The Way Out

Talal Fayad received a grant for the development of new music. The Way Out, the debut album of the Talal Fayad Quintet, marks a defining moment in a decade-long artistic journey shaped by migration, adaptation, and the search for a personal musical language beyond categorization. Rooted in Arabic microtonality and expanded through jazz harmony, impressionist color, and rhythmically complex structures, the album moves fluidly between acoustic intimacy and high-energy intensity. Influences from math rock, metal, and alternative music surface through distorted textures, driving grooves, odd meters, and layered electronics, creating a sound world that is both visceral and precise. The Way Out explores identity, resistance, and belonging, inviting audiences across cultural and musical boundaries into a shared space of listening and dialogue.

Talal blends Middle Eastern traditions with jazz, classical, and world music to create a distinct, contemporary voice. Since moving to the Netherlands in 2015, he has transformed his decade-long musical journey into innovative projects, graduating summa cum laude from Codarts in 2024, winning the Friends Prize, and placing second at the International Oud Festival. Talal has performed at Fira Mediterrània, Grachten Festival, TivoliVredenburg, and De Doelen, recorded several albums, and composed works for orchestra and choir performed at Palau de la Música and Gaudeamus 2025.