ITAI – Hafla In Wancy’s World (Organic House 2024/Downtempo2024) [The Teddy Bear Lounge]

ITAI continues his Unfinished Project with a downtempo organic house track called “Unfinished 08 – Hafla In Wancy’s World.” He also recently released a stunning remix of a track by KÖNI called “Indian Resurrection” that came out via Pipe & Pochet.

Living in America, ITAI is a jazz musician who has started focusing his musicianship towards electronic music production. His live shows use a loop sampler to generate spontaneous tracks that utilise live piano and saxophone melodies, which are mixed with synths and sequenced percussion from a drum machine. Alongside his solo live performances, he has also collaborated on shows with others such as Be Svendsen and Goldcap.

ITAI’s new single “Unfinished 08 – Hafla In Wancy’s World” comes via his record label The Teddy Bear Lounge, and it’s the 8th and final instalment of his “Unfinished Project.” Each track in the Unfinished Project is a chapter of an overarching storyline, which will soon culminate in all the tracks being combined into an album.

“Unfinished 08 – Hafla In Wancy’s World” is influenced by the Hafla parties that are traditional to Arab culture. Hafla’s are deeply rooted in Moroccan and Middle Eastern heritage where friends and family will gather to sing and play instruments together. They started many years ago when some TV and radio restricted the music they would play, which led to people from these repressed parts of the world creating their own music.

Wancy is the name of ITAI’s girlfriend whose vibrant nature and lively personality is well suited to the upbeat energy and welcoming atmosphere of a Hafla party. So, the track is dedicated to her, as it blends the traditional instruments and melodies of a Hafla with modern electronic sounds…

Also released in January of 2024 was ITAI’s remix of “Indian Resurrection” which is the new single by KÖNI who is known for his exquisite releases on respected record labels such as Cafe De Anatolia, Sol Selectas and Shango Records.

“Indian Resurrection” draws inspiration from Indian folklore, which KÖNI has blended with modern electronic sounds to create an engaging and unique listening experience.

Through his remix, ITAI adds a touch of mastery and cultural diversity to the original track. It opens with a suspense-building intro that teases the snippets of the original’s traditional Indian flute, and also introduces trippy pitched-down vocals taken from the original. It’s a psychedelic remix with a raised tempo, flowing percussion, mesmerising synths and a deep bassline. The full release also features a remix by ÜNAM who also leaves his mark with a rework of “Indian Resurrection”.

Get Hafla In Wancy’s World from The Teddy Bear Lounge on Beatport.

Get ITAI’s remix of KÖNI’s “Indian Resurrection” from Pipe & Pochet on Beatport.