SceneNoise

For our Select 270, we brought in Egyptian music producer Ahmed Mokhles, aka El Mokh. Hailing from Al Mansoura, El Mokh has become recognized in the local music scene with his trademark lo-fi and electro-shaabi productions, fused with elements from drum ‘n bass and techno.

For his select set, El Mokh opens with a gentle and ambient Lo-fi flow, dominated by soulful piano notes, portraying his calm side. Halfway through the set, the sound gradually transitions into a cacophony of grungy shaabi rhythms and percussion-infused electronic beats, capturing his other dark side.

This time on our Select series, we have rising Tunisian DJ Dali Chebili, aka Volka, who is also the co-founder of eclectic events series like Fantasy and Tri-City.

His select set is a very minimal house mix, featuring rolling deep basslines, mellow synths, laid-back yet funky grooves with hints of smooth breaks, and raw cuts of rare 90s house gems here and there. It’s chill, refreshing and calling for a pool party (urgently).

In this episode of our Select series, we’re introducing Shadzo, an aspiring Egyptian DJ who has been a seasoned digger for over 20 years now. Heavily inspired by 80s Chicago and Detroit house, his set features a selection of funky and fun rare vinyl records such as ‘Foulard’ by Riccardo and ‘Le Velour’ by Shonky. It’s emotional, cathartic and groovy all at once.

Speaking of the set, he says, “It is a spiritual message through sound, exploring the intersection between music and emotions, and our inner longing as humans to freely articulate our feelings.” The set was played during an art collaboration between a painter and musician, where the painter materialized the influence of the music on his emotional state on his canvas.

Rising Egyptian selector and avid vinyl digger, Ali Youssef - known for his eclectic niche underground sound, dabbling simultaneously between deep house and electro - brings an exclusive, thoughtfully curated all-vinyl mix of his favourite records to our select series.

The set opens with an extended ambient melody with a voice-over by a TV presenter stating, aptly, “It’s not the form of the song that does the healing, it’s the state of the musician while making music that does.” A meditative melody ebbs and flows slowly throughout the set, intersected with swift breaks and chic transitions of minimal house, featuring crisp drum patterns and warm synths. It’s a sleazy chill groove that will get hips and shoulders twisting on their own.

On our 266th Select, we bring you Karam Touba, a Dubai-based selector, DJ, former resident at the Rave Movement parties, and current organizer of the Decibel DXB event series. He has been spinning in the region’s electronic music circuit since 2003, beginning his DJ career by playing drum ‘n bass and jungle before eventually venturing into techno. His sets usually feature selections of dark, deep and hypnotic musical pieces that create an everlasting impact on the dancefloor wherever he goes.

Karam brings his signature ‘Proper Techno, No BS’ set to our Select series. The set is a 72-minute mix of pure classic rave vibe and straight-to-the-face techno smack. Better put on those shades for this one.

On this week’s Select, we have acclaimed DJ and music producer Amen Ra, who is known for promoting Egyptian musical heritage through his energetic and lively sets, blending elements from hip-hop, dance music and afrobeats.

Amen Ra has previously worked with several high-profile artists and brands like Apple Music and Wizkid, performing at high calibre such as NBA all-star weekend and the Grammy Awards. His music has traversed prestigious dance floors across Cairo, Dubai, Los Angeles, New York, London and more.

For Select 265, Amen Ra gets playful, delivering an eclectic mix of various edits and original mashups from his previous live performances, along with new exclusive remixes that he’s premiering on this set, like an amapiano edit of Amr Diab’s ‘Wala Ala Balo’ along with a shaabi edit of MGMT’s ‘Time To Pretend’.

This episode of our Select series comes courtesy of Dubai-based Egyptian selector and vinyl collector Mo Ezaby, who has become a staple in the local underground house scene with his dynamic sets. Along with being a DJ, Mo is the founder of Dubai’s eclectic night series Unfold, which aims to provide an intimate space for emerging regional talents to freely express their art and musical ideas, and grow a genuine music community.

A deep minimal house with funky drum patterns, the set is perfect for a late afternoon chill pool party if you are having a lazy Saturday.

In our 263rd episode of Select, we’re bringing Montreal-based Bangladeshi singer, electronic music producer and DJ Dameer. Born in a musically-inclined household in Dhaka, Dameer’s sound is heavily inspired by the 80s and 90s music scene in Bangladesh, which he grew up listening to with his father, as well as the works of Tom Misch, J Dilla, Joe Pass and Loyle Carner.

Dameer delivers us a versatile full-throttle techno set that opens with an ambient melody of rippling water and chirping birds, featuring original remixes of 70s, 80s, and 90s Bengali classics, spanning rap, hip-hop and more, alongside samples from Shabjdeed’s hit ‘Mtaktak’.

For Select 262, we have rising Egyptian DJ Ali Ghoneim aka Ak Ghoniem, introducing a fresh groovy take on classic tech-house. Opening with spacey atmospheric synths that slowly build up into a hypnotic crescendo of the soulful end of house, the set is peppered with danceable, long and repetitive melodies, 90s Detroit techno and elements of dub here and there.

Ghoneim mixes in an eclectic selection of tunes from the likes of Andrew Azara, DASCO, Danny Snowden and Paige Tomlinson, adding more spice to the set.

Cairo-based DJ-turned-producer Mike Pham is taking over our Select series this week with one of his signature progressive house sets, mixing in four-on-the-floor kicks and claps with moving synth layers and atmospheric pads. It’s a sweet treat, bringing the dreamy cool vibes of early summer nights (best savoured with a mimosa in hand).

Pham has become a force to be reckoned with in the region’s dance music circuit. His sets have been traversing the dancefloors of some of the most prestigious venues across Cairo, Jeddah and beyond. He has also previously shared the decks with a slew of prominent global DJs the likes of Marco Carola, Sama, Stephan Bodzin and Birds of Mind.