Hessle Audio welcomes Toumba to the label with the four track EP 'Petals'. Based in Amman, Jordan, Toumba explores Levantine microtonality, rhythms, play styles and timbres across the record. Lead track 'Istibtan' is a twist on a typical Jordanian wedding song with deep subs providing the foundations, while 'Petals' rides on the heavy swing which is unique to music from the south of Jordan. On the flip side, 'Hazzeh' deconstructs Dabkeh, while the EP is rounded off with 'Identity Crisis' which is four minutes of lilting melodies all in Maqam Rast but played in an untraditional way. Toumba is a producer, DJ and sound designer and is a curator at MNFA, a club and arts space in Jordan's capital Amman. A nationally respected artist, Toumba also holds a residency at the MMAG Foundation. The foundation works with a selection of the most gifted artists in the Levant, providing a space for artistic research, production and critical discourse.[info sheet from distr.]