Egyptian multi-instrumentalist and live electronic act Chiati has become a staple across clubs and festivals across the region in recent years - armed with an unmissable set that combines blissfully timed drops, soulful riffs, melodic rhythms and touching falsetto, expertly performed between keys, guitar, vocals and the charisma of a veritable rockstar.

For the first episode of the new season of #SceneNoise’s long running stream series Houseplant Chiati gives us a taste of his new sound set to hit dance floors this year. Featuring mostly unreleased music, nestled in the confines of a lush Cairean greenhouse, we journey between highly danceable afro house to arab house anthems.

Houseplant 023 | Azzouni by SceneNoise

Youssef Yasser has come up as one of Cairo’s youngest and most talented selectors, making appearances on several international airwaves like the NTS radio show, France’s Rinse, as well as a multitude of prominent party series across the city’s nightlife scene.

For the second episode of the new season of SceneNoise’s long-running stream series, Houseplant, Yousser treats us to a spin-off on the sound he previously embraced with a heart-pumping mix of 90s electro, house and breaks that demonstrates his refined crate-digging style. (Look out for a special surprise at the end of the set).

This Saturday on Select, we have Alaa Jazaeri. Emerging from Riyadh’s vibrant underground scene, he established himself as one of Saudi Arabia’s top-rated DJs, landing spots at major events like Sandstorm Festival and Freaks of Nature.

Jazaeri is also the founder of Narratives, a storytelling music platform, curating mixtape podcasts and a series of dynamic events across the Kingdom, Canada and Lebanon, that saw global headliners like Nick Curly, Dolby, Violent Sentir and Gorge.

For our Select 311, Jazaeri brings a carefully curated soulful groovy set, blending dreamy and minimal vibes with funk and jazz-infused deep house melodies, featuring soothing and chill tunes by international bands and producers like Mara Lakour and Jesse Maas.

In this episode of SceneNoise’s Select series, Cairo-based DJ and producer Mahib performs a live set of his own productions, a blend of electrifying mahraganat and EDM beats, with a ting of hip-hop and emotionally driven rhythms.

The set takes us on a throbbing journey through the bustling sounds of Cairo, featuring echo-laden vocal samples, synthesised instrumental melodies, and pumping edits of classic shaabi tunes.

Egyptian experimentalist and Kafr El Dawar Records co-founder YUNIS is set to premiere ‘The Partridge Bird’, an evocative track from his latest project, ‘Opera for 1000 Crows’ (*الحجلة). This exclusive release offers an early glimpse into the sonic landscape of the performance, blending live electronics, cello, voice, and toys to explore the paradox between grief and celebration.

‘The Partridge Bird’ embodies the thematic essence of ‘Opera for 1000 Crows’, drawing inspiration from a traditional funeral dance ritual in Upper Egypt and Delta villages. This limping movement, performed by women around graves, mirrors the motion of crows, creatures deeply tied to burial myths in Islamic traditions. The track encapsulates this duality, transforming it into a haunting, funeralistic soundscape that bridges life and death.

Following the track premiere, ‘Opera for 1000 Crows’ will make its full debut on February 13 at the French Institute in Cairo, marking YUNIS’ first performance of the project in Egypt after extensive touring in Europe. The show, an interactive experience incorporating poetry recitations and experimental vocal performances by YUNIS himself, will create a meditative space for reflection, healing, and solidarity.

With this premiere, YUNIS not only introduces audiences to his latest sonic exploration but also sets the stage for what promises to be a groundbreaking artistic experience. ’Opera for 1000 Crows’ will continue its journey with a second performance scheduled for April at the French Institute in Alexandria.

Select 309 features Kontrast, a Beirut-born DJ based in Riyadh who has crafted a distinctive sound that blends melodic house, techno, indie dance, and progressive house. Drawing inspiration from the Lebanese electronic music scene, his collaborations with international artists like Rafael Cerato, Tim Taste and Sam Gino have further shaped his unique style.

For his Select set, Kontrast delivers a fluid mix of melodic house and techno, driven by high-energy tempos, intricate acoustic drums, and uplifting frequencies. The set maintains a steady rhythm of flowing grooves. Tracks like ‘Benigne’ by Upercent, ‘Can't Stop’ by Jonathan Kaspar and ‘Flores’ by TWiiNS shape the vibe of the set.

Select 308 comes courtesy of K.led, a DJ, musician and engineer with over 13 years of experience, with notable performances at venues like Montreal's Salon Daome and Soundstorm in Riyadh. K.led’s eclectic and genre-fluid approach to sound began in local underground clubs, where his ear for rhythm and evolving style led him to shape diverse sets that speak to a broad spectrum of listeners.

This three-hour set was recorded during a recent performance at Beast House, K.led blends a mix of deep grooves and pulsating beats with moments of rough, gritty energy. The set transitions between diverse sounds with tracks like Terry Hunter & Aaron Smith's ‘Enuff Enuff’ (feat. Frankie Knuckles) and Shonky's ‘Mama Queen’ combining elegance with a bit of rawness.

Select 307 comes courtesy of Ghent-based Syrian/Libyan producer and DJ Bader Shahit, known behind the decks as Bader. Growing up immersed in Libyan tagaza majrouda rhythms and Syrian classical music, Bader has built himself a distinctive musical identity, merging contemporary club music of heavy bass patterns with various musical elements from across the MENA region.

His select set, recorded in Yalla Worldwide studio in Ghent, is a bass-heavy mix of acid, breaks, techno, electric boogies and Middle Eastern textures, featuring Mix Monster Menno on the scratch and Acid Ponch on drums. The set also features hard-hitting tunes like El Sawarikh’s ‘Ekhwaty’ and Cheb Naser’s ‘Ole Ole’.

This week on our Select series, we have Cairo’s indie rock rouser Dirty Backseat, the electronic solo project of producer and singer-songwriter Moe Hani, with an exclusive mix of a string of unreleased productions that he recorded back in 2024.

Dirty Backseat is best known for his nuanced melancholy-tinted sound that serves as a distillation of Moe’s influences of post-punk, psych-rock, synth-pop and electronica.

His select set is as dreamy as it’s danceable, featuring thick basslines, gritty rhythms and heart-pumping tunes with some of Egypt’s veterans the likes of 200 Shams and Omar Zahran.