Omar Souleyman, Atash, the Azmaris

Before the Syrian civil war, Omar Souleyman enjoyed distinguished wedding singer status boasting hundreds of live CDs. While love and romance remain central themes, his songs are now a small but welcome respite from the horrific war. Paying homage to dabke, a Middle Eastern line dance associated with weddings, his frenetic mélange of Arabic song on this year’s To Syria, With Love coalesces synthesized keyboards, pounding beats, and throat vocals. – Alejandra Ramirez