Scenenoise Podcast

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.

Select 260: Hisham Zahran by SceneNoise

In this episode of our Select series, we delve into the world of Peaky Beats, a British producer and DJ with Iraqi heritage. Peaky Beats infuses his sets with a tapestry of Arabic genres intertwined with the expansive spectrum of UK bass music. Peaky's vinyl and digital mix weaves tracks from his debut 2LP album 'BLOODLINES' with classic dubstep elements like ‘Changes’ by Mala and ‘Surgery’ by dubstepper Kromestar and more.

In this episode of our Select series, we have Egyptian rising DJ Ram, whose dynamic sets are peppered with influences from UK garage music. Ram has cooked an infectious minimal house mix for us, layered with melodic textures, rolling rhythmic beats and bouncy hit-hats. The set is light and chill, just the right amount to get you groovy if you are feeling lazy this Saturday morning.

Egyptian DJ Magdolina draws inspiration from the jumbled sounds of the bustling streets of his hometown of Cairo to craft dynamic techno sets, featuring rolling beats, gritty drum patterns and electro. For our Select 257, Magdolina brings us an hour set of versatile and experimental sounds, exploring new sonic territories. The set features memorable hard-hitting basslines and infectious breaks along with a fine selection of famous tunes by prominent global producers like Ploy, INVT, Doctor Deep and Pura Pura.

Philippe Zarif, aka Boshoco, is currently one of the pioneering DJs and producers in the Syrian electronic dance music scene. Born and raised in Aleppo, Boshoco drew inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of his hometown to craft a distinctive playful sound. Imbued with sweltering rhythms and infectious grooves, Boshoco’s sets skillfully blend left-field electronics with contemporary Arab music. For our Select 255, the Syrian producer created an exclusive 45-minute set for us in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. He recorded the set at his house, and played it on the first recording gear he owned at the early start of his career. The set features a slew of eclectic tracks by various prominent Arab producers such as Shabjdeed, Hello Psychaleppo and Postdrone.

Dubai-based music fanatic, collector and DJ Alessandra has been spinning across the MENA region’s underground dance music scene from a very young age. She has previously co-organized several eclectic parties with Berlin’s Breakfast on Mars collective. On this episode of our Select series, Alessandra delivers a thoughtfully curated blend of 90s sounds, from house and electro to breakbeats and trance, featuring some low-tempo ambient beats that will have you grooving till the very last minute. The set features famous tunes like Slowtime in Reflection’s ‘Space Dimension Controller’, Ageipolis’ ‘Aphex Twin’ and more.

On this episode of Select, we have Kamyar Khanzaei aka RING & K-Dub, the Iranian electronic music producer, visual artist and DJ who founded Sampatic Records. Since its inception in 2016, Kamyar’s label has been amplifying the diverse sounds of Tehran's music scene globally. Besides actively DJing and hosting eclectic events in Iran and Turkey, Kamyar also manages NoHradioTehran and TUS.SHOW. His set is a mix of club electro, dub techno and minimal techno with a splash of influences from his Iranian cultural heritage.

Jeddah-based DJ Anmarz - a house-head through and through - has been spinning since the 90s from the coastal city of Oregon to Saudi Arabia and beyond, showcasing at some of the most prestigious clubs and festivals across the globe. Now, as a resident at Gabu Records and a co-founder of 9Sicksick and Mirkaz, Anmarz has been playing a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s thriving underground music scene. On this episode of Select, Anmarz brings us his signature deep, jazzy, jacking sound, featuring hip-hop undertones and West Coast/Chicago house influences. Proceed with caution.

Whether she is spinning at underground parties or famous clubs and venues, Dubai-based French-Iranian DJ Parvané, aka Parv, dominates the decks with her euphoria-inducing sets. Blending a wide range of genres into one juicy cacophony, her sound swiftly shifts from Miami Bass, Breakbeat and UKG to Chicago house, Ghetto tech with afro and Brazilian funky undertones. For our Select 252, Parv cooked us a bouncy mix of Baile funk, featuring sweeping basslines, sharp breakbeats and tunes like 1950’s ‘Gimme’ that will make you fall in love with music all over again.

On this episode of Select, we have up-and-coming Lebanese DJ Lyss, who has been firing decks from Beirut to Paris and beyond with her versatile and dynamic sets, seamlessly blending house, techno, and trance with balearic and electro. Her select set, which she recorded on a DJR 400 mixer and two CDJs Nexus 2 at the famed Djoon Club, beautifully encapsulates the raw ecstasy of a packed dance floor. Peppered with influences from UK dance music, it softly opens with some juicy ambient beats backed by sweltering synths as a warm-up, gradually building up to then unfurl in a cluster of energetic progressive rhythms, with some sharp breakbeats that swerve, bend and hit the spine. The set features eclectic club-ready tunes like ‘Rythm’ by Rippin’ L.P., Kylie Minogue’s ‘Believe in U’ (PTMC ADHAD Edit) and more.

On this episode of Select, we have Beirut-based DJ and electronic music producer Eli Atala, who has dominated dancefloors in top clubs and festivals across the globe with his smooth joyful house mixes since the 90s. The set opens with the washed-out voice of what seems like a TV presenter on a loop before unfurling into edgy deep house beats with mellow rumbling subs, locked grooves, and silky hit-hats peaking and retreating. The set also features eclectic famous tunes like ‘This Is How We Roll’ by Galcher Lustwerk, ‘Make Me Feel’ by Fritz & Lang and more. Simply put, it’s a crisp, sweet, and light treat for one’s ears if you want some chill vibes on a Saturday night.

Up-and-coming Egyptian/Russian DJ Rashed Mekawy, aka RJ, has been gaining recognition in the dance music scene over the past few years for his distinctive groove-laden funky mixes, peppered with UK’s house music influences. On Select 249, RJ delivers a chic hypnotic minimal deep house set, featuring bouncy transitions, groovy rhythms and dissonant melodies with some old-school samples. The set features eclectic tunes like ‘Sydney Charles’ by Keep Rocking, ‘Ruze’ by Hardewire and more.

3lais is a pioneering Beirut-based electronic music producer and DJ, and one part of the eclectic live act Atomic Circus. Born into a household of musicians and artists, 3lais began his musical career at a very young age, quickly becoming one of the trailblazing figures in Lebanon’s underground music scene by the mid-90s. A decade into his residency at Beirut’s B018, one of MENA’s hottest clubs, 3lais launched his own collective, A Tribe Called Tribe, along with the Orient Express record shop in Beirut. 3lais is also recognized for his collaborations with a slew of renowned labels and clubs the likes of Fantome De Nuit, Hypnotic Itd, Club der Visionaere, and Sleep is Commerical. For our Select 248, 3lais created an electric house set, featuring his silky synths, drenched in deep rolling grooves with a splash of funk and sleazy breaks. The almost eight-hour set, titled ‘Le Fragilite Du Trais’, serves as a celebration of his birthday –a ritual he’s been doing for 18 years now.

On this episode of Select, we have Marwan Hazem, a rising local DJ who has been manning decks across Cairo since 2019. His thoughtfully curated set encompasses various sounds, from minimal, house to electro and their sub-genres. Armed with a music technology major, which became a catalyst for refining his craft, Marwan has recently ventured into music production.

Kareem Mohamed, aka KMZ, is a Dubai-based Egyptian artist whose signature melodic techno sets have been dominating famous clubs and venues across Dubai and Cairo for almost a decade now. Though he explored other genres like disco during his residency at the likes of Oblivion and Dxb Boat Party, KMZ always found himself drawn back to melodic techno. KMZ has also shared the decks with a slew of renowned international and regional artists like The Element, Ae:ther, Miss Monique, Acid Arab, Yubik, Rafael Cerato, Dizharmonia, Moonwalk and more. For our new episode of Select, the Egyptian homeboy brought us the dreamy spirit of a midnight beach party in a one-hour set, featuring groovy tunes like Joshwa’s ‘Supersonic’, Bad Bunny’s ‘El Apagón (Andruss Edit)’, and Ranger Trucco’s ‘Hidden Groove’.

An up-and-coming Saudi DJ, violinist and producer, Kayan is making a name for herself by weaving classic music with electronic beats. Her compositions - made up of organic rhythms and remixes of classics embellished with heavy basslines - form entrancing harmonies that offer an uncommonly cool assurance. For our Select 245, the Riyadh-based DJ crafted a melodic, deep house set filled with haunting melodies, and soul-stirring violin arrangements accompanied by poignant opera-like vocals that will gently caress the soul. The set features an original track ‘Amnesia’, which is composed by Kayan herself, along with some eclectic tunes like ‘At Sunrise’ by Levasseur, and ‘Don't Even Let Up’ by Florian Kruse & Tesla Nix.

Egyptian DJ Masry has been captivating regional and local audiences with his dynamic sets and waving textures of acid house.. Having started his musical career DJing in clubs across Egypt’s coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh during its heyday, Masry has recently become a regular in the region’s dance circuit, going from opening to Dekmantel Soundsystem DJ Thomas Martojo in Cairo to playing Dubai’s iconic Hence parties. He has also been manning decks in some of Lebanon’s most famous clubs, including Beirut Ballroom Blitz, where he performed alongside Lebanese veteran DJ Eli Atala. Meanwhile, earlier last year, he performed at MDLBEAST’s prestigious Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh. For Select 244, the seasoned DJ crafts some futuristic sounds, masterfully combining hardgroove progression with resonating raw vocals, aptly sampled from African tribal music. The set opens with brooding yet ambient drones, before quickly unravelling into heavy synth waves and repetitive wonky basslines. Energetic and kind of crunchy i