are style pastiches of the work of other acts, and polka medleys of several popular songs, featuring his favored instrument, the accordion. His works have earned him four Grammy Awards and a further eleven nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records in the United States. This Hi-Res collection includes all of his studio albums.

Middle Eastern psych-rock collective Al-Qasar’s debut album is an explosive mix of heavy Arabian grooves, global psychedelia and North African trance music. The band calls it "Arabian fuzz." Brazenly electric and deeply connected. Guests include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys).

Two disc career-spanning collection of tracks hand-picked by Weird Al himself. Yankovic is a true artistic genius in the classic sense of the word. No other artist can parody a song or a music video without being directly compared to the maestro. Throughout his career, Al has offered up an alternate reality of sorts to the history of pop music, lovingly re-casting hits of all genres into bizarre and hilarious songs and videos that themselves have become hits.

Middle Eastern psych-rock collective Al-Qasar’s debut album is an explosive mix of heavy Arabian grooves, global psychedelia and North African trance music. The band calls it "Arabian fuzz." Brazenly electric and deeply connected. Guests include Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys).

Al Fajer Group was established in Kuwait in 1987, co-founded by four artists: Sima Kanaan (Vocals), Bashar Shammout (Guitar) Jameel Saraj (Oud and Guitar) and Nizar Alyan (Percussion). Al Fajer Group became known for their unique frequencies and the transparency of their sound. The band is rooted in acoustic oud, guitar and percussion and they never used any electronic equipment during their sets. When they were first established they would perform Palestinian patriotic songs, related to the Palestinian liberation struggle.

Impex Records release mastered from the original master tapes at 45rpm. Limited numbered pressing of 3000.

From Timbuktu Mali AL BILALI SOUDAN are members of an extended family of craftsmen who for generations have been sought after musicians and griots. The band is a torch-bearer of a quintessentially Tamasheq music shaped by continuous interplay between tehardent and hand percussion. Abellou and his uncle Abou are masters of the genre. Accompanied by their sons and cousins they bring youth and energy to the music. Lightning fast, sometimes looping, this is intense mastery of a traditional repertoire is improvised and adapted into the 21st century. Their work represents cultural preservation renewed. The music retains a similar intensity and urgency while remaining loose and dreamlike. Melodic phrases spiral around and on top of each other while shouts of ecstatic joy and proddings are peppered amid the more traditional praises.

In April 2014, music journalist Anil Prasad was sitting in composer Stephan Thelen’s Zürich flat listening to a demo of his first string quartet titled “World Dialogue.” As a longtime admirer of his work with Sonar, Prasad was fascinated by how Thelen combined his minimalist groove compositional approach with the mercurial nuances only a string quartet is capable of exploring.

An absolutely legendary album from Lebanon by Issam Hajali’s group Ferkat Al Ard, “Oghneya” stands out as one of the great musical gems of the Arab world. A groundbreaking release from 1978 that represents the meeting point of Arab, jazz, folk and Brazilian styles with the talent of Ziad Rahbani, who did the albums arrangements. Filled with a variety of sounds and genres, from Baroque Pop to Psych-Folk to flashes of Bossa Nova, Tropicalia and MPB, “Oghneya” is like if Arthur Verocai took a trip to Beirut in the 70’s to record an album.

"Friday Night In San Francisco" is widely considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums. This primarily live and unprecedented set captured at San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre features the meeting of three legendary guitarists: John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola and Paco De Lucia. Its highlights include McLaughlin’s duet with De Lucia on the Gismonti tune, “Frevo Rasgado,” the breathtaking duet version of Chick Corea’s “Short Tales Of The Black Forest” and the studio version of McLaughlin’s “Guardian Angel.” Experience one of music’s most historic events in pristine hi-res. Absolutely essential.