- Fatima Al Qadiri and vocalist Gumar create a retrofuturistic paean to Arabic lamentation singing.
- Gumar is a continuation of themes explored on Fatima Al Qadiri's last album, 2021's Medieval Femme. Though Al Qadiri is never one to sit still. Her discography explores a deep interest in a variety of topics, including video games, police brutality and Chinese culture through a Western lens, all expressed through melancholy synth work. Inspired by the classic poems from Arabic women, Al Qadiri has described Medieval Femme's particular focus as "my delirious romantic Arabesque fantasy." By contrast, she distinguishes her newest EP by opening up the fantasy to include another. Now that "my" is our delirious romantic arabesque fantasy.
Her collaborator is a Kuwaiti vocalist named Gumar, whose name means moon in Arabic. As Gumar's name gives the EP its title, the spotlight is on their vocals, while Al Qadiri's synths provide support. The combination of the two is reminiscent of Cocteau Twins' '80s music with the drums removed. The title track and "Meriem" could be characterized as ambient if not for Gumar's voice, which is bracing in volume and ensconced in reverb, as they sing passionately about unrequited love.
What makes Fatima Al Qadiri's music powerful is the push-pull of different forces—in this case, Gumar's text and Al Qadiri's textures, the moon and the waves, the past and the future. Gumar's vocal style is one that both Gumar and Al Qadiri grew up with, representing the past. But Al Qadiri frames Gumar's lamentations with synths that are decidedly modern, instead of tapping into the old folk instruments she used on Medieval Femme. The synths on "Mojik" crash against the shore as the song opens, matching the sonic waves summoned later by Gumar's words.
Gumar's lyrics personify the moon and the waves, transforming them into a person, asking where the moon has gone (Gumar also means beloved in Arabic), regretting how the waves have killed them on "Mojik." The reverb makes it sound like they're belting these words from the top of a cliff. It's obvious these outpourings from Gumar come from a deeply romantic and personal space. If it's a fantasy, it is a deeply tragic one, but also proves how unrequited love hurts in every language, culture and region.
Tracklist01. Gumar (Moon) Intro
02. Fidetik (I Lay Down My Life)
03. Mojik (Your Waves)
04. Meriem