Habibi Funk 035: Beirut City Pop

Produced during the Lebanese civil war, many were copied at home and circulated only among friends and local communities, with some surviving solely on hand-copied tapes.

Many of the musicians were connected through Ziad Rahbani’s Bypass Studio, collaborating across projects and sharing a common musical language.

Inspired by the blend of genres found in Japanese city pop, the title reflects both the sound and spirit of these recordings.

Featuring artists including Stephanie Stephanou, Force, Games, Andromeda and Walid Itayim, Beirut City Pop documents a close-knit musical community whose creativity and musical camaraderie endured despite extraordinary circumstances