On his debut release, the Amman-based DJ and producer Toumba described his music as a bridge between the folk traditions of his native Jordan and the UK club music he was exposed to while living abroad. What this has meant is hard-hitting club rhythms and corporeal sub-bass, alongside percussion nodding to tablah drums and microtonal melodies from the Arabic maqam modal system. “Istibtan”—from Toumba’s forthcoming Petals EP on Hessle Audio—builds on his usual template but features sharper and more minimal production than in the past. The track starts with eerie chords and a bubbling electronic riff that recalls Sheffield Bleep or UK Garage, before a gigantic bass drum descends on the mix, its undulating rhythm close to reggaeton or dancehall. Like on “Multipack of Limes” from last year’s Rosefinch EP, “Istibtan”’s tightly-coiled melody hearkens back to Jordanian wedding songs, and its wriggles are matched by a gamboling electro-tablah drum line. Throughout, “Istibtan” feels incredibly alive, the song’s rhythms and melodies weaving around each other like the mischievous duel of dance partners.
