Frenetic Synthesisers, banging drums, constantly shifting melodies, hypnotic beats. This is the new sound of the Syrian desert, a sound clash between reed flute playing and desert keyboards. No-one brings it to you fresher than Abu Hawash, the father of Chaos. Playing the Mijwiz (a double tuned reed flute) Abu Hawash guides the crowd into a frenzy, accompanied by synthesizers, singers and an ubiquitous huge frame drum. This is the sound of Dabke, blaring out of taxis across Syria and now coming to you as part of Reel Festivals 2011.

Ghazi – Dj Dolphin Boy

Beirut traffic sounds and old Lebanese music samples fuse with Shooglenifty playing live in Lebanon

Empty Beach – Dj Dolphin Boy Soundscapes recorded on the Lebanese coast mixed in with a jam session in a Beiruti apartment along with Lebanese Love poetry

Deraa – DJ Dolphin Boy Based on recordings of an unnamed Syrian ‘Oud player that features on an old Record Society disc

Scottish celtic fusion greats Shooglenifty invite excellent Iraqi ‘oud player Omar Dewachi and Lebanese nay player Bashir Saadi onstage as part of Reel Festivals 2011

The amazing Sham Sufi Qawali group from Kabul, Afghanistan in their first ever UK performance during Reel Afghanistan 2008

The excellent Babylon Arabic Band, led by Mohammad Nafea and featuring a mixture of Iraqi and Scottish musicians

Reel Festivals again hosted the incredible Ahmad Sham Sufi Qawwali group from Afghanistan in 2009 in the Roxy Art House.

An impromtu improvised music session held in Beirut with Scottish, Lebanese and Iraqi Musicians

The legendary Iraqi group Farida and the Iraqi Maqam Ensemble playing as part of Reel Iraq in Edinburgh, 2009.