The Synaptik, Asayel & Karim Osama Collide on ‘Hena’

‘Hena’, a new track featuring The Synaptik, Karim Osama and Asayel, touches on themes of unity by bringing together artists from across the Arab world. The track is rooted in cypher rap, honouring and uniting the shared experiences of the Levant, North Africa and the GCC. The three artists paddle verses back and forth, creating a piece that resists a certain structure while navigating constant shifts in production, songwriting themes and lyrical content.

The track opens with Palestinian-Jordanian rapper The Synaptik, who is known for tackling themes of loyalty, migration and social justice. Here, The Synaptik navigates borderline electronic synths coupled with hard-hitting drums. The production quickly transitions, moving from EDM undertones to Eastern symphonic string instruments, chopped and layered with thick 808 kicks, trap hi-hats and clapping percussion.

As the track progresses, Karim Osama enters with a highly autotuned melodic performance with lots of reverb, leading into the pre-chorus and crawling to the hook. While brief, Karim’s verse stands out with striking intensity, offering a contrast to the track’s more subdued and varied sections. The chorus, though it appears only once, delivers a powerful moment that lingers long after the track moves forward.
In the third section, Saudi rapper Asayel delivers a confident verse, asserting her authenticity using her intricate wordplay, referencing her name 'Asayel' alongside ‘اصليه’ or 'Aslyah' which translates to 'original' in Arabic, reinforcing her commitment to staying true to her colours while throwing shade at the superficiality around her.

"اصليه و ماشه ب أصلي"
“Authentic, and I walk with my roots.”

Her verse unfolds over a hard-hitting trap beat, where the hypnotic pulse of Arabic percussion, punctuated by syncopated claps and intricate rhythms, creates a dynamic backdrop that perfectly complements her biting commentary.

Produced by Lebanese music producer Sleiman Damien, who had previously collaborated with prominent Arab pop artists like Assi Hellani, Haifa Wehbe, Georges Wassouf and Nassif Zeytoun, ‘Hena’ jumps through various genres, at times feeling more like an exercise in eclecticism rather than a commitment to a cohesive vision. The transitions from one sonic palette to another, while adventurous, can feel like it undermines the track’s flow rather than enhancing it.

The Synaptik’s versatility is most apparent in the intro and outro, but I couldn’t help but feel that his contribution to the track could have been more present throughout. While those moments are distinct, the overall song might have benefitted from a more consistent showcase of his dynamic flow. His verse, when it does appear, matches the electric energy of the production, but the track feels more like a collection of standout moments than a unified statement.