Ya Salam, Ajnabi

One of my main goals on this record

was to perform a set of well-known Arabic songs in a way that challenges how Americans categorize music. If I tell you that on this record I sing Arabic-language songs in a variety of familiar Americana styles, and I myself am a non-Arab American, would you call it “indie Arabic,” “world music,” or “Americana”? It’s a question for Comparative Literature in the form of a record.

- Call Me Córdoba

Ajnabi is a distillation

of two years of listening to, arranging, and reflecting on popular Arabic-language Singer-Songwriter music, posting covers to Instagram, and exchanges messages with artists and fans around the world.

Ryan Milov-Córdoba, Andrew Oedel, Coley Stevens, and Colin Hallahan, Power Station New England, June 23, 2021

Credits for Ajnabi

Produced by Ryan Milov-Córdoba and Andrew Oedel

Recorded and Mixed by Andrew Oedel at Powerstation New England

Assistant Engineer Colin Hallahan

Mastered by Brian Lucey

Vocals, Guitar, Claps by Ryan Milov-Córdoba

Ajnabi was recorded at Power Station New England, Waterford Connecticut, June 22-23, 2021

“Zina” originally by Babylone (Brya, 2013)

“Mouch Menni” originally by Sabry Mosbah (Mes Racines, 2017)

“Raoui” originally by Souad Massi (Raoui, 2001)

“Wahdeh Bteshbahek” originally by Jadal (Malyoun, 2016)

“Lik” originally by Oum (The Soul of Morocco, 2013)

“Emta Njawzak Yamma” originally by DAM (Ben Haana wa Maana, 2019)

Special Thanks

Sabry, Mahmoud, Oum, Tamer, Maysa, Mahmoud, and Amine

Cooking Vinyl Publishing

Evan Bakke

Power Station New England

Omayma Edhibi, Halima FD, Rawan El Khatib, Yvonne Saba, Khalid Allaoui, Hadi and Mo Eldebek, Amine Mechaal, Lhachmia Babahachem, and Nizar Liemlahi

Saint Ann’s School

Alex Van Gils

And to Hassan Eddahabi, Ustadh diyali w sa7bi

Ajnabi was funded in part by a grant from The CUNY Publicslab

“The Dreamers of El Akhawayn” and “Ajnabi” Written by Ryan Milov-Córdoba

All Covers Licensed and All Sound Recordings and Original Musical Compositions Registered with US Copyright Office