Shay Hazan // Wusul و​ص​و​ل

Tel Aviv bassist Shay Hazan made his solo debut on Batov Records with 2021’s Reclusive Rituals, showcasing an immediate command of nocturnal textures and Moroccan Gnawa rhythms with a hypnotic collection of guimbri-moored instrumental groovers. Set against a similar backdrop of jazzy horns and laid-back boom-bap beats, Hazan’s sophomore effort, Wusul, builds on these sounds by introducing electronic textures and rooting his compositions in livelier soundscapes evocative of place. Standout “Sunflowers” features sublime soloing from Nitai Hershkovits on keys, and follow up “A Walk in Dir El-Assad” radiates the exuberance and joy of a village celebration. Hazan utilizes synths to create similar atmosphere on “Shimo Kitazawa,” while deploying them to eerie effect on “Street Souls.” “Vibe Jadid” delivers the hardest groove on the album, rivaled only by the Afrobeat leaning “Oladipo,” a tribute to the late great Tony Allen. Opener “Dew” is an also a nod to trumpeter Tal Avraham, who contributes a loose and colorful solo. From start to finish, Wusul is a vibrant celebration of the sounds and cultures of Africa and the Middle East, and the sound of Hazan fully coming into his own as a composer and bandleader.

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