SANAM
SANAM is a Beirut-based sextet that merges psych/kraut, improv/skronk, electronics, goth, and jazz elements with traditional Egyptian song and modern Arabic poetry in a compelling brew of widescreen hybrid avant-rock. Emerging from Beirut’s fiercely creative independent scene, the group features Sandy Chamoun (vocals), Antonio Hajj (bass), Farah Kaddour (buzuq), Anthony Sahyoun (guitar, synth), Pascal Semerdjian (drums), and Marwan Tohme (guitars)—each an accomplished musician in their own right, with ties to influential Lebanese acts like Kinematik, Postcards, Al Rahel al Kabir, and Oviid. Formed following an invitation to collaborate with Hans Joachim Irmler (of German krautrock legends Faust) at the Irtijal Festival in 2021, the band solidified its identity during a recording residency in rural Lebanon amid national turmoil.
SANAM captured its debut album Aykathani Malakon entirely live, forgoing overdubs, embracing improvisation and musical friction to create an immersive and otherworldly sonic landscape. With haunting vocals, deeply textured instrumental layers, and texts by Egyptian composer Sayyid Darwish and contemporary Lebanese poets Bassem Hajjar and Paul Shaoul, the album channels the urgency, mysticism, and emotional upheaval of contemporary life in Lebanon and the region. Mixed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh (Jerusalem in My Heart) and mastered by Heba Kadry, the debut album was released in June 2023 by UK label Mais Um Discos, garnering notable critical acclaim from The Guardian, The Wire, BBC Radio 6 (from both Gilles Peterson and Tom Ravenscroft) and Bandcamp Daily.
SANAM brought its live show to Europe for select engagements in 2023-2024, including festival appearances at Le Guess Who?, Feeërieën, and Les Escales, and recorded a live album at London’s Café Oto, released on limited edition cassette by Mais Um Discos, capturing the raw and transcendent energy of the band’s performances.
SANAM will make its first trip to North America in June 2025 with a string of festival appearances in Canada, including Sled Island, Everyseeker, and Suoni Per Il Popolo, followed by European festival dates in July, including Roskilde. The band will release their sophomore album with renowned Canadian experimental label Constellation in September 2025, promising a deeper dive into their boundary-defying synthesis of folklore, feedback, and freeform fervor.
Live Dates
09 Oct 2025 • Nantes FR • Stereolux (with Zeid Hamdan, Postcards)
14 Oct 2025 • Geneva CH • Cave 12 (with Passage de Disques)
15 Oct 2025 • Grenoble FR • Le Ciel (with Lune Rousse)
16 Oct 2025 • Briançon FR • Bruit Blanc (with Tessina)
17 Oct 2025 • Gap FR • Le Gorille
18 Oct 2025 • Lyon FR • Le Périscope
22 Oct 2025 • Paris FR • Petit Bain (with FOUDRE!)
23 Oct 2025 • Brest FR • La Carène (with Zoe Heselton)
24 Oct 2025 • Ghent BE • De Koer (with Beyt Al Tapes)
26 Oct 2025 • Dijon FR • Hotel de Vogué
21 Nov 2025 • Milano IT • Spazio Teatro 89
22 Nov 2025 • Ravenna IT • Transmissions Festival
23 Nov 2025 • Perugia IT • Sala dei Notari
24 Nov 2025 • Roma IT • Monk
26 Nov 2025 • Savona IT • Raindogs
27 Nov 2025 • Marseille FR • Festival Le Jest
28 Nov 2025 • Mestre IT • Teatro del Parco
30 Nov 2025 • Leeds UK • The Attic
01 Dec 2025 • Glasgow UK • The Flying Duck
02 Dec 2025 • Salford UK • The White Hotel
03 Dec 2025 • Bristol UK • Strange Brew
04 Dec 2025 • Brighton UK • Patterns
05 Dec 2025 • London UK • Rich Mix
Contacts & Links
Press enquiries UK & North America:
Lauren Barley at Rarely Unable
Press enquiries EU:
Ed Benndorf at Dense Promotion
Booking enquiries:
EU - Misha Geleyn
UK - Rob Gibbs
Italy - Marco Stangherin
FR/BE/CH - Clement Jaulin
US/CA - Radwan Moumneh
Artist Photos
For high-resolution downloads, click here