Scenenoise Podcast

Select 186: Mixed by HUSS-IN by SceneNoise

This week’s Select is brought to us by Saudi DJ/Producer and founder of KNZ Records JEME. JEME studied in Southern California, where he began making a name for himself in the local Los Angeles’ music scene. It was there where he began perfecting his technique and shaping his sound, a noticeably unique, with intricate percussion patterns, hypnotic synths and the weaving of genres that keeps listeners on their toes. Select 185 ping-pongs from Minimal to Deep House, Tribal to Industrial Tech and Acid House, it’s almost impossible to play this set and not find someone resonating with it at some point. www.scenenoise.com

This week we showcase the sound of Kareem Tarek, a Cairo based DJ whose sound is dark and highly energetic. The set consists of a carefully selected assortment of sounds that range from acid tech to drum and bass. With heavy bass, consistent energy and flawless mixing, Kareem’s set is a prime example of Cairo’s underground sound, opting for darker and more drum-led sounds, as opposed to big room hits and sounds that are normally a DJ’s safe haven. Coming through with the goods, Kareem’s set is sure to get your feet stomping so make sure you listen in a judge-free zone.

Egyptian icon Perrie joins SceneNoise’s Zaid Kreshan on Dawsha to go over her career, her take on music and creativity, and her latest album, ‘Trauma’. Perrie and Zaid discuss emerging trends in the music industry, and what artists can do to avoid falling into a repetitive loop. They also go over her process while working on ‘Trauma’, and dig deeper into the concepts and ideas which the album revolves around.

On this week’s installment of Select, we present you SoS. Consultant by day and DJ by night. SoS is a Cairo-based DJ and she mixes for hard-dance, trance, techno, and everything in between. SoS’s groovy and hardcore techno sets are energetic alright, but they are also quite precious to her. A lot of attention goes into her airtight, relentless mixes, as she usually mixes as a way to relax and deal with her surroundings, resulting in a distinctive sound and a particular hype that only she can recreate. Speaking of this Select mix, SoS says that it is a journey on its own with the likes of Franck, Keith Carnal and more sounds that are trance-y and groovy, yet ruthless through and through. Take a listen to SoS’s tenaciously mixed set for Select, trance-heavy and curated lovingly for the dance floor.

An avid listener from an early age, DNGR GNGR has been collecting decades of beats and pop culture moments from around the world in his head. And today, as a rising DJ in the Egyptian scene, he pours these collections into dance floors, festivals, and cyberspaces. A genre chameleon, DNGR GNGR has become known for making unexpected musical connections between tracks and pulling at their common threads, constantly weaving together dance floor journeys. The colorful experiences he creates can swing you from Detroit house to Berlin industrial techno, house music, and more. With diversified percussion - and vocal anchors - constructing the spine for his mixes, he plays detailed sets that bring out the sexy while waving a sassy middle finger to genres altogether. DNGR GNGR’s hour-long set features tracks like, ‘A Walk in the Park’ by DJ Minx, and ‘Metropolis’ by Delano Smith, in addition to finding an East African swing in ‘Rift Valley (feat. Abakisimba) by Esa, eventually landing in an unexpected old school hip

In this episode, SceneNoise content creator Zaid Kreshan speaks with Lebanese rap icon Malikah about her return to music, and about her thoughts on the public perception of women in the MENA rap scene. As an early figure in the region’s industry, Malikah’s insights and anecdotes serve to paint a picture of the development of MENA rap throughout the years. In this episode she discusses the pressures she has faced throughout her career, and her optimism on where the music industry is headed.

Marwa Belhaj Youssef is a Tunisia-based multidisciplinary artist who started her career as a DJ in 2014. Her mixes offer a wide ranged selection highlighting the beauty and violence of sounds as she navigates across cultures, genres and signatures. She is a resident artist at Movement Radio (Athens) and worked as a booking agent/curator at LYL Radio where her personal goal is to support Arab artists through her show KHENJAR. Marwa was invited to perform at Boiler Room in Athens in 2022, while contributing to the System Mix Series. In recent years she has played a number of times on various platforms such as NTS Radio, Noods Radio, Lyl Radio, Rinse FM, Intergalactic FM, Radio Al Hara, Root Radio and Radio Flouka. In this hour-long set Marwa travels through several regional gems pulling from left field electronics, industrial, and more with tracks like ABADIR’s ‘V’, or Rama’s mashup titled, ‘Ani Klang x Tempa T - next sadbois’, alongside ‘Keen Demag’ by ZULI, and ‘Ikmal’ by Muqata’a, ‘Shoulder Dance’ by 3phaz

Cairo's renowned electronic duo, STZ and DOU, are back again with their yearly Select for Eid, a long running, SceneNoise tradition. The duo's exceptional talent for curating house and disco music has earned them a prominent place in the partying circuit. This time around, they have incorporated tracks from a range of artists including Matteo Metteini, Jaegerossa, Harvey Ross, Sandy Rivrera, Soul Avengerz, Wayne Soul & Odyssey Inc.

Marawan, a DJ and producer hailing from Cairo, developed a passion for music from a young age. During his high school years, he delved deeper into the realm of electronic dance music and found himself particularly drawn to the hard techno genre after attending several raves. The heavy-hitting kicks and haunting melodies of this style continue to captivate him. The following hour-long set showcases Marawan's expertise in this genre, featuring tracks from notable artists such as Alignment, Don Woezik, In Verruf, and Skryption. Expect to hear a collection of dark and intense melodies accompanied by fast-paced, hard-hitting percussion throughout.

Select 178: Mixed by OAH OAH, a Saudi musician, producer, DJ, former rapper and event organizer whose breakthrough came in 2021 hosting the first of his Circuit Event series in El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt featuring Swiss headliner Jimi Jules. In 2022 OAH moved to Paris where he honed his skills and made further headway in his DJ career, sharing the stage with heavyweights on stages across MENA and Europe with the likes of Adam Port, HVOB, Sam Shure, and Matthew Dekay. Get to know more the young selectors’ sound and float through this groove-filled, gliding house set featuring the likes of Sun Ra & Armonica, Matthias Meyer, Gab Rhome and a couple of his own unreleased works. www.scenenoise.com

Somalie is a DJ, producer and musician from Dubai, UAE and born to Somali immigrants. He’s been involved with the Dubai music scene since the mid 2000s. Being raised in a multicultural environment in the desert exposed him to various cultures, traditions and most importantly, musical mores from all over the world. The latter is certainly evident in his productions and DJ sets, as he travels across Afro Arab influences. In this hour-long set, we hear this come to life as Somalie selections slide across Afro house music while “delving into his upbringing” while “displaying his Afro Arab identity.” The set kicks off with Somalie’s Afro Acid Remix of ‘Shwaya’ by Freek, and later, it grooves through tracks like Arabian Diva’s ‘Amine’O’, Jay Neve’s ‘Leylah’, and more of Somalie’s own work, in ‘Mamba Mentality’.

Mahmoud Okasha aka Zeft Funk is a drummer, producer and DJ based in Cairo, Egypt. He started playing 2 years ago with influences from experimental Arabic, disco, electronic juke, Egyptian punk and Mahragant. This hour-long set kicks off with one of his favourites ‘02 2atr ‘ by Ana w Dada “mixed alongside a banger of a set, including tracks like El Kontessa's ‘Tabl w Zamr’ and later, Swag Lee’s ‘2aad w 2aad’ and more.

Deus Deserto is up and coming producer and DJ from Qatar, whose love for old school grooves and melancholic yet energetic beats shines through this Select set. Focusing on bringing a positive, up-beat atmosphere to life through his sets, Deus Deserto’s music is all about the energy it creates for listeners with a goal in mind to always have them moving to the music. A staple of his infectious energy comes from his seamless blending of old school beats with modern day techno music. In this set, Deus Deserto opens up with tracks like Iaganico Arfeli’s ‘New Light’, followed by Balthazar & JackRock’s ‘Princess of the Sun’, interwoven with his own productions, as heard in ‘Binary Crossentropy.’

3inshams is a DJ & founder of Ego Records, a Saudi-based record label created in 2022, which aims to highlight the different sounds from around the world to the underground scene of Saudi Arabia by hosting music events and delivering a unique experience to the audience. 3inshams is one of the first DJs from Saudi Arabia to shake the room with music genres such as Amapiano and Afro music, helping to introduce new and unique international soundwaves. We hear these musical genres across his hour-long set, which includes tracks like Myztro ‘Everyday iParty Waya Waya (ft. Drp Peppa)’, Jou Nana’s ‘Unlimited Soul’, and ‘43 Drums (Salutation To 2wobunnies x Major League Djz)’ by DrummeRTee924, and more.

Egyptian lawyer by day and DJ by night, Malak Basha aka MLK, presents a dynamic, high-energy set made to move the dance floor. Based in Amsterdam, MLK is heavily immersed in electronic music, which she seeks as a form of therapy, energy release, and a way to genuinely connect with people. MLK gravitates towards high energy music that shakes the dance floor and gets everyone out of their bodies. She has a penchant for heavy bass and groovy beats, which ultimately guided her track selection in this set. In her hour-long mix, she combines hard techno, speedy bps and dancey trance to create a pure rave atmosphere. MLK’s hour-long set cuts across a diverse mix of tunes ranging from hard techno, trance, acid and hard dance. Her track selection is mostly underground artists and producers including Matrak, Sopik, Mirzika and more.

Shiha is a Cairo-based, multidisciplinary artist, DJ, and producer that has been impacting and helping to progress the music scene for years. With a career spanning 20 years, Shiha’s distinctive sound is driven by house to deep house; minimal, tech and breaks, leading him to perform at many impressive events alongside musical legends such as Sebastien Leger, Manno le Tough, Eelke Kleijn and more. With previous releases on labels such as Manual Records, Capital Heaven, Frisky Records, Movement Recordings, Inkfish, Magik Muzik, Black Hole Recordings, and Nueva to name just a few, you can certainly hear the explosive energy that Shiha’s foundations are laid upon. Meanwhile, 2021 saw the launch of Shiha’s very own imprint label Clubbing Purposes, this will be the platform for most of Shiha’s future releases. Shiha’s selection features artists like Magnus Larsson, DIMMISH, Icarus, Loquace and Shiha’s own productions, mixed together in this action packed dance floor set.

Talaia is a Cairo-based architect, designer, creative director, and co-founder of Downtempo Cairo platform. But he’s also a wicked DJ. Within the first ten minutes of Talaia’s set, you will be moved to jump on your feet. This is a dirty dancefloor set, with a rapid onset, heavy hitting basslines, future techno alongside melodic keys in Staniz’ ‘Venezia’ and stunning downtempo breakdowns that build up again into layers of rhythms in tracks like ‘First Dance’ by Eden Burns and later, the razor sharp high hats heard in 'Feel That Way' by SIT.

Select 170: Mixed by Joe Nadi by SceneNoise

Jana is an Egyptian music producer, guitarist, and DJ with an extensive musical background. She often implements inspirations from drum n bass, breakbeat, hip-hop and underground Egyptian music in her live sets, bridging the gap between Western beats and Oriental sound experimentation. This hour-long set kicks off with one of her original productions, ‘Makulma 001’, mixed alongside a banger of a set, including tracks like ‘Ectoplastic’ by Reptant, and later, Herman’s ‘Solidarity Breaks’, and more.