Omar Souleyman has announced his new album Shlon, due out on November 22nd via Mad Decent/Because Music. In anticipation, the Syrian wedding-singer turned techno-star has unveiled the lead single, “Layle”.
Arabic for “how” or more literally “which color,” Shlon marks Souleyman’s fourth studio record and the first we’ve heard since 2017’s To Syria, With Love. The new six-track collection centers around romance, with the singer backed by his bandmates Hasan Alo and Azad Salih, as well as longtime collaborator Moussa Al Mardood, who wrote the album’s lyrics on the spot during recording sessions.
On the first track, “Layle”, Souleyman sings of a woman’s lips as sweet as dates from Hillah. It’s a love song at high speed, moving over dance beats that steam ahead at full acceleration for nearly seven minutes.
The Syrian dance crooner will be taking these songs on the road starting October 18th in Amsterdam. Tickets to all of Souleyman’s upcoming dates are available here, and you can check out the full tour schedule ahead.
Before those dates, listen to “Layle” below, followed by the Shlon album artwork and tracklist.
Shlon Artwork:
Shlon Tracklist:
01. Shlon
02. Shi Tridin
03. Mawwal
04. Abou Zilif
05. 3tini 7obba
06. Layle
Omar Souleyman Tour Dates:
10/18 – Amsterdam, NL @ Life and Death x ADE at Thuishaven
10/26 – Marseille, FR @ Espace Julien
10/27 – Stockholm, SE @ Fasching
11/22 – Stavanger, NO @ Folken – Storsalen
02/06 – London, UK @ EartH (Evolution Arts Hackney)
02/07 – Cambridge, UK @ The Junction
