Intifada Solitaire

Intifada Solitaire is a music album, recorded by the singer-songwriter Dror Kessler from Sderot, Israel at his home bomb shelter during “Operation Protective Edge” (2014). The album received coverage in the press and on television for expressing a unique position of a resident of the Gaza envelope. "

The Album

The album contain 11 tracks in Hebrew, English and Arabic

1. Intifada Solitaire – A love song of a suicide bomber to his lost childhood girlfriend
2. Let's Party - A song that deals with the question of why is everyone rushing-in to fight?
3. War Coming - Song about romantic encounters between peoples and the “kissing” of missiles
4. Leaving For the Summer - Song about the desire to get back to routine and stay away from the conflict
5. Congratulation - Song about the “situation” despotism in shaping reality
6. Being Happy And Free - Rebellion song against the "depressive position" through the mirror of age gaps.
7. Be Free Today – A call for being free
8. No Longer Needed - A song that deals with the interaction of giving and receiving
9. Sderot Studios - Criticism and ridicule on TV broadcasting efforts from Sderot
10. ألْمَلْحَمَةُ هَا هِيَ أمامَنا - Arabic Reading of “War coming”
11. Take Off Your Cloths And Leave The Room – Protest against the art of indoctrination and deceit.

The Lo-Fi album was recorded using various and incidental recording instrumentation, during multiple stays in the home bomb shelter and was self-produced.

The Idea

The album’s name “Intifada Solitaire” corresponds with the terrorism phenomenon known as the "Intifada of the Individuals" (as is the name of the title song) and expresses the idea of uprising of the individual to artistic, social or self actions in the public space, without relying on an organizational framework or public support. All songs were recorded, collected and released in a production-less fashion for the purpose of sharing with the listener the intimate experience of being confined, playing and recording in a home bomb shelter during times of conflict.

"War Coming" Translation into Arabic

The song "War coming" was translated into Arabic and read by the poet Ezra Morad. This translation provided the basis for meetings with mixed Israeli-Arab audiences and helped in conveying the universal experience of being under war. The song contains references to Israeli folklore, such as reading Psalm, staying in a bomb shelter and folk dances. Ezra Morad’s translation used similar and common Arab folklore elements, thereby communicating the experience to the Arab reader.

References

• “Yedioth Ahronot” Article - http://www.drorkessler.com/article-nov2014-translated.html
• “Intifada Solitaire” on Dror Kessler’s website - www.drorkessler.com/solitaire.html
• “Intifada Solitaire” in Bandcamp - https://drorkessler.bandcamp.com/album/intifada-solitaire