Bassel & The Supernaturals recently inked a digital distribution deal with Six Degrees Records and are proud to release their first single through this new partnership. “Aleppo” is the third single from the band’s upcoming album Smoke & Mirrors, and celebrates the heritage of the oldest continuously civilized city on Earth. Bassel Almadani is a first generation Syrian-American who uses soulful melodies, funk inspired grooves, and captivating lyrics to help shine light on humanitarian issues and the modern day challenges facing Syrians across the world. The stunning artwork is a throwback photo of Bassel’s mother and her friend at the Saint Simon Citadel near Aleppo in the mid-1970s.

“Aleppo” is a disco & funk inspired track celebrating the city featuring Arabian vocalist Ashkur and marks Bassel’s debut singing in Arabic. He states, “The Western perception of Syrian & Arab cultures is too often associated with chaos. We are changing the narrative by highlighting the historical resilience and sustainability of our people.”

The song takes a lot of inspiration from Bassel’s workshops focusing on building sustainability through the arts. Most recently Bassel and his wife partnered with the Karam Foundation to lead workshops at the Karam House, a community innovation center in Istanbul, Turkey designed for Syrian refugee youth. Upon returning to Chicago, Bassel began a weeklong residency through the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) as part of their Sacred Cypher Creatives program: a year-long fellowship including an Artist & Community Residency and Annual Retreat for artists working at the intersection of culture, social justice, and community.