Salem

OGRA, a.k.a. Haythem Achour studied cinema before he realized sounds were actually more prone to provoke his imagination than films were. He collaborated with Tunisian artists before moving to Paris, where he was granted new electronic horizons. His talent for improvisation and his on-stage energy naturally brought him to free jazz, hip hop, dubstep, electronica, techno... and finally concrete music. The extent of his musical influences is matched only by a sincere curiosity for all music and musicians, with however an underlying admiration for the legendary Miles Davis.

Haythem has given live performances at Lost In Space in Casablanca, at the Fest in Tunis, at the UK-special Protoclip festival in Paris at Nomadic Nights in New York, at lectronic dunes in the Tunisian desert, at Boiler Room Marrakech, …

He has shared the stage with Surgeon, Pantha du Prince, Apparat, Alex Smoke, Octave, Onur Ozer Shackleton… 


In addition to his live performances, he mixes artists and musics he loves, commonly during the evenings organized by the collective Waveform, which he founded in 2011 in the urgency and excitement caused by the January revolution.

Waveform brings together the collective desires of a filmmaker, graphic artists, DJs, and musicians, who thirst for music, discovery and freedom. Together they have launched, in the northern suburbs of Tunis, La Marsa, a series of weekly evenings, mainly electronic and techno (Shut Up & Dance, Alert! Alert!, themed evenings...), that continue to etch people's minds by their boldness and simplicity. Open to all, and ranging from dance-hall to sharp listening sessions, whether focused on the latest trends or on established artists, these evenings promote access to modern music just as they celebrate their historical richness. 

Thus, a venue was born: The Plug. With no equivalent in Tunisia, this alternative club, directed artistically by Haythem Achour of Waveform, provides the local electronic scene with a space for visibility, but also regularly invites international musicians such as Shackleton, Octave, Nekochan, Hausa, Elyas Khan... A place for experimentation, encounters and exchanges, The Plug also has become a breeding ground for new forms and new artists in Tunis, who are as attached to their specificities as they are curious about international aesthetic and trends.
For over two years, The Plug's parties and events have become indispensable in Tunisia's cultural landscape. The French press's interest (Tsugi, Trax magazine, Technikart, Tv5, France 24...), and a compilation of selected pieces by Tunisian musicians edited by Tsugi, have made it the talk of the town. 
Granted with the energy of those who gather and federate, Haythem Achour is a passionate musician, DJ, and Artistic Director whose music is generous and contagious. He believes in people who DO rather than those who merely SAY, and doesn't generally bother with words to promote Tunisian artistic development, which he prefers to defend collectively.
http://soundcloud.com/ogra
http://www.facebook.com/WAVEFORMLAB


Salem

Ogra