Interbellum is the project of Lebanese singer-songwriter Karl Mattar. The project blends elements of folk, noise pop, garage rock and ambient music into an idiosyncratic mix centered on Mattar's songwriting.
The first iteration of the group released the lo-fi guitar driven Now Try Coughing and played its first shows in Beirut in 2016.
Sophomore album Dead Pets, Old Griefs (2018, Ruptured) expanded the project's palette considerably, adding synthesizers, samples and electronics to the mix. Recorded with producer Fadi Tabbal at Tunefork Studios, the album was released by Lebanese indie label Ruptured to international acclaim.
The project and album have made best-of lists in the Arab world and beyond, receiving praise from publications like Gold Flake Paint, The Wire and GQ Middle East among many others. Interbellum performed at leading Lebanese indie festival Wickerpark Festival in 2018 and played over 50 shows in Europe the following year in support of the album.
Interbellum's 3rd album Our House Is Very Beautiful at Night was released on April 7th, 2023.
