Episode 16 of the TIMEZONES podcast series, co-initiated and co-produced by Norient and the Goethe-Institut. This episode hosts three Egyptian composers, musicians, and DJs of various backgrounds and music styles. It sheds a light on actors in the music industry and tries to understand the music scene from a first-hand perspective. An immersive sonic experience of the city of Cairo.

Producer’s Note

In this episode, we facilitate a discussion with our guests to unpack their work processes and explore different modes of music production, tackling the components and dynamics within the Egyptian music scene in relation to pressures that are specific to Cairo. We investigate and analyze the different modes and typologies of music production processes in the Cairo scene.

The episode’s audio structure is dynamic, providing an immersive sonic experience of the city. Through sampling, mixing, and overlaying their music, city noises, and even their silence, the sound design reflects the feel and content of the artists’ narratives. In between, we present each artist’s music and reflect on how their geographic location affects their music (or not).

Credits

A podcast by Fajr Soliman

Co-initiated and co-produced by Norient and the Goethe-Institut

Featuring: Rama, Nancy Mounir, El Waili

Assistant Producer: Nouran Hatem
Mixed by: Ismael Hosny
Artistic Editor: Abhishek Matur
Project Management: Hannes Liechti
Video Trailer: Karrl
Jingle Voiceover: Nana Akosua Hanson
Jingle Mix: Daniel Jakob
Mastering: Adi Flück, Centraldubs
Artwork: Šejma Fere
Copy Editing: Elisabeth Meister

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Featured Artists

Rama is a multidisciplinary artist and DJ based in Berlin. In 2019, she co-founded the independent Cairo-based music platform irsh. Rama quickly made a name for herself in Cairo’s electronic and dance scene playing at underground parties. She also hosts a monthly show on Noods Radio and is known for drawing from a wide variety of sounds, with no constraints on genres. Follow her on Instagram, Linktree, or SoundCloud.

Nancy Mounir is a versatile multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer as well as a key member of Egypt’s alternative music scene. She contributes original music to theatre productions, films, and international art installations. Nancy Mounir plays a range of instruments – including violin, piano, bass, theremin, and the traditional Egyptian bamboo flute called the kawala. She has explored both the harmonic principles of the Western canon and the microtonal foundations of Arabic maqam (musical modes). She recently stepped further into the limelight with her solo debut album Nozhet El Nofous – a transcendent exploration of musical freedom through the lens of century-old archival recordings. She was born in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and now lives in Egypt’s capital, Cairo. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, or X.

El Waili is the stage name of Egyptian music producer Kareem Gaber from the city of Sohag in Upper Egypt. Kareem Gaber started his music production journey while studying drum and percussion at the Faculty of Musical Education, Helwan University. In 2020, he initiated the El Waili project to experiment with noises and sounds that distinguish his musical persona and to develop his famous «beat drop». He launched his project with a remix of the Egyptian hit «Elabd Wa El Waili», «العبد والوايلي», making his mark in the electro chaabi/EDM music scene. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, X, or SoundCloud.

Bonus Talk

On Language in Audio and the Burden of Translation
moderated and produced by Adham Zidan

This Bonus Talk features Adham Zidan in conversation with Fajr Soliman, producer of the TIMEZONES episode Cairo. Their discussion covers the production of the episode as well as her choice of guests before focusing on how the question of language was addressed – culminating in an episode in which the featured artists speak their native Arabic (with some English words interspersed sporadically) and two voice-overs translate their words into English once they have finished talking. Zidan and Fajr Soliman also examine different options for handling language in an audio format and discuss the burden of translation and how it affects communication.

Adham Zidan is a musician, recordist, mixer, and producer from Cairo as well as a band member of The Invisible Hands, Baskot Lel Baltageyya, Another Time Ensemble, and Today Is Tomorrow. Adham has worked with Alan Bishop, Maurice Louca, Nadah El Shazly, Nancy Mounir, Raed Yassin, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh, Youssra El Hawary and others, both in the studio and live. He has also designed sound and composed music for a select group of theatre- and filmmakers. Alongside Maha El Nabawi, Adham is the co-creator, co-editor, and co-producer of Katalog, an Arabic podcast about music-making, published by Mada Masr. He also DJs and hosts radio shows; his latest show is «Music from the Hive», on movement.radio. Follow him on his website, Instagram, X, or SoundCloud.

Playlist

A selection of recent releases by talented producers and singers from Cairo’s dynamic music scene, including artists from the TIMEZONES episode Cairo.

Curated by Fajr Soliman.

Trailer

by Karrl