Falcon by Restless Leg Syndrome

Known for their head-bopping, hip-thrusting, zalghouta-inducing tunes, Restless Leg Syndrome seamlessly fuse Western and Middle Eastern references in their work. Their tastefully-crafted mélange strikes a nerve; providing a trace of nostalgia for an ever-growing diaspora and a hint of excitement to the unfamiliar ear. The Vienna-based group is comprised of longtime DJ and producer d.b.h and turntable maestros Chrisfader and Testa. A seasoned enthusiast of Lebanese music, d.b.h provided the influence for their critically acclaimed second EP “Dabkeh”. The EP paid tribute to the Mediterranean form of line-dancing, by flipping samples of Lebanese music into irresistibly groovy beats.

The group began working loosely on their upcoming project over a year and a half ago. The onslaught of the pandemic shot prospects for gigs short and the guys quickly found themselves in the studio five days a week. With busy schedules cleared up, they locked down and focused full-throttle on music. Having toured the MENA region after releasing “Dabkeh” and dug up an expansive library, their newest body of work samples gems from Egypt, Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, Irak and Lebanon. Moreover, the guys stumbled across 80’s Lebanese electro-pop star Emaad Sayyah living in Austria and proceeded to work together in his studio as well as sampling his previous work for their upcoming project.

Restless Leg Syndrome fittingly premiered the season with an original mix titled “Way to Eskandaria.” In October, the trio dropped their free edit release of Abdel Halim Hafez’s “Khayef Marra Aheb,” paying tribute to one of Egypt and the Arab worlds’ most revered singers. RLS released the first of four EP’s in January of 2021 titled “Venom.”

Their second EP “Falcon” is due to drop on February 26th following the release of the single “Represent the Fucking Planet” on February 19. “Represent the Fucking Planet” underscores the progression of the trios’ music in the second EP and their appreciation for drums that knock. The sense of borderlessness is evident from Gwen Stefani’s iconic “uh huh” in the third track “My Shit” to unearthed Middle Eastern records collected during travels to the region, “Falcon” is laden with references from all corners of the globe. From the bass-heavy title track to “Hayati,” characteristics paying homage to the golden age of Arabic music are interlaced with synths and 808s.

Restless Leg Syndrome plan to drop their third EP in April and their fourth EP in May, in the lead up to the release of Totem, a 2LP vinyl release featuring all tracks from all four EPs (available for pre-sale).

Project by Chrisfader&Testa and dbh

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