Sababa 5’s knack for intricate grooves and catchy melodies have led to a series of acclaimed singles, from fresh takes on classic melodies to vocal collaborations, championed by the BBC’s Gilles Peterson, Cerys Mathews, and Gideon Coe in the UK, and Radio Nova and FIP, in France, whilst they gradually found their own contemporary sound, creating original music together that could stand up on its own across a whole album.

Across these eight songs, the group blends the Afro disco, reggae, jazz, funk and a plethora of Middle Eastern traditions, whilst traveling time and space, drawing a musical, cultural and geographical line from Somalia to Iran, via Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt and Turkey, from the late 70s & early 80s to today. Thus Sababa 5 create a unique psychedelic groove that builds on the approach that the likes of the Daptones have taken to working independently, writing, producing and recording original music, with their own modern take on 70s soul and funk.

Stand outs include 'Malca' (a girl’s name that means queen). Built around broken synth lines, a languid East Africa meets Anadolu psych groove and vintage organ licks, the instrumental peaks a transformative chord change, shooting it into the stratosphere.

The carnivalesque 'Lizarb' (Brazil backwards), raises the tempo and temperature. The piece kicks off with a guitar-led call-and-response before a synth-led melody lifts everything to another level. Topped off before the end by a beautiful wah-wah meets psychedelic Mizrahi style guitar solo over a pulsating drum and groove line, demanding a physical response.

'Habedil' (the idiot in Hebrew), is named for the innocent, child-like synths that lead off towards the start, whilst the bass and guitar riff repetitively, crafting an irresistible groove before dovetailing into an epic disco synth vamp.

With this, their debut, self-titled album, Sababa 5 are ready to take a seat among the most exciting and original instrumental-based groups across the globe, with an exciting and distinct approach to groove, sound and melody. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Banga
2. Malca
3. Lizarb
4. Showroom 180
5. Hadebil
6. Yurika Walks
7. Keyf
8. Kumkum 3

Sababa 5 return with another essential 45 for Batov Records’ Middle Eastern Groove series. This time, they team up with two very different artists on two distinct tracks built from the same hypnotic groove: soulful Turkish alt-pop sensation Canay Doğan and reed flute specialist Itzhak Ventura.

After four albums and a strong run of 45s and EPs, plus support from tastemakers like Gilles Peterson, Cerys Matthews, Gideon Coe and Jeremy Sole, Sababa 5 lay down a cinematic, slow-burning groove built for hazy summer days. Raz Man’s crisp drumming locks in with Amir Sadot’s psych-soul bassline.

On 'Gaip', returning collaborator Canay Doğan brings her emotive and distinctive voice, turning the groove into a deep psychedelic soul cut. The feel recalls the kind of Turkish soul Leon Michels (El Michels Affair) has helped craft with Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek. The title, borrowed from Arabic, refers to “the unseen” or “the unknown”. “This is our second time working with Canay”, say the band. “She brings bold energy, deep emotion, and a voice that really stands out in Turkish music”.

On the flip, 'Seher' takes the same groove somewhere else entirely, featuring the haunting tones of the ney – a reed flute found in Persian, Turkish, Jewish and Arabic music – played by Itzhak Ventura. 'Seher' means “dawn” in Turkish, and the track captures that quiet, mysterious moment before sunrise. “That feeling is deeply present in this track”, say the band, “stillness, awakening, and a touch of mystery”.

Though they share the same root groove, 'Gaip' and 'Seher' explore different moods and textures – two individual pieces that complement each other while standing firmly on their own. Another essential addition to the Sababa 5 catalogue.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan - Gaip
2. Sababa 5 & Itzhak Ventura - Seher (Instrumental) 

Following three acclaimed albums, a string of sought-after 45s, and collaborations with vocalists including Yurika and Sophia Solompon, championed by esteemed tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, Cerys Matthews, and Jeremy Sole, ‘Nadir’ finds Sababa 5 at their enigmatic and irresistible.

Sababa 5's latest album, ‘Nadir’, delves into a darker, more sophisticated, and cinematic fusion of psychedelic soul and Middle Eastern rock. The title, Nadir, is an astronomical term referring to the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath an observer, diametrically opposite the zenith. Metaphorically, it signifies the lowest point or a moment of adversity. This duality resonates with the band's exploration of contrasting musical themes—melding the cosmic and the terrestrial, the ethereal and the grounded.

The name encapsulates the album's essence, reflecting a journey through deep, introspective soundscapes that are both otherworldly and rooted in raw, earthly grooves.

‘Nadir’ opens with 'VU' - close to four minutes of mysterious, darkly seductive, rhythm-driven funk. Swirling guitars, an Arabesque electric organ, and raga-like drones evoke the haze of a smoky Cairo bar, while the track nods to their close musical kin, vuvuvu, whose raw, noisy, and playful energy has rubbed off on the band.

The title track itself conjures the sultry ambiance of a Mediterranean night, plunging listeners into a realm of intrigue and intensity. A brooding bassline sets a suspenseful tone before a synth-led melody, laced with Italian motifs and Middle Eastern tonalities, unfolds— recalling the cinematic flair of soundtrack legends like Piero Umiliani and Stelvio Cipriani. Subtle wah-wah guitar accents add a psychedelic touch, echoing the acid rock elements of classic Poliziotteschi scores.

However, not all tracks dwell in darkness; 'Tell' sports a brighter tone reminiscent of ‘Aspan’. Leaning into Turkish ballad territory - except with synths taking the lead part - it is both melodic and melancholic, buoyed by an irresistible groove that offers a refreshing counterpoint to the album’s shadowy moods.

A must list album for fans of The Heliocentrics, Khruangbin, The Dap Kings, and Moğollar.

Nadir stands as Sababa 5’s most compelling and listenable offering yet - a transcontinental journey where hypnotic grooves, cinematic arrangements, and evocative Middle Eastern scales create vivid imagery, compel movement, and touch the soul.

TRACK LISTING

1. VU
2. Zenith
3. Descent
4. Nadir
5. 2025
6. Tell
7. Atom
8. Ignition
9. Sab
10. Timor
11. Into Orbit