written & recorded by Maxim Mokdad.
performed by Maxim Mokdad - vocals, acoustic & slide guitars, synthesizer (Casiotone 101), drum machine (CRB Diamond 725)

Friendly Fire (Rough Demo)

The third instalment of the "PSYCH WARD" radio show was aired on Monday 22 April 2024 at 22:00 Palestinian time.

As expected, the WARD was packed with brilliant music from our usual suspects and our host Agent X didn't hold any punches. 

New WARD inmates included the legendary SPC ECO and Glaswegian psych rockers Helicon. Full track list:

‘After the End’ by Debazzer
‘BIG’ by MEI
‘In Suspense’ by My Torpid Sis
‘Natural Biorn Heroes’ by the paperbax
‘Desk Rebels’ by Artificial Comet
‘Pure Filth’ by Helicon
‘Orgasmatron’ by European Space Agency
‘How Did We Get Here’ by SPC ECO
‘Beachbum Blues’ by OOHS!
‘Devil on Your Tongue’ by Helicon
‘Fight or Flight’ by SPC ECO
‘Palestine (Fires of Gaza)’ by European Space Agency

Follow the Agency on Bandcamp: https://europeanspaceagency.bandcamp.com/music

PSYCH WARD 03, HEROES

Agent X hosting the 4th installment of the now regular monthly PSYCH WARD, bringing, as usual, exciting music from inmates old and new. This month we feature great music from Bulgaria, Portugal and the UK as we discuss the shocking differences between facts and interpretations.

Last but not least, we give you a quick peek into the European Space Agency’s next EP!

The playlist:
‘Zombies of Dub’ by Debazzer
‘Obedience No More’ by Artificial Comet
‘Rage Inside’ by MEI
‘In the End’ by Helicon
‘The Camberwell Carrot’ by Vasco the Red Menace
‘Novo Invicio’ by Sallim
‘All I See’ by SPC ECO
‘Рана’ by false (-) negative
‘Wet Concrete’ by MEI
‘I’m Too Fast for You’ by European Space Agency
‘Permo Remix’ by Helicon & AI Lover
‘Trashes’ by SPC ECO
‘Palestine (Fires of Gaza), Radio Alhara Version’ by European Space Agency

To see the faces behind today’s music, go to https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Q4GB0Irgp/

Follow the Agency on Bandcamp:
https://europeanspaceagency.bandcamp.com/album/palestine-fires-of-gaza

'PSYCH WARD 04, FACTS AND INTERPRETATIONS'

The fifth episode of PSYCH WARD on Radio Alhara, aired on 26 June 2024, brings more great music from our beloved inmates, old and new. Also on the show, we celebrate the launch of "TOO FAST" EP, the EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY's new release. Predictably, we play the entire EP on the show, and then some.

The playlist:

Am I Flying?” by Debazzer
“Iggy Pope” by The Scroletics
“Новото време” by Пролетарии
“Computers + Guns” by European Space Agency
“This Country” by SPC ECO feat. Dextahhh1
“Rodney!” by European Space Agency
“I’m Too Fast for You” by European Space Agency
“Meet Me in the Mirror (Demo)” by OOHS!
“Virtual Reality” by SPOT
“I Know” by The Scroletics
“Theme from ‘The Killer’” by European Space Agency feat. Debazzer
“Palestine (Fires of Gaza) - Radio Alhara Version” by European Space Agency

To see the faces behind the tunes, go to https://www.instagram.com/p/C8q9WbFIKVv/

Follow the Agency on Bandcamp: https://europeanspaceagency.bandcamp.com/follow_me

'PSYCH WARD 05, CARTOON CHARACTERS'

Episode 6 of the PSYCH WARD was aired on Wednesday 24 July 5pm Palestinian time on https://www.radioalhara.net/
Agent X could call this sixth instalment of the show a trip down Memory Lane - but for everyone who joined us this was hopefully nothing but a great musical adventure. There was music from familiar and unfamiliar artists alike - the paperbax, Twisted Arms, Sallim and many more. Plus we had new inmates, an incredible Portuguese psych rock band called ASIMOV.

'PSYCH WARD 06, ALL GOOD THINGS'

Taken from the forthcoming album "Protest on the mountain (remixes)"

CD/DIGITAL: https://shimmeringmoodsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/protest-on-the-mountain-remixes

Limited to 40 copies, handmade wallets, hand numbered....

"Protest on the mountain" is an album of 21 remixes of a guitar and percussion duet that I played with Aidan Girt. This project is rooted in a community based connection with Aidan that has held for over two decades. 

I first met Aidan at a solidarity protest in the summer of 2001 outside of the Italian consulate in Montreal on Mont Royal. This protest was to both express support for the massive anti-capitalist protests against the G8 in Genoa and specifically to protest the death of Carlo Giuliani, who was shot dead by Italian police sitting in a van. This connection with Aidan has grown and evolved over the years, particularly around ways to build ties between activism and music. 

This project is shaped by 20 different artists reimagining a guitar / percussion duet that was recorded in the rehearsal space of Godspeed you! black emperor, a band that Aidan has played drums in for decades. These remixes illustrate also the spirit of community and building solidarity across borders that rests in both of our hearts. 

Thank you for listening & huge thanks to the many awesome artists for joining this project, they are listed below in the order of the tracks as they appear!

Leon Louder @leonlouder 
Swaya @swaya96 
Jonas Bonnetta @eveninghymns 
Copcarbonfire @copcarbonfire 
KMRU @_kamaru_ 
Feu St-Antoine @feu.st.antoine 
Dekalb Works @dekalbworks 
Jean Grünewald @ottomangruw 
David Parker @slowmantofu 
Hubert Gendron-Blais @hubertgb 
Barnacles (Matteo Uggeri)
Tim Davison @moon_villain 
Joseph Sannicandro @thenewobjective 
Martin Georgievski / amplidyne_effect
Martín Rodriguez @rdzmartin 
Count G @stathisgourgouris 
Diana Duta @dianaduta_ 
Jeremy Young @jeremyroyalblahblah 
Skinnybones


Releases September 27, 2024 

Original recording by Aidan Girt at Slovenia Meats (The old sexy car wash local) in Montréal 
Mixing done by the respective artist on each remix, listed in the titles 
Mastered by Gianmaria Aprile 
Artwork by Helena Nehme (del Sur) 

SHM 313 
Shimmering Moods Records 2024

Stefan Christoff & Aidan Girt - As The Year Turns Over (Jonas Bonnetta Remix)

A joint mix with artist Charline Dally broadcast on Radio AlHara, Sept. 24, 2024. Track listing below, artist name(s) and then track name. Original artwork by Charline. 

01. Jad Atoui, The Last Bloom
02. Yu Su, Touch-Me-Not
03. VAMPI + Nadah El Shazly, Myst
04. Arca, Fossil
05. Kamilya Jubran + Werner Hasler, Gharbeebah
06. Vivian Li + Thomas Augustin, Éclipse
07. Büşra Kayıkçı, Qarib
08. Jordan Christoff, Waves
09. DahL, Plesiosaur
10. koeosaeme, III
11. Relative Resonance, Feat. Kris Davis, Chris Speed, Chris Tordini & Devin Gray - Notester

Charline Dally + Spirodon mix for Radio AlHara, راديو الحارة

Ep. 9 of the PSYCH WARD, entitled “THIS IS NOT YOUR TV MALFUNCTIONING”, was aired on Radio Alhara on Wednesday 23 October 2024. It featured great music as usual, including new songs from Helicon and Lambrini Girls, as well as brand new inmates HotWax from Hastings and Pavlovitz from Slovakia. Your host Agent X mused on creativity and kept wondering how we ended up in this topsy-turvy world where trying to make sense of the MSM reporting on Gaza (and now Lebanon) is like taking a Stroop test.

'PSYCH WARD 09, THIS IS NOT YOUR TV MALFUNCTIONING'

Listen to a panel discussion recorded at OT301 in Amsterdam, specifically at the Ventilator Cinema, an alternative screening room and cultural space in the city. 

This conversation was hosted by Stefan Christoff and explores the intersections of art and activism that has taken place over the last year to support the movement for Palestinian freedom. It was aired live 5-6pm Amsterdam time and stream on Radio AlHara airing live in Bethlehem 6-7pm Palestine time on Friday, Nov. 8, info:

https://www.ot301.nl/agenda/16996

The live discussion featured a network of awesome folks including Ahmad Mallah, a Palestinian artist based in Amsterdam, a voice from Workers for Palestine NL, artist Alina Lupu, Jarmo Berkhout an activist involved in publishing collective Mokum Kraakt and Adil a community print artist working on the project NotShitPrint.

Event logistics and programming support from Sarah Teixeira, Ivo from Amsterdam Alternative, Ibrahim from Ventilator Cinema and artist Zara Kanaan who designed the poster / graphics for the event. Technical support in Bethlehem from Yousef Anastas of Radio AlHara.

Info on the participants:

Ahmad Mallah
https://artahmadmallah.com

Workers for Palestine NL
https://www.instagram.com/workersforpalestine.nl

Alina Lupu
https://theofficeofalinalupu.com/

Mokum Kraakt
https://www.instagram.com/mokumkraakt

NotShitPrint
https://notshit.nl/

Voices Across Borders, راديو الحارة (Live at OT301, Amsterdam)

The 11th episode of radio Alhara’s PSYCH WARD, entitled “Anthropocene Party Planning” was aired on Christmas Day 2024 from Bethlehem, home of Radio Alhara, and brought a bit of festive glitter to our sunken, broken hearts. The show featured Glitch Magnet, a brilliant DIY punk band from the emerging Leicester scene, great new material from some of our regular inmates and truly festive content from our beloved SPC ECO. We also had some exciting surprises - Thurston Moore himself made his WARD debut, as did Agent X’s own daughter Mila, an aspiring opera singer with more talent than any parent could hope for. Agent X stayed true to his grumpy humbag of a self and kept asking the burning question: what does a baby in a manger have to do with Black Friday?

'PSYCH WARD 11, ANTHROPOCENE PARTY PLANNING'

Two short introductory notes, although there are many more detailed things to add:

The name Chalga is derived from the Turkish word Çalgı, which means "musical instrument", or simply Instrumentist / Musician.

It is essentially a folk-inspired dance music genre, with a blend of primary influences from Greek Laika, Serbian Turbo Folk, Turkish Arabesque and Arabic, American hip-hop, RnB, and Bulgarian music (Bulgarian ethno-pop genre) that belongs to the wide category of Balkan Turbo Folk.

I composed the mix with hard to find cassettes, mostly including Roma Chalga from the 90s ( some of the singers sing in Romani Language, others in Bulgarian Language ~ all are Roma except for Kamelia ).

I purposely decided to compile a Roma Chalga Selection because at his Core has been developed in the Ghettos by referring to the "Chalgija", a musical genre that were played under the Ottoman Emperor, inserting Electronics Drum Beats, Sinths, Groovy Bass and rythmes that various to unequal Bulgarian Rhythmic System and a sort of Reggaeton Beat. ( Nowadays it is mainstream ).

Similar in a way to the Southern Italian Neo-Melodics, not for its harmonic - melodic elements, but because of it is unique presence on a particular Region, because of being an emarginated and blamed "sub-culture" and because of the lyrics that various from dramatic struggling of love, diaspora abroad, alcohol and drugs ( This is more common in Neo-Melodics genre ).

It belongs more specifically to the genre of urban sub-proletariat music expression, and is an harbinger of various contradictions, on one hand because it is linked, at his root, to the Roma ethnic group, against whom it suffers profound racism and because, among other things , being oriental music, reveals the conflict between that part of Bulgaria that has adhered to the "values" of Western Europe and that part that still recognizes itself in a culture outside of this ( The problem of the Orientalism ).

Since often comes with a provocative hip-shaking dance and at times lewd sexual lyrics, it is considered inappropriate from a moral standpoint, degenerate and low level music.

It is also linked to an extreme hedonism while Bulgaria was in the Transition period between the fall of Socialism and the failed "Democracy" and most of the people were on their knees struggling against wild criminality that replaced the institutions and problems of money and daily life. It is an extremely controversial genre at the center of a very hot debate even today in contemporary Bulgaria.

Friendly Fire (Rough Demo)

Maxim Mokdad

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