Review: Sababa 5 - Ça Va Ça Va (Batov Records)

Sababa 5 are back with a new album 'Çeva Va Ça Va' and it's exactly what you want to hear from them; Middle Eastern global funk! 

The nine tracks on the album are mostly celebrations you'd hear and a wedding for total get up and dance events all but two written by the band: the two key exceptions being 'Ypárcho' (I Exist), "a beautiful instrumental journey inspired by a classic Greek song traditionally performed by Stelios Kazantzidis" and 'Asunsan' "an instrumental flip of the much-loved Sababa 5 collaboration 'Nasnusa' with Yurika Hanashima" (that we first heard on 'Kokoro' - see review HERE). 

Fans of twangy surf guitars and mod organs will be super excited to have the band back to the bands' "a melting pot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean sounds, layered with psych-soaked guitars, cosmic synths and heavy, driving grooves. A pure dose of party energy and nostalgia". 

There's a Bandcamp listening party tomorrow night, 18th February, 8.00 GMT or the full release on Friday.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:Ça va Ça va | Sababa 5

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Ça Va Ça Va

Release date: 20th February, 2026

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: TBC

Format: LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Guitar - Ilan Smilan
Bass - Amir Sadot
Keys - Eitan Drabkin
Drums - Itamar Weinstein

Review: Sababa 5 - Nadir (Batov Records)

Nadir's big chance as Sababa 5 new album is released that is more of a album perhaps than previous releases as we learn that, "The title, Nadir, is an astronomical term referring to the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath an observer, diametrically opposite the zenith" so it's more than just a name of a Peter Hammill album! 

Unlike some of the recent collaborations with singers from arounnd the middle-eastern psych-funk diaspora, (including Sophia Solomon and the album with Yurika, 'Kokoro', see review HERE), these 11 tracks have more of a summer heatwave of a chilled OST; especially, 'Zenith', '2025' and 'Tell' with an undercurrent of The Heliocentrics, JJ Whitefield and the likes.  

There's a Bandcamp listening party tonight, 3rd July, 7.00 GMT+1 or the full release tomorrow.

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Nadir

Release date: 4th July, 2025

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: TBC

Format: LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Guitar - Ilan Smilan
Bass - Amir Sadot
Keys - Eitan Drabkin
Drums - Itamar Weinstein

Review: Sababa 5 featuring Sophia Solomon - Shehzadi - शहज़ादी / Ranjha - रांझा (Batov Records)

Sababa 5 like to collaborate but this is a little leftfield even for them with India born singer Sophia Solomon as Sababa 5 featuring Sophia Solomon - Shenzadi / Ranjha (Batov Records)  they go Indo-Middle Eastern grooves with this new 7" single, 'Shenzadi' / 'Ranjha'.

With this meeting of psych-funk with Bollywood disco fans of Batov will get excited for authentic classic sounds of 'the new' Asha Bhosle that has a touch of Asha Puthli (Ed.she was brilliant at We Out Here festival last year).

After the album with Yurika, 'Kokoro' (see review HERE) where else in the world are they going to go?

Artist: Sababa 5 & Sophia Solomon

Title: Shehzadi - शहज़ादी / Ranjha - रांझा

Release date: 21st February, 2024

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR108

Format: 7" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sababa 5 & Yurika - Kokoro (Batov Records)

The perfect answer to anyone who says there's nothing new in music anymore, this is so fresh, Surfin' Dave has promised to hang up twangin' guitars!

Regular readers will know that we love a Japanese element, whether it's the incredible 400 page ' J Jazz - Free and Modern Jazz Albums From Japan 1954 - 1988', the more focused compilation 'East Wind: Revolutionary Japanese Jazz in the 70s' or 'DJ Notoya Presents Funk Tide: Tokyo Jazz Funk from Electric Bird 1978-87' or even the 'Tokyo Riddim 1976-1985' with features a hose of female vocalist doing J-Reggae/Dancehall!

'Kokoro' is more is that ball park as Middle Eastern/surf rock/pysch/disco as a backing band to Yuirka.  The Japanese singer joined the band on stage and fans have already fallen in loved with their tracks 'Tokyo Midnight, 'Nasnusa' and 'Crossroad Of Love' but there's even more on the eight track album; particularly the synthed belly dancin' 'Empty Hands' and the sing-a-long title track and 60s sounding J-pop, 'Halilim Halilim'.

If you're happy with the Batov 7" release series or the Middle Eastern Grooves compilation (see review HERE), you're going to love this even more.  

Batov's DJ Kobayashi recently featured Wah Wah 45s Dom Servini (more on WeWah25 to come) but it'd be cool to see him take on DJ Notoya - that'd be heavyweigh sound clash.

Artist: Sababa 5 & Yurika

Title: Kokoro

Release date: 5th July, 2024

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR098

Format: LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sababa 5 - Aspan (Batov Records)

Apparently, mod-culture is back, but how mod are you without Sababa 5's new album 'Aspan', out on Batov Records?

Filled with 60s inspired instrumental psychedelic funk rock and Middle Eastern grooves, this is another winner you can't do without.

Opening up with 'Wembley' (no hint of a football chant but 1966 and all that; RIP Sir Bobby Charlton) and the 'Tri Li Li' isn't nursery rhyme influenced like the title hints at but comes with some dub vibes!

The cover looks like something from a Joe 90 annual but as a follow-up to last years' self-titled debut album, (see review HERE) I think they've gone deeper and more mainstream all at the same time.

The single, 'Fa Sol La' is the high speed version of the Med coastline Joe Meek (very popular this one) that's matched by the equally fast title track.

If there's more dreamy beach scenes with 'Carmel', 'Aeolus' and the closing track, 'Indra'.  And in constrast, 'Barabara' does her thing; possibly on a TV theme/opening credits with some proggy organ at the end and then, going off script, 'Alpis' is like an instrumental version by The Stranglers/Brian Auger.

With such well crafted tracks, it's hard to believe that the band consist of Ilan Smilan (guitar), Amir Sadot (bass), Raz Man (Drums) and Eitan Drabkin (keys/synths).

Trendies like BBC 6 Music's Cerys Matthews, Deb Grant/Tom Ravenscroft, Gilles Peterson are big fans and yes Abigail, "I'm a mod" and so are Sababa 5; middle eastern jazz-mods but definitely now!

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Aspan

Release date: 17th Novmember, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR086

Format: Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

 

Review: Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan - Bigâne / Namdar (Batov Records)

Here's another in the limited edition 7" series on Batov Records and this time label favourites Sababa 5 are joined by Canay Doğan on the mesmerizing a-side, 'Bigâne'.  

'Bigâne' sounds like a Turish version of Sterolab on Top Of The Pops; somewhat usual you might think for Canay is a staff member at Istanbul University's Jazz Department. 

'Namdar' is slightly funkier than the a-side but both tracks are so good I, fully expect them to appear on the next edition of Middle Eastern Grooves (see review HERE of the latest verson also on Batov Records).

And if you can't get your hands on the vinyl, there's always the digital downloads as you don't want to miss out on either track.

Artist:  Sababa 5 & Canay Doğan

Title: Bigâne / Namdar

Release date: 4th August, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR080

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp

 

Review: Sababa 5 feat. Hoodna Orchestra - Eilat 22 / Elifelet 23 (Batov Records)

Hey! Sababa 5 get deeper into the psych-funk surf and need extra room on the longboard for the Hoodna Orchestra's horns.

Following on from the previous single, 'Funk #1 ' Funk #2' (see review HERE), these are finding their feet in their new studio on the outskirts of Tel Aviv that's the equivalent of 60s Holloway Road as they become more and more in their own version of a Joe Meek/Daptone/El Michels Affair world.

'Eilat 22' and 'Elifelet 23' double A side just goes to show how tight they are and can swing any dancefloor.

The single is on Batov Records.

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Eilat 22 / Elifelet 23

Release date: 2nd June, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR076

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sababa 5 - Funk #1 / Funk #2 (Batov Records)

Been diggin' for some long lost funk on 45?  Dig not more and bring your own dust if you must as you won't find anything as good as this; and it's brand new!

The biggest psychedelic funk band in Tel Aviv, if not the world, are back with two slices of out-there middle-eastern funk on 7" vinyl.

Limited to 500 copies so be quick as this synth funk style doesn't hang around for long.

So much fun(k) and more than enough to get you into their previous release like last years' self-title album (review HERE) and thier other previous singles.

And this is one of a series of 7"s and whilst you want to get 'em all, check 'The Egyptian'/'On The Way To The Wedding' by Baharat. Not for MAFFSA - Bonkers!

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Funk #1 ' Funk #2

Release date: 24th March, 2023

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR076

Format: 7" / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Sababa 5 - Sababa 5 (Batov Records)

Fans of Sababa 5 finally get a whole LP of thier take on global jazz-funk Afro-disco reggae beats mixed up with a whole lot of Middle-Eastern grooves.

This approach gives them a wide appeal and what's really cool, is that they can do psych surf west coast as easily as Ethio-reggae. Tracks like the former single, 'Hadebil' has the funk and 'popcorn synths' in full effect that gives it a 70s disco ball feel while and as a mellowed out space psych groove; could these guys get any better?  

Yes, they can with 'Lizarb' (“Brazil” backwards - I'd never have figured) with it's Latin guitar twang and that mid-eastern synth that could be in a prog rock album from the 70s or a funky-disco. 

And what happens when they go to the movies, 'Yurika Walks' is ready for an OST.  And when Joe Meek goes beats crazy(!), they go 'Showroom 180' that puts me in a total 360. 

In fact, talking of doubling up, it's all fantastic and would it be even cooler if the tracks were longer?  (Like the magnificent 'Kumkum 3').

This album isn't a million miles from Will Quantic's latest Favourite People project as it also owes much to the spirit of Daptone, Calibro 35 and/or El Michels Affair. 

Every review I seen about this Sababa 5 says "Brilliant", "Essential" and "can't wait for the album" - well thier self titled forthcoming debut LP is now with us and it doesn't disappoint.

Artist: Sababa 5 

Title: Sababa 5 

Release date: 4th November, 2022

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: -

Format: LP / Digital