Gidi & Mati

Gidi & Mati is a Berlin-based collaborative project that bridges the gap between Hebrew poetry and alternative folk-rock. The duo consists of musician and composer Gidi Farhi (Bass, Guitar, Vocals) and award-winning poet Mati Shemoelof. What began as a dialogue between two friends in the diaspora evolved into a unique musical act where spoken-word poetry finds a home within driving rhythms and melodic storytelling. Their music explores the "Migration of the Soul" - tracing the journey of leaving one's home, losing one's name, and finding new identity in a foreign land. Farhi’s compositions, rooted in his background in Jazz, Blues, Folk and the Berlin improvised scene, provide the emotional landscape for Shemoelof’s sharp, narrative verses. Their debut album, “The Strangers are the Friends" (2026), captures this chemistry with a full band sound. The album features the singles "You Lose Your Father's Name" and "Jerusalem, Your Prayers Will Not Stir" offering a soundtrack for anyone who has ever felt like a stranger.