The search for Oum

Doom/Avant-Garde/Folk

The search for Oum is a touring live performance by rock and metal musicians from all over Sweden. They explore the work of Egyptian singer Oum Khultum and her 60 minute long classic piece Enta Omry. One of the most important pieces of music in the arabic and north African traditions. The idea is to connect the arab classical traditions of the past century with the modern tradition of Swedish heavy music, with the purpose to make something uniquely different and genre bending.

Carlos Ibarra says – Seven years ago I was sitting on a bus heading to the small village of Tafraoute in the atlas mountains. On the same bus a woman was listening to this amazing music out of the speaker of her phone. I thought to myself – Everything this vocalist sings would be an awesome guitar riff. I asked the woman what she was listening to. She said Oum Khultum – Enta Omry. Here an idea was born.

Maulén´s version of this epic will take you on a sonic journey that goes from the hot psychedelic deserts of the Sahara to the bitter doomsday Soundscapes of the frozen north.

In 2021

Maulén was chosen to be an artist in residency by the region of Västra Götaland. Carlos started to gather some musicians to develop this idea. Together with Lea Alazam, Carlos Sepulveda and Stefan Johansson they spent a week on a mountain top in Dalsland, Sweden to work on the project. In the summer of 2022 they will go to the village of Tafraoute in Morocco to record their version of Enta Omry, in Swedish. The process will be filmed and documented for future release.

Upon their return to Sweden they plan to present a year’s worth of work with a string of live performances across Scandinavia. Selected dates on this tour will be with additional folk musicians.

For booking inquiries click here contactmaulen@gmail.com

Carlos Ibarra - Guitar - Gothenburg

Having a background in extreme metal Carlos has spent the last three years developing a new way of working and pursuing his real passions in life. To work with music that is beautiful and strange and to explore new and different spaces to develop ideas. Known from Age of Woe and No Hawaii

Lea Alazam - Vocals - Falun

Lea has made a name for her as a diverse singer doing everything from synth to doom and onwards to punk. Her unique voice and powerful persona on stage will most definitely add to a great live performance. Known from Besvärjelsen, Brides of the Black Room, Bandet Alltså.

Carlos Sepulveda - Guitar - Gothenburg

Guitar wizard to the bone Carlos has a long history in the music scene of Sweden, both as a guitar player, live engineer and a producer. His precision and technique will add depth and emotion to the live performances. Known from The Leather Nun, Psycore and much more.

Stefan Johansson - Drums - Umeå

Stefan has made a name for himself in the music scene of Northern Sweden, As a multi instrumentalist and producer. Putting a lot of enfaces on the “heavy fot” and funky grooves. He is the man behind Studio Järnhjälmen in Umeå and the band Abrovinch. Known from Abrovinch and Jimmie Ågren band.

Mikael Tuominen - Bass - Stockholm

Mikael is a bass player and guitarist with many different projects that are active on both a national and international level. He first and foremost plays guitar in Kungens Män, bass in Fanatism and also sings and plays all the instruments in his solo project Solitär. In 2013 he won a P3 Guld award with his former band Switch Opens.