Kid Fourteen’s ‘Heart is a Malady’ Deconstructs Arabic Poetry

Kid Fourteen, aka Lebanese musician and multi-instrumentalist Khodor Ellaik, has released his fourth full-length album titled ‘Heart is a Malady.’ This seven-track record weaves Arabic poetry and spoken word samples into an experimental soundscape where Kid Fourteen experiments with diverse sonic structures and genres. From jazz to noise and art rock, Kid Fourteen delves into abstract realms, utilizing recited poems and archival material to create a cinematic atmosphere imbued with a sense of nostalgia.

Featuring poems by Aboul-Qacem Echebbi, Mahmoud Darwich and Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Kid Fourteen navigates through various thematic concepts and soundscapes. The album opens with the jazz-infused 'It’s a Heart,' transitions to the experimental art-rock of 'Al-Mutanabbi’s Journey to Egypt,' and ventures into the noisy, dub-textured 'Of In Love,' before concluding with the free jazz outro 'Between Light and Fragrance'. Each track blends saxophone melodies, electronic elements, and intricate soundscapes to complement the evocative poetry.

'Heart is a Malady' represents a significant departure for Kid Fourteen, as it is his first album that entirely forgoes his singing voice and the English language. Recorded in Paris between late 2023 and mid-2024, the album showcases Kid Fourteen's evolution as an artist. By focusing exclusively on instrumental and spoken word elements, he creates a richly textured auditory experience that allows the evocative poetry and experimental soundscapes to take centre stage, highlighting a new, expressive dimension of his musical exploration.