The cheekily named Horny Cricket is the solo project of Robert K Beshara. Originally from Cairo in Egypt, Robert is now based in the US and has just hit my radar thanks to his new album istimtā’.
By Graeme Smith
istimtā’ is a Romanisation of the Arabic word إِسْتِمْتَاع which translates as jouissance or enjoyment. There’s certainly a joyousness about the collection, which blends different genres together in a unique and interesting way. The album opens with Arroyo de mi Imaginación, a wonderfully textured piece of ambient electronica which will gently ease you into Horny Cricket’s world.
From there we get fourteen more tracks of joy and whimsy. New Mexico Pika is bouncy, jazzy and full of life. Da Beat brings the funk with percussive hip-hop textures and driving synths. It’s a highlight. Terremoto gives us a short, laid back yet challenging vignette before 808ing rounds off the album’s first part. As expected it brings the bass, but also some surprising Daft Punk-esque vocals.
Frère Jacques updates the classic French nursery rhyme composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Loopy the III brings with it elements of rock and trance music to create something beautifully undefinable. Mounib samples Nubian legend Ahmed Mounib, creating a timeless-feeling piece of vibrant experimentation. Rhythm + Flow is a delightfully delicate piece of lo-fi that develops into driving industrial dance. The Subject-Octopus Problem is the album at its moodiest, giving some wonderful contrast to what has come before.
¿Cachai? opens the final part of the album with some eccentric percussion and brooding bass. To Keith, a tribute to American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, is richly cinematic. Santa Fantastic strips things back and gives us a blend of neoclassical, jazz, rock and hip-hop. It’s another highlight. Vibin’ With Nature is a relaxed, looping wonder. Woah is the album’s final moment and leaves us with more hip-hop and experimentation.
For this collection Robert has taken inspiration from the greats, including Keith Jarrett, Vangelis and Ahmed Mounib, but their music merely act as a springboard for his own clearly immense imagination. istimtā’ is such a great album to get lost in. Listen if you want your mind expanded today.
