Ahmed Eid / ILYF

"Aghani Akhira" (Last Songs) is the name of Ahmed Eid's debut album. In 7 songs, real stories are told about the experiences of fictional people from the reality of his two home worlds, Berlin and Palestine. These are illuminated with a clear anti-colonial and anti-patriarchal perspective and yet always remain pictorial and deeply poetic. The songs are inspired by contemporary electronic music while the background of traditional Arabic music as well as the playfulness of musical improvisation always resonate.

ILYF is a Berlin-based band consisting of two of the Bukahara co-founders, violinist Daniel Avi Schneider and bassist Ahmed Eid as well as drummer Kuba aka Badkuzu together with keyboardist Allysa Grace Martinez. They have been a close-knit musical team for over a decade and have been at the heart of many different bands and projects, spanning a variety of genres and styles. In their concerts they present the eclectic musical harvest of this collaboration, moving between psychedelic grooves, traditionally influenced Arabic songs and improvised adventures, without ever leaving the danceable form of a song.

For this project, ILYF translate Ahmed's arrangements from his album "Aghani Akhira" into a band sound using a wide range of musical toys, including an oriental keyboard, an electric mandolin and all kinds of bells and whistles.

Ahmed Eid - vocals, guitar, bass, synth

Daniel Avi Schneider - violin, electric mandolin, vocals

Allysa Grace Martinez - keyboards, vocals

Kuba/Badkuzu - drums, percussion, electronics