Palestinian hip-hop group DAM are currently seeking funding to complete the recording of their new album.

Tentatively titled Street Poetry, the album will be their first since 2006’s IHDA (Dedication) and represents a period of growth for the band, who have spent the last two years recording and gigging. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Mahmoud Jreri said, “Lyrically it’s much more mature than the last album. Also we’ve developed more musically, we’ve worked with different producers so it sounds different. But our lyrics are still social, political and economical.” Though Jreri, perhaps aware of the negative connotations associated with many political bands, is keen to distance himself from the preachy vibe. “It’s more about storytelling,” he says. “We want to help people understand.”

The band are keen to stress the social aspect over the political. Likely first single “If I Go Back In Time,” with Palestinian singer Amal Markus, is about honor killings in Palestinian society. The pertinence of the issue is highlighted by the fact the video for the track will be funded by the U.N. The director will be Jackie Salloum, best known for her documentary on Palestinian hip-hop Slingshot Hip-Hop.

It’s a measure of their rising profile that Dam managed to rope in more collaborators for this album, including Rai Rock legend Rachid Taha and Palestinian oud troupe Le Trio Joubran. Despite this the band have no idea where, or how, their album will be distributed. “I don’t know about getting your CD in shops anymore,” says Jreri. “The internet is the major player here.”

Providing DAM raise the money they need, the album will be out by the end of the year or early next year. They are understandably impatient. “You work on something for two years,” explains Jreri, “you just want to get it out.”

DAM – which means eternity in Arabic, blood in Hebrew and stands for Da Arabian MCs in English - are looking for $23,000 to cover studio bills, recording, mixing and cover art.