Jakarta-based trio Ali and Lebanese composer and multi-instrumentalist Charif Megarbane announced their collaborative album ‘Tirakat‘ releasing March 20 via Habibi Funk. The record explores music shaped by the longstanding cultural exchange between Indonesia and the Arab world. First single “Ombak, Ombak” is available now. Ali’s blend of 1970s Indonesian psychedelic funk, Melayu traditions, disco grooves and Arab melodic forms meets Charif’s cross-regional sound explorations, rooted in a shared musical vocabulary rather than genre.
The album reflects a way of making music that feels already interconnected rather than approaching the project as fusion. Melodies, grooves and textures move fluidly without highlighting their sources, grounded in a performance-led process shaped by intuition, repetition and trust. Western instruments are played through techniques and sensibilities formed in Indonesia and Lebanon, emphasizing circulation of influence across regions.
The title ‘Tirakat’ refers to a Javanese practice of discipline, patience and devotion, derived from the Arabic tariqa meaning “path” or “method.” This layered meaning mirrors the album’s focus on process and continuity. The result is a record where Indonesian and Arab sounds intersect naturally through groove, texture and melody, feeling both contemporary and timeless.