Raised by Riddims

Norient Snap by Ali Sayah
Raised by Riddims

UK Funky DJ Bamz' music is informed by a sense of history and a glimpse into the future of bass driven club music. At the core of this is the «riddim» as the aesthetic backbone.

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Photo: Ali Sayah
Remix: Ali Sayah

Between Playful and Hypermasculine

Norient Snap by Ali Sayah
Between Playful and Hypermasculine

«This is Bate Bola» follows the carnival celebrations in Rio's poor neighborhoods. While watching the movie, research duo A Parede discovered contradicting ideals of masculinity.

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Photo: Ali Sayah
Sound: Ben LaMar Gay

Sounds of a Crematorium

Matthew Herbert
Sounds of a Crematorium
Sounds of a Crematorium

Environmental sounds challenge Matthew Herbert more than a piano does. With noises of exploding bombs, collapsing buildings, and a dying pig he creates both abstract tracks and happy dance music.

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Quote: Matthew Herbert

Where Swearing Is Polite

Norient Snap by Ali Sayah
Where Swearing Is Polite

Rude, tender and weird. The film «Where You're Meant to Be» of Paul Fegan is a sensitive story about the idiosyncracities of Scotland and its people through the lens of the Folk musician Aidan Moffat.

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Design: Ali Sayah
Remix: Ali Sayah

No Culture, no Money, no Time, but Music

 fuhr_bamseom-pirates_safwan-subzwari.jpg
No Culture, no Money, no Time, but Music

The documentary «Bamseom Pirates, Seoul Inferno» shows how the band Bamseom Pirates uses punk music to resist the social and political absurdities of present-day South Korea.

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Quote: Bamseom Pirates
Sound: Aam Taateel

M.I.A.: One Popstar, Three Persons

Norient Snap by Juliana Adhikary
M.I.A.: One Popstar, Three Persons

The documentary film «Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.» portrays the popstar M.I.A. as a multi-faceted person.

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Quote: Lisa Blanning
Design: Juliana Adhikary, Akaliko Collective
Photo: Steve Loveridge
Sound: Steve Loveridge, M.I.A.
Remix: Miss Auto

A Different View of Syria

Norient Snap by Ali Sayah
A Different View of Syria

Monzer Darwish's compelling documentary «Syrian Metal Is War» captures the story of how the Metal underground in Syria seeks to survive during war.

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Design: Ali Sayah

Learning From Feminism

Norient Snap by Basma Bader
Learning From Feminism

The #MeToo movement also reveals other discriminations. In music, sexism often works in tandem with exotism. To resist both, the Egyptian musicians Dina El Wedidi and Youssra El Hawary resurrect an old claim: the personal is political.

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Design: Basma Bader
Sound: Basma Bader

Deconstructing Jantelagen

Norient Snap by Ali Sayah
Deconstructing Jantelagen

The Scandinavian code of conduct «jantelagen» encourages modesty and conformity. The movie «Silvana» shows, how the Swedish rapper Silvana Imam celebrates the exact opposite: pride and individuality.

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Design: Ali Sayah
Sound: Silvana Imam

Music and Place

 bennett_music-and-place_safwan-subzwari.jpg
Music and Place

The relationship between music and place has a long history. This article discusses the academic discourses regarding the relationship between music and place.

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Sound: Aam Taateel

Digitally Famous and Real Life Broke

Norient Snap by Des Flor de Fuego
Digitally Famous and Real Life Broke

In Egypt, the high amount of digitalization has not translated into monetization for most musicians. This is not just because most families live at or below the poverty line. So what does this mean for the future of local artists?

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Photo: geralt/Pixabay