The second Norient City Sounds Online Special travels to Beirut, Lebanon, a city that continues to witness an aggravating financial and economic crisis in the midst of prolonged political and social turmoil. Plunged in darkness and reeling from traumatic events that have occurred since 2020, the city and its artists and musicians have resisted in various ways during this difficult time. The title of this edition, «Beirut Adrift», evokes a sense of loss and disorientation but also a drift in the city’s new sonic and musical terrains. The talented contributors of this edition have responded to these sounds through this generous collection of essays, sound pieces, mixtapes, photographic series, sound walks, and more. Curated by Rayya Badran.

Contents: Interactive Map
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Norient City Sounds: Beirut (Map)

Hannes Liechti 22.07.2022 | 23:26
  • Beirut Adrift.
    Beirut Adrift
    Compilation
    A very personal selection of tracks from Beirut, Lebanon, that captures the shifts from sorrow to riotous urges, from surrender to escape, from remembrance to lapses of memory.
  • badran_snap_september-playlist_maria-uthe.jpg
    Norient Playlist 09/22: Beirut
    Playlist by Rayya Badran
    Listen to this playlist of artists from Beirut. This selection features new and older releases by musicians across musical genres.
  • Photo: Rayya Badran.
    No End and No Beginning
    Introduction by Rayya Badran
    An introductory text to the Online Special «Norient City Sounds: Beirut». Special curator and writer Rayya Badran asks: what are the sounds of the aftermath of a collapse?
  • Filmstill: Nour Ouayda: «Not All Things that Shine Are Beautiful» (Lebanon 2022).
    Not All Things that Shine Are Beautiful
    Virtual Soundwalk by Nour Ouayda
    Filmmaker Nour Ouayda dwells on the details of the city of Beirut, Lebanon that she encounters on her walk toward the sea. Instead of looking upwards, her camera turns to the fast pace of her walking feet until she arrives at her destination.