LOST SOULS OF SATURNVS., MASHROU' LEILA — Bint El Khandaq

Lost Souls Of Saturnvs. – Bint El Khandaq is the debut 12-inch on R&S Records (catalogue RS1711). Issued on 29 January 2018, the record reimagines the Mashrou' Leila composition from the album Ibn El Leil through a lens of tech-house and electro-inflected ambience. The collaboration bridges the political and cultural weight of Mashrou' Leila’s original with the experimental, beat-driven sensibility of Lost Souls Of Saturn, making the release a noteworthy entry in R&S’s contemporary output. Within the R&S catalogue, RS1711 arrives before a series of 2026 releases such as Dave Angel’s A Time And Place LP 3x12" (RS26LP2) and Joey Beltram’s Energy Flash – Remastered Edition (RS14ENERGYFLASH). Positioned early in the label’s 2020s timeline, the record hints at a continued commitment to forward-thinking dance music that balances underground rigor with emotive depth. Side A opens with “Bint Elkhandaq”, an 11-minute deconstruction that strips the vocal-laden original to its emotional core. The track unfolds as a symphonic ambient journey, its evolving textures recalling the spacious soundscapes of Wolfgang Voigt’s Gas project and the shimmering horizons associated with Brian Eno. The arrangement builds tension through subtle rhythmic shifts, offering DJs a long-form groove that can serve both as a deep-house anchor and a late-night atmospheric bridge. Flipping the record, B1 presents “Bint Elkhandaq (Instrumental)”. This version removes the vocal narrative, allowing the underlying harmonic progression to surface more clearly. The instrumental maintains the same hypnotic structure as its counterpart, providing a versatile tool for mixing—whether layered under acapellas or used to extend a set’s tonal palette without the lyrical content. The release sits at the intersection of techno-house, electro, and experimental beats, reflecting both the political resonance of Mashrou' Leila’s catalogue and the club-oriented evolution of Lost Souls Of Saturn. By reworking a track that already engages with themes of freedom, identity, and modern Arabic experience, the record contributes a nuanced perspective to the current underground discourse, where dance music often serves as a conduit for broader cultural conversations. For DJs, the 12-inch offers a rare blend of extended, evolving structure and dancefloor functionality. The A-side’s length and gradual development make it suitable for peak-time builds or marathon sets, while the instrumental B-side provides a clean canvas for creative layering. Collectors will appreciate the collaboration between two distinct artistic voices and the record’s placement within R&S’s lineage of forward-looking releases. The physical format is a standard 12-inch vinyl, presenting the two tracks in their full length as intended by the artists. The analog medium preserves the subtle dynamics of the ambient textures and the nuanced rhythmic shifts, ensuring the listening experience aligns with the label’s reputation for high-quality pressings. Lost Souls Of Saturnvs. – Bint El Khandaq, R&S Records, catalogue RS1711, 12-inch vinyl, two tracks. Tracklist: A1. Lost Souls Of Saturnvs. & Mashrou' Leila – Bint Elkhandaq B1. Lost Souls Of Saturnvs. & Mashrou' Leila – Bint Elkhandaq (Instrumental)