is.it.time:yet?

Zee Karkabi’s first album

Lara Mekkawi

Being a stable figure in the live music scene in Lebanon for over a decade, Zee Karkabi possibly wondered if it was time yet. His time. Time for him to not only magnificently cover the songs of others but create his own music that would touch people’s hearts.

Earlier this year, Zee digitally released his debut album EP, is.it.time:yet? which was produced at The Brain Studio in Beirut and mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London. is.it.time:yet? is a compilation of five songs that portray the rawness of human emotion and fragility, specifically through the narrative of an addict exploring the different aspects of his addiction as it affects him and those around him. According to Karkabi himself, “the album is a 21-minute trip”.

The album starts off with “Advice” a song that sets a somber introduction to the rest of the album with the simplicity of the guitar arpeggio. It is followed by “She Knows,” a song of love and dependency that shadows a feeling that “will never fade away.” The song carries spacey sound insertions that remind one of Pink Floyd. The song’s amorous vibes transform into a cycle of repetition that leave the listener in a loopy daze.

The next song on the album is a French melody, “En Noir et Blanc”, that shares the musical spirit of Muse’s “Supremacy” in terms of drum roll. The song talks about a man with Bipolar disorder, who sees matters in black or white, unable to cope with the greyness of life.

“It’s Nothing” starts off with the sound of a lighter flicking and a cigarette being inhaled, followed by a subdued acoustic guitar strumming. This song carries a heaviness of realization that contradicts the euphoria found in “She Knows”.

The last song on the album is “Reanimation”, which resembles the cool down of the trip the listener was taken on through this album. The song does not carry any real closure, but succumbs to the reality which is the life of an addict, who walks away from help after being reanimated, only to repeat the cycle of addiction and go on the trip again.

is.it.time:yet? carries the attitudes of Progressive Rock. The album also draws inspiration from the artist’s own influences: Muse, Placebo, Steven Wilson, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd. Another notable aspect is the vocal production; Zee Karkabi’s accent is quite present as he stresses certain words. He makes a point to sound genuine, bringing out his accent and mannerisms through song.

Karkabi’s debut EP is honest and open. The music and lyrics are melancholic and endearing. The listener is taken into a trance, empathizing with the state of being stuck in a time loop. What is definite is that it is Zee Karkabi’s time to share his music with the world.

is.it.time:yet? can be found on https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/zeekarkabi

You can follow Zee Karkabi on: Youtube and Facebook.