Land of Kush is one of many projects by producer, guitarist, and ouodist Sam Shalabi. It involves a collective of Montreal-based musicians from a variety of backgrounds ostensibly expanding on the music of his native Egypt, but in reality, adopting a fairly broad scope that ranges from modern jazz to modern classical music to post-rock drones, in addition to the rich and varied world of middle eastern music. They have a good amount of dissonant, almost arrhythmic pieces that along with epic pieces built on powerful beats and captivating melodies. Their music can be unexpected, jarring, at times, or puzzling, but it is a fully rewarding experience for adventurous souls. Especially their 2019 album Sand Enigma, recorded after Shalabi returned to Canada after spending five years in Cairo, has been a peak for the band.
