Yemeni Jewish junkyard band
Berlin, Germany
Photo courtesy of artist
Berlin-based Yemeni collective El Khat preserves traditional Yemeni melodies, infusing them with touches of swirling psych-rock and gutbucket grooves played on a unique collection of homemade instruments. The trio takes its name from khat (قات), the traditional herbal stimulant chewed in Yemen and throughout the Horn of Africa, crafting a sound that mimics the herb’s dizzying, disorienting effects. Led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Eyal El Wahab, the ensemble puts a contemporary DIY spin on the rich musical heritage of the Yemeni community, paying tribute to Yemen’s golden age of traditional music.
The post-World War II birth of nations like Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and Jordan completely re-shaped the Middle East, triggering regional conflicts and the displacement of both Arab and Jewish communities. Amid this upheaval, the new Israeli state became a salvation for Yemeni Jews fleeing centuries of hardship and violence. They brought their ancient music and songs with them, sustaining and adding to a rich cultural legacy. El Khat are the children of these Yemeni Jewish refugees. Preserving traditional ancestral melodies with garage-rock distortion, they continue a 1,000-year-old musical heritage that almost disappeared due to waves of migration.
Growing up in the small town of Kfar Saba, El Wahab regularly participated in the centuries-old ritual of chewing khat leaves, singing traditional songs, and visiting Yemeni synagogues during his childhood. His connection to his roots deepened while living with extended family who had fled Yemen for Israel, first surviving in refugee camps before relocating to Yemenite villages in central Israel. His upbringing required navigating an environment that often encouraged the erasure of his ancestral heritage, a shared experience across the Yemenite Jewish diaspora.
Showing immense talent as a young boy, El Wahab taught himself guitar and cello completely by ear, playing on the streets for a living until he became the principal cellist for the Jerusalem Andalusian Orchestra. Longing to more deeply explore his roots, he left the orchestra, and quite serendipitously, was gifted Qat, Coffee, and Qambus: Raw 45s from Yemen, a compilation of classic Yemeni recordings reissued by acclaimed label Dust-to-Digital. El Wahab also began learning Arabic and experimenting with wood and metal crafting. Drawing on his skills as a cabinet maker, he built homemade string and percussion instruments out of cast-off materials and recycled trash, following a long tradition of Yemeni musicians creating art out of scarcity.
El Wahab formed El Khat in 2018, inspired by these old recordings and a drive for cultural inquiry. The band has released three acclaimed albums via Glitterbeat Records: Saadia Jefferson, Albat Alawi Op.99, and, most recently, Mute, creating a critical buzz at home and abroad with their singular take on this “displaced music.” By combining traditional Yemini rhythms and melodies and junkyard instruments with modern keyboards, El Khat hones a unique sound birthed in garages and warehouses. Having relocated across Germany and Estonia, the band's cross-border move brought themes of migration to the forefront of their latest release, which also incorporates a barrage of detuned brass and experimental choral arrangements. El Khat continues to forge an adventurous sound that bridges past and present—keeping classic Yemeni sounds alive while boldly reimagining its future.