March 27
The playlist features fresh tunes from the likes of Nadia Ali, Lella Fadda, Maurice Louca, and even Ed Sheeran.
Apr 23, 2025
On this edition of our bi-weekly 'Shuffle' playlist, the SceneNoise team brings you a saucy cocktail of releases from across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond.
First off, we have Lebanese rapper Professor Z with 'Balad El Sham', a heartfelt ode to Palestine, Syria and Lebanon that touches on themes of resistance, brotherhood and unity. The track celebrates Levantine defiance against oppressive regimes, occupations and ethnic cleansing.
Next up is the Algerian-born American-Pakistani electronic legend Nadia Ali, who is coming back with her second solo single of the year 'The Edge' after a nearly 15-year hiatus. This self-produced hypnotic deep house groover merges 2000s nostalgia with a contemporary touch.
The playlist also features Iranian producer and songwriter Ilya Salmanzadeh collaborating with none other than Ed Sheeran on a Persian-inspired pop tune, 'Azizam'. Egyptian rap icon Lella Fadda shows up on Carly Gibert's remix of 'Everything New'. We also hear from Tehran-born DJ and producer Nesa Azadikhah with moody heart-pumping techno anthem 'Hallucinations'.
TRACKLIST:
Husa & Zeyada - 'Waladi'
Professor Z - 'Blad El Sham'
Ali Refai - 'Ajam'
Nadia Ali - 'The Edge'
Abdullah Miniawy - 'Kneel for Truth' ft. Erik Truffaz
Ed Sheeran - 'Azizam' ft. Ilya Salmanzadeh
Alay - 'Next One'
Carly Gibert - 'Everything New' ft. Lella Fadda
Nesa Azadikhah - 'Hallucination' PLOT RECORDS · [PREMIERE] Nesa Azadikhah - Hallucination [PLOT RECORDS]
HASNA - 'Tu Ne Resteras Pas'
DALIA - 'Kul Hesabati'
Mohamed Ramadan - '2aloo Eh'
Maurice Louca - 'El Taalab'
Zein Al Arfeen - 'Eh El 3amal Ya Ahmed'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CairoScene
2 days ago
- CairoScene
Eid Al-Adha at Four Seasons Nile Plaza
Eid Al-Adha at Four Seasons Nile Plaza This Eid, unwind at Four Seasons Nile Plaza with redesigned rooms, three serene pools, and a diverse dining lineup -from Egyptian classics to riverside Italian to Cairo's most stylish late-night spot. By the time the sun hits the terrace on the fifth floor of Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, there's a steady rhythm to the day: the sound of water shifting in the pools, families reading under umbrellas, the faint clink of cutlery from the tables just beyond the loungers. This is not the Cairo most people expect. This Eid Al-Adha, the hotel is inviting guests to experience the city from a different vantage point—where the mood is lighter, the pace slower, and the moments more deliberate. The Fifth Floor Is the Pulse The hotel's elevated terrace is more than an amenity—it's where the stay unfolds. Three outdoor pools are spaced across a landscaped deck, surrounded by wide loungers, soft greenery, and the kind of layout that actually gives guests room to breathe. If you're booked into a Pool Terrace Room or Suite, you step out directly onto the space—no elevators, no detours. You wake up, slide open the door, and the day begins. Rooms That Get the Balance Right The newly redesigned Premium Rooms and Suites have been updated with a soft, contemporary touch. Designed by PYR, the interiors feel fresh but not over-styled: clean lines, neutral tones, natural materials. There are Egyptian coffee table books, small art pieces that don't try too hard, and terraces that face either the Nile or the city skyline. The atmosphere is calm, but not minimal—more edited than stripped back. Dining That Anchors the Stay Food is central during Eid, and the hotel has range. Zitouni, the all-day Egyptian restaurant, hosts an expansive Eid buffet for the first five days of the holiday. Dishes are rooted in tradition - fatta, lamb with freekeh, house-made sweets - served in a space that feels festive without being overdone. If you're after something lighter, Riviera offers Italian coastal cuisine built for summer: fresh seafood, handmade pastas, bright vegetables, and desserts that land gently. It's ideal for a late lunch or a dinner timed to catch the light shift over the river. At Byblos, the Lebanese restaurant, the mezze is authentic, the grill delivers, and the poolside setting is lively in all the right ways. For something with more edge, Bullona holds its place as Cairo's most styled-up nightspot. It's where seafood dishes meet strong cocktails and live DJ sets, and where the room is half locals, half guests who know their way around a late night. A Spa Built for Pause Tucked just off the pool terrace, the spa operates at a lower frequency. No forced serenity, no over-fragranced hallways - just a menu of solid, effective treatments and the option to book a couples' experience built for the holiday. Whether you go for a massage, a facial, or just the quiet, the space delivers on what it's there to do. Cairo, Looser Around the Edges Outside the hotel, the city feels wide open during Eid. There are felucca rides on the Nile at sunset, pop-ups in Zamalek, art shows still running in Garden City, and souks that stay lively long into the night. And on the horizon, the much-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum is expected to open its doors - housing the full Tutankhamun collection and shifting the cultural centre of gravity just slightly westward. An Eid That Lingers The Stay Longer – Fourth Night Free offer gives guests space to take their time. The pace here doesn't press. The service holds quietly. Whether you're visiting for the long weekend or turning it into a full week, the hotel gives you the stretch you need—and the quiet to enjoy it.
CairoScene
3 days ago
- CairoScene
Ferkesh Live: Egyptian Music Video Directors on Visual Storytelling
Ferkesh Live: Egyptian Music Video Directors on Visual Storytelling SceneNoise and Mazra'a Network, in collaboration with Red Bull, kicked off the first edition of Ferkesh [Live] at the French Institute in Mounira. The event brought together a focused circle of filmmakers, directors, and artists to reflect on the visual direction of Egypt's music scene—how it's being shaped, and who's shaping it. At the core of the evening was a panel discussion moderated by Youssef Mansour (founder and director of Mazra'a Network for Art and Culture). Directors Marwan Tarek, Mazen Bayoumi, and Zeina Aref broke down their working methods, revealing a process that's often less about chasing spectacle and more about negotiating form, limitations, and intent. Marwan Tarek, whose credits include El Waili and Kaim Osama's Nazlet Seman, described his approach with quiet clarity: the music comes finished, and the video builds from there. 'In music videos, it's different,' he said. 'I treat the track like a script. The artist has already completed their creative process, the sound is locked. So the question becomes: how do you see the track?' For Tarek, directing isn't just interpretation, it's construction. 'If you gave the same track to five different directors, you'd get five entirely different videos.' A cinematographer by training, Mazen Bayoumi, who's shot videos for Nour (Nogoum, Wana), Dirty Backseat, and Felukah, Bayoumi doesn't always begin with a concept, sometimes he just puts the track on loop and waits for it to unlock something. 'You listen and listen until images start showing up,' he said. 'Sometimes it's a flicker, sometimes it's a dead end. But one day, you hear it differently. And that version, that hearing, that's the one that sticks.' For Bayoumi, ideas aren't found so much as tripped over. Then there's Zeina Aref, a multidisciplinary artist, photographer, and director, who describes a slightly more grounded but no less poetic view of the process. Her collaborations with Ma-Beyn and Massar Egbari often feel stitched together with raw fabric: grainy, intimate, unvarnished. 'My favorite part is the craft,' she said. 'The early dreaming phase, building the story, drawing it out with the team.' But then, like a sudden cut to static: the budget hits. 'And all our ambitions get thrown in the trash.' You could hear the collective exhale from the crowd, filmmakers know this beat too well. And yet, Aref insists that these limitations don't just destroy dreams, they reshape them. 'That part where everyone's ideas meet the real world? That's where the actual magic can happen. If it's going to work, it has to work there.'
CairoScene
3 days ago
- CairoScene
Alvin Drops Nostalgic Trap EP 'Zy Zaman'
On the two-track EP, the Egyptian rapper is on a mission to find his own sound. Jun 04, 2025 Egyptian rapper Alvin has recently released a two-track trap EP, 'Zy Zaman', a byproduct of his international quest for a fresh, accessible sound and self-discovery. The EP was born out of hours of consuming music and observing the latest releases of his contemporaries in the rap scene, from which he was inspired to step out of his comfort zone and playfully experiment with various musical styles and influences to test his limits. 'I am still trying to figure out how I want to be perceived, and what sound I want to continue with in the future,'Alvin tells SceneNoise. 'So, this EP was more of an experimentation, in which I tried to make more accessible songs that are easy on the ears.' On 'Yarab Nerg3 Zy Zaman', Alvin flexes his writing skills through contemplative verses, reflecting on the unhealthy competitive nature of the rap game. The catchy hooks on the chorus underscore a wishful thinking as he reminisces about a bygone era, one when rappers used to uplift and empower instead of tearing each other down. Meanwhile, on 'Kam Mara', he is more singing than rapping, presenting a refreshing aspect of his vocal abilities coupled with melodic flows.
