Chapter 1

Kuwaisiana’s, Chapter 1, is an awesomely interesting release by an equally intriguing band from New Orleans with bridges to Kuwait who combine the vernacular of topics between there and the US southern region. They cross bread everything from Cajun to Pop music in their combination of styles that never leave out the two areas in which they’re grounded, yet they have a universal appeal in the process. Chapter 1 wins on that premise alone.” James McQuiston, Editor at NeuFutur

Drawing fitfully from their surrounds, the septet’s sonics are bolstered by bursts of brass and the lilt of (apparently synthesized) accordion, conjuring a rootsy, Cajun vibe around +Aziz’s raw, DIY-rock approach. At the best moments, a barn-storming, street-party abandon overcomes these slightly flat, self-produced recordings… But there is a potent spice found amid this audio stew. Split into two “sides” — the first in Arabic, the second English — the lyrics on “Chapter 1” carry subtle weight as a reflection on the modern Arab experience.” Martin Wingham, Arab News

Given the current banal state of popular music, an album and a band like Kuwaisiana are just the tonic that is needed… So here’s to Kuwaisiana for treading new ground and charting a new path. In a musical landscape that sometimes feels too cookie-cutter and too safe, Kuwaisiana are paving new ground, and hot damn, it is awe-inspiring.” Greg Robson, Step Inside This House

Say Yea

Kuwaisiana - Chapter 1 Album Cover

Say Yea is a reaction to the traditionalism upheld by many Muslim families, and the elaborate rights of passage suitors must go through in order to prove that a marriage is viable.

Virgin

Kuwaisiana - Chapter 1 Album Cover

Inspired by the military industrial complex that seems to have plagued the world’s superpowers and trickled into our personal space globally. Strong references here to gun culture, police brutality, drone wars, virtual reality, first-person shooter video games and (of course) pornography!

Nada

Kuwaisiana - Chapter 1 Album Cover

A song about the girl next door. In Arabic, the word “Nada” also means dew. The song is loaded with references to nature and aquatic elements.

Gabba Barra

A sarcastic imagining of how the Sufis were kicked out of the Arabian Peninsula once conservative Islam gradually took over. The song juxtaposes personal insights from Sufi philosophy and its exuberant spiritual value (in the verses) with rude contempt for Sufi principles (heard in the chorus).

Murra

A bipolar song, driven by abstracted poetic language. This is one of two songs in formal Arabic (فصحة). It paints a static yet metaphorically rich scene where the protagonist reflects on a bittersweet life through a morning coffee.

Gashxi

Kuwaisiana - Chapter 1 Album Cover

Gashxi is about holding/finding ground amidst uncertainty and chaos. A song about banding together. The lyrics are a response to the aftermath of intense urbanization and the role of making music as a means to endure the world spiraling out of control.

Vintage

Kuwaisiana - Chapter 1 Album Cover

Vintage is a song about being discarded. Drawing inspiration from Kuwait’s ‘Friday Market’, where you can find everything from cute animals to scrap machine parts. Vintage is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek story about falling in love with someone from a younger generation and ending up feeling like being sold for cheap in the local flea market.