Latest news with #RetroCassetta
CairoScene
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Retro Cassetta: Reviving Morocco's Lost Sounds, One Tape at a Time
Retro Cassetta: Reviving Morocco's Lost Sounds, One Tape at a Time For many, cassettes are relics of a bygone era—objects of nostalgia or forgotten artifacts gathering dust in old boxes. But for Retro Cassetta, they are living history. What started as a personal passion for collecting and digitizing tapes has evolved into a full-fledged archival project, bringing lost and overlooked sounds from North Africa back to life. 'It was always my favorite medium,' says Retro Cassetta. 'Even before this project, I only listened to music through tapes.' But it wasn't until the world hit pause during the pandemic that this passion took on a larger purpose. With his work in the circus industry suddenly at a standstill, he turned to his collection, broadcasting live sessions on Instagram and Facebook, sharing obscure tracks, and sparking a wave of curiosity. 'People kept asking, 'What is this song? Where can I find it?' That's when I realized the music was disappearing, and it became a necessity to archive it.' From Personal Collection to Global Platform Retro Cassetta's project took off as radio stations reached out for mixtapes, and the demand for his selections grew. 'People couldn't find the music I was playing, so I started digging deeper, spending more time and energy tracking down lost gems. It became urgent to create an archive before these tapes vanished completely.' Among the most surprising finds? 'Two tapes stand out—Rachid Fethi's Instrumental and Trio Sacav—because they blend house music with traditional Moroccan sounds in a way I hadn't heard before.' But the ultimate holy grail? 'Hafid El Fetouki's first tape. It was only commercialized in Belgium in very small quantities, and I've been searching for it ever since.' Preserving the Past, Sounding Like the Future The process of digitization is as much about preservation as it is about maintaining the integrity of the music. 'I don't touch the sound—I play it as it is. People are often shocked and think I've manipulated it, but no. A lot of these artists were truly ahead of their time.' That sense of forward-thinking creativity is something he still sees in today's scene. The underground music movement in North Africa has always found ways to innovate, from cassettes in the past to digital platforms today. 'Different types of music always find their way back into the scene. I don't see it as a trend—it's just part of the cycle.' Retro Cassetta's own mixes reflect this blend of past and present. From Chaâbi to Raï to Moroccan rock, his selections connect dots between decades and genres. When asked wholisteners should check out, he highlights Cheb Runner, who fuses Moroccan rhythms with club music, and Athay Synth, whose work reshapes traditional sonics into modern compositions. Boiler Room, NTS, and What's Next A major breakthrough came when Retro Cassetta played Boiler Room Marrakech, a set that showcased the sounds of his childhood to an international audience. 'It happened out of the blue thanks to my friend Yazid, who was curating the event. He wanted something that truly represented Morocco, so he brought me and my friend Reda, aka Cheb Runner.' The impact was immediate. 'That set opened so many doors. After that, Giulia—my partner in Retro Cassetta—started receiving requests, and suddenly, we were playing Glastonbury, We Out Here, and other major festivals.' Their NTS Radio show, 'The Tape Journey,' has since become another essential space for sharing the depth of North African music. 'We're dedicated to showcasing the diversity of Moroccan sounds from the '80s until today, there are so many hidden gems that deserve recognition.' As for what's next, Retro Cassetta is setting up a music label focused on re-editing older Moroccan artists and building larger events around them. 'We want to make sure this music doesn't just survive; it needs to be heard, celebrated, and given new life.' And if he could time-travel to any era? 'The '90s, no question. It was the golden age of the tape industry.' For Retro Cassetta, cassettes aren't just a format—they're a movement.
CairoScene
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
SCENENOISE X CJC610 TO HOST 'ALL DAY' NOISESESSIONS APRIL 11TH
SCENENOISE X CJC610 TO HOST 'ALL DAY' NOISESESSIONS APRIL 11TH The first big post-Eid Cairo party is here – SceneNoise x Cairo Jazz Club 610 present #NoiseSessions at CJC 610 with a 12-hour day-to-night bash. The lineup brings together regional headliners Retro Cassetta, Disco Arabesquo, and Cheb Runner, with local giant El Waili closing out the festivities, plus a host of Cairo's finest in support. It all kicks off Friday, April 11th at 2 PM on the outdoor terrace and rolls straight through till 3 AM in the club – a perfect comeback for Cairo's nightlife season. During the day, expect sunshine grooves and a BBQ grill fired up with a generous happy hour with 50% off on burgers, beer and wine till 7 PM. Come early to soak up the sun before the nighttime mischief begins. Starting off on the terrace at 2 PM, Armaal's Khalil will set a lush atmosphere with house-inspired grooves before Reham Mansour takes over, layering her soulful and minimal set. The increasingly tolerable Horrible DJs will then bring their eccentric act to the decks. Closing off the terrace, Moroccan headlining crate-digger extraordinaire Retro Cassetta takes over, armed with a treasure trove of Maghrebian cassette gems. He's made a name reviving vintage chaâbi, raï, and gnawa tapes and splicing them into funky, genre-blurring club sets that celebrate North African musical heritage while keeping the dancefloor on its toes. Then we'll make our way into the club where Moroccan maverick Cheb Runner will bring his fusion of traditional North African sounds and punchy house and techno cuts. Local favorite Moenes will be up next with his trademark upbeat blend of disco and house influenced by late-'80s grooves, followed by Disco Arabesquo, dialing up the nostalgia with his signature Arabic disco and cassette-era pop edits. The Amsterdam-based DJ has built a cult following by turning '90s and 2000s Middle Eastern hits into dancefloor gold. El Waili takes the reins for the closing set. The Cairo-born producer is a local electronic giant, known for mashing up electro-chaabi, trap, and MENA pop into a futuristic sound all his own. He'll be dropping trippy melodies, heavy basslines, and nostalgic shaabi samples until the very end, ensuring this marathon night finishes on an explosive high note. Reserve your spot
