Otaak Band

Drummer, producer, composer, lyre player and educator Miguel Merino uses this name for all of his explorations and expressions on an ancient instrument that he plays in new and unusual ways.

Miguel is the pioneer in the use of the lyre as the lead instrument in sophisticated compositional settings. As Otaak Band, he takes it far outside the folkloric tradition to produce contemporary and unique sounds. In addition to the typical 5-string lyre, Miguel also plays a variety of lyres and harps with up to 25 strings, which offer a huge range of musical possibilities.

Otaak Band is excited to announce the recent completion of Dunya al-Ushaq, a new album of the songs of Egyptian folkloric singer Ali al-Abady. As lyre player, percussionist and producer, Miguel takes the lyre, the only melody instrument on the record, into uncharted territory, conjuring lush soundscapes and textures with a dazzling variety of tones and timbres. Mixed and mastered by Grammy-winning Egyptian engineer Alaa El Kashef, a long-time friend and collaborator of Otaak Band, all the lyres played on this album are completely acoustic, showcasing the amazing sonic range of these instruments.Miguel has recorded a Spanish-version of Dunya al-Ushaq, "La Traición del Tiempo," with some of the best musicians in Europe, available on Spotify on November 20, 2020. Exclusive video only at www.patreon.com/otaakband