This morning we attempt to provide you with a soundtrack to the water crystallising under freezing temperatures by welcoming the Paris-based collective, Oiseaux-Tempête, to MailTape.

Following the release of AL-‘AN ! الآن (And your night is your shadow — a fairy-tale piece of land to make our dreams) this year, Oiseaux-Tempête will be releasing a new live album in 2018 entitled TARAB طَرَبٌ. And if that doesn't satisfy you, they'll also be [on tour](http://www.oiseaux-tempete.com/tour.html) for most of January and February.

Oiseaux-Tempête’s selection

Lichens – Heilagur Draugur

Frédéric D. Oberland: ” OK, it’s Sunday morning, you can live it slowly. Keep shutting your eyes and start to enjoy one of the most beautiful tracks ever by the always-amazing Robert Lowe. Layers and layers of vocal tracks like little rays from the sun penetrating your mind. Eventually you will find yourself in the middle of the song making a coffee, then make your body warmer with the first light from outside. I got so huge memories related to this track, like a Sunday morning on a terrace in Beirut with Stéphane and the two Grégoire from As Human Pattern, listening to this one all together, half-sleepy/half-awake. “

Nine Inch Nails – 28 Ghosts IV

Stéphane Pigneul: ” Every Sunday morning brings its share of memories and a bit of nostalgia. Seems like this kind of unknown track from Trent Reznor fulfills this purpose! “

Sarathy Korwar – Bismillah

Frédéric D. Oberland: ” An exquisite blend of textures and rhythms mixing Indian and African spirit with electric free-jazz and gentle electronics. Take the soul of Don Cherry, the vibrations of the spiritual songs, the groove from the desert blues, the cyclical trance of Indian classical music, the craziness from the soft side of Electric Masada and shake everything together. This is some perfect crossing cultures smoothie to celebrate your day of the sun. “

MailTape’s selection

Oiseaux-Tempête – I Don’t Know, What Or Why (Mish Aaref Eish W Leish) (ft. Tamer Abu Ghazaleh)

Sanjay: ” Lull yourself into a mini snooze with this dense mixture of sounds: distorted oud, flute, synths, muted percussion, recorded street bustle and a languid vocal contribution from Tamer Abu Ghazaleh combine to create a track rich in texture, depth and colour. “

Christina Vantzou – Laurie Spiegel

Sanjay: ” A meticulously arranged composition from Christina Vantzou with otherworldly drones surrounded by soft, subtle and sometimes intense veils or points in an eerie chorale intimacy. Inspired by Laurie Spiegel’s ‘The Expanding Universe’ (1980). “

Nadah El Shazly – Barzakh (Limen)

Sanjay: ” ‘Ahwar’ is a brilliant debut LP from Cairo-based musician Nadah El Shazly. Joining her are guitarist Sam Shalabi and Maurice Louca (both members of The Dwarfs Of East Agouza with Alan Bishop). On this mostly acoustic track, Nadah sings broodingly over chugging acoustic guitar chords as flutes, violins and muted percussion create a stark, unhurried and morose atmosphere. “

Jerusalem In My Heart – 7ebr El 3oyoun

Sanjay: ” This is the second album from Jerusalem In My Heart, a collaborative project helmed by Radwan Ghazi Moumneh and fellow Montréal-based artist, Charles-André Coderre. Here, the slow application of delicate processing, Radwan’s voice and the ringing percussion somehow feel desperately sad but never completely hopeless. “

That’s it! Thanks for listening and much gratitude to Frédéric, Stéphane and Oiseaux-Tempête for being our guest(s) today, and to Camille Célestin for this episode’s illustration. Have a joyous Christmas/holiday/break!