Rami Imam - Safara LP [Ponda Records]

Format: Orange Colored LP.

DJ Support: Carlita, Dar Disku, Disco Arabesquo and Moving Still...

Melbourne-based producer Rami Imam presents Safara, the latest release on his own Ponda Records label, founded in 2020 as a platform for his cross-cultural sonic explorations. Inspired by the rich traditions of the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, Safara is a six-track odyssey of energetic, euphoric house and disco house, deeply rooted in both nostalgia and innovation.

Safara is the result of Imam’s immersion in the golden eras of global music, channeling the soulful rhythms and melodies of Afro-Funk, West African Highlife, Arab Disco, Bollywood, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Libyan Reggae, and Algerian Rai. By merging these timeless influences with a modern, dancefloor-focused perspective, Imam crafts a sound that is steeped in history yet sounds entirely new.

With a sonic palette that includes iconic synthesizers like the Juno 106, Super 6, SH 101, Moog Model D, and the 303, Imam weaves the analog warmth of these instruments into lush, contemporary productions. Piano and strings—his favorite classical instruments—add an organic layer of emotional depth, connecting the pulse of the track with the timeless elegance of traditional composition.

Safara is more than a collection of tracks; it’s a journey across continents and eras, where the pulse of the past meets the driving force of the present. Recorded in Melbourne but influenced by sounds from across the globe, Safara invites listeners to traverse vast musical landscapes—from the hypnotic grooves of North African rhythms to the sun-drenched melodies of the Mediterranean—culminating in a transporting experience that lingers long after the final beat.

By balancing the ancient with the futuristic, Imam has crafted a record that feels both comfortably familiar and boldly innovative. Safara is a testament to the endless possibilities that emerge when cultures, genres, and eras are blended into something that is not just heard but felt—music for the soul as well as the dancefloor.