El Khat – Ya Raiyat – يا راعيات

‘Ya Raiyat’ is the product of a traditional Yemeni folk song, dismantled and reformed by El Khat and Yemeni inventor, carpenter and music producer Eyal El Wahab.

Recorded in Eyal’s backstreet studio in Tel Aviv filled with mics, speakers and a lot of junk much of which has been repurposed and turned into instruments of every persuasion.

Sung in Yemeni Arabic, it features a series of handmade instruments including the self-named ‘Kearat’, a large steel bowl with a piece of wood, some nails and screws and 6 strings sounding like a Banjo-Bass as well as a fuel plastic container and olive oil containers.

There’s a Pancello as well, which is played with a bow like a cello made out of a saucepan, broken shelf and rope.

Khat is the natural plant chewed in Yemen and across the Arabic world.

‘Ya Raiyat’ comes from a debut album by El Khat set for release later this year.