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At The Modern East, we love anything that mixes our cherished traditions to create something new that represents us fully. Right now, there’s a whole new wave of artists out there changing the local music scene in the region; using their roots as inspiration and creating contemporary sounds that we’re just not used to hearing in our sunny side of the world. From rappers, bands and singers to DJ’s and producers, here are our favourite recent discoveries from the local music scene that you need to know about.
Our list covers a whole spectrum of genres and even some that haven’t been named yet. While we’ve tried to pin down some of these artists to give you an idea of their respective sounds, we’re firm believers that music shouldn’t be categorized. If it makes us feel some type of way, then that’s all we need.
Lebanese singer Yasmine Hamdan undoubtedly has the voice of an angel. Her music career started with a duo named Soapkills that she formed with Zeid Hamdan, together releasing 3 albums. The first solo album she released is named Ya Nass, followed by her second album Al Jamilat. While her genre is hard to describe, flirting with everything from folk music to triphop – her unifying theme is a clear love of her heritage which she showcases in every song. Absolutely heart-melting.
View this post on InstagramCan’t wait to see u all tonight #NYC #lprnyc @cagedanimalsontheloose
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This gem of an artist is my personal favourite on this list. His effortless r&b/hip hop/rap style has a nostalgic feel set to dope trappy beats that we rarely hear in the middle east. His verses are mostly Arabic with some occasional English lines in there, and while the beats are enough to make you bounce your head along, the meaning behind the lyrics adds a whole other layer to his work.
View this post on InstagramThank you @spotifyarabia, we are just starting.
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If you’re looking for melodic (more-so-downtempo) techno that is still grounded in sounds from the region, then Dj Akladios is the clear option for you. Her tracks are a journey. For this reason, we recommend you give them a listen from start to finish, as she builds up each set’s story as it progresses and switches between different genres along the way. Having played all over Egypt but also in Berlin and Oman, she’s starting to gain the international attention she deserves and we’re so here for it.
View this post on InstagramSnaps from @cairojazzclub last Monday. Thank you @cairo360 for the pics 🙂
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This Bahraini band is bringing a unique, new sound to their local music scene. Self-defined as outside genre barriers, we won’t try to box them up either. Their music is lively, layered and captivating – fusing the whole range of their respective musical backgrounds to create a sound you won’t hear anywhere else.
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Jordanian band Autostrad are another flawless representation of genre-bending sounds on our list. While listening to their music, it might first come off as indie, but then you’re suddenly met with an instrumental that feels lifted straight out of your favourite childhood songs, all set to a reggae-inspired drum. What’s not to love!
View this post on Instagramأقوى أقوى أقوى نوع! #RedBullFelShare3 @redbullegypt
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This Parisian DJ duo is added as a bonus to our list since they aren’t exactly from the region. Though their style is undoubtedly heavily inspired by our region (as you can probably guess by the name) – can you blame them? Tracks like ‘Gul l’Abi’ and ‘La Hafla’ are a perfect combination of instruments that we know and recognize, set to more electro beats.
View this post on Instagram❤️ opium ❤️ (2017) / love to @manfredasb
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Check out 6 more artists and musicians from the region that you should be following on SoundCloud!
