Portuguese sound artist Artur Pispalhas releases debut album ‘mā tmutish’ under el djinn الجن alias

Portuguese sound artist Artur Pispalhas has unveiled 'mā tmutish (ما تموتش)', the debut album by his el djinn project, bringing together a body of work shaped through years of collaboration with Palestinian voices.

The 10-track record brings together texts, poems, traditional songs and original recordings performed by Dima Mohammed, Nour El Tibi, Omar Hamad, Samano, Serenah Simao, Serene Issa and Shahd Wadi. Developed through research initiated in 2021, the album moves across Arabic, Portuguese and English, placing voice at the centre of its compositions while exploring themes of memory, loss, care, anger and resilience.

Drawing on Palestinian voices of resistance, the compositions unfold between electronic music, sound art and ritualistic sonic landscapes. Throughout the record, music frequently follows the spoken word, shaping itself around the rhythm of language, the cadence of poetry and the interplay of silence and noise to create a continuous and immersive listening experience.

The album takes its title from a poem by Omar Hamad, written and recorded in a refugee camp in Gaza during the genocide. Meaning "don't die", the phrase recurs throughout the work as both an intimate and political refrain, addressed to oneself, to children, to the land and to memory.

All proceeds from the release will be donated to Ele Elna Elak, a volunteer-led initiative that provides support to Palestinian families in need.

The album is out now on digital formats and cassette through Lovers & Lollypops. Check it out here.