Ziad Nawfal is a Lebanese DJ, radio host, music promoter, and producer who has been making himself busy in the Beirut underground for nearly three decades now. He got his start in a legit role, playing music on the city’s government station Radio Liban. Always existing on the periphery of the station, and proudly flouting its rules, Nawfal programmed a show with a DIY ethos, playing lesser-known tunes from indie, psychedelic and experimental circles. He later became a DJ and promoter around the city, continuing to discover the hidden alternative scenes of Lebanon and the wider Middle East. He’s been active ever since, using his radio shows, as well as his record label Ruptured, to join up the eclectic range of sounds going on in the region.

In 2013, Nawfal took over as the managing director of Irtijal – a music festival which has brought together experimental and free jazz sounds to Beirut since the start of the millennium. Under his direction, the festival has expanded its reach, programming «electronic, post-rock and modern Arabic music». Now, Irtijal defines itself not by genre, but by innovation, choosing to celebrate radical communities who make whatever they want. Always expanding, Irtijal connects Beirut’s scenes to one another, while also hosting experimental artists from around the world. Through the years, Nawfal has become increasingly interested in documenting Beirut’s scenes. In 2010, he published Untitled Tracks, a history of the city’s experimental music told through gig photography and artist testimonials. Ten years on, he’s still curating, releasing, and broadcasting the music emerging from the country.