SceneNoise and Sandbox Festival teamed up to bring the Selectbox experience to the beaches of Egypt's El Gouna Red Sea. Over three days our little box of noise gained a cult-like following as a hidden escape for a cosy dance whilst discovering some hidden gems of the regional music scene on the line up.

Sandbox Festival is an annual electronic music festival that takes place on Egypt's Red Sea featuring a line-up of local and international selectors across three days and multiple stages. 

www.scenenoise.com
www.sandboxfestival.com

SceneNoise x Sandbox Festival: Selectbox Ft. Vinyl Mode

Egyptian DJ George Gehad is a familiar face to Cairo’s dancefloors, having been a resident DJ at hotspots like Shinko and the North Coast’s uber popular hotspot Kiki’s over the last few years. Diverse in his selections Gehad traverses BPMs and genres from disco to afro to the more commercial side of house.

In his Selec 199 set Gehad showcase his African soul, blending both new and timeless tracks, such as Liboz’s ‘Tchebé Tchebé’, ‘Brom’ by Balthazar & JackRock, as well as Louis The Child’s own version of Empire of The Sun’s timeless track, ‘Walking on A Dream’.

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SceneNoise

Select 199 Mixed by George Gehad

Over the past few years Molotof has made a name for himself as one of Egypt’s most innovative producers and live acts, gaining recognition for his chart-topping work fusing mahraganat and trap music, collaborating with notable artists such as Marwan Pablo, Wegz and more. 

His unique blend of styles and sounds, which he terms "Molowave," combines elements of traditional Egyptian music with dance music and rap influences, creating a distinct and dynamic musical genre.

We’re excited to have a one-hour exclusive set from Molof featuring all original, as well as some unreleased, tracks.

www.scenenoise.com

Select 210: Mixed by Molotof

Download Now!

https://music.empi.re/manshaa

Tamatem by EL Waili

After dedicating the last five years to perfecting her skills, C/EL has risen to prominence as a highly regarded figure in the electronic music scene of the Middle East. Her expertise as a DJ reflects her extensive musical background, allowing her to effortlessly fuse a diverse array of genres with a stylish finesse, guiding dancers on a captivating journey beyond the confines of the dancefloor. 

C/EL unveils her impeccable selection skills in an hour of pure dancing euphoria, skillfully navigating the expansive sub-genres of house music, seamlessly incorporating breaks and breakbeats into her mix. The playlist includes tracks such as Onur Ozer's "Orion," Shanti Celeste's remix of Matthew Jonson's "Marionette," Boddika's "Walk Talk," and Patrick Prins' "Le Voie Le Soleil."

Select 215 Mixed by C/EL

NEDZ, a Cairo-based open-format DJ, is known for his unique approach to mixing the sounds of her world. Having lived between New York and Los Angeles for a long period of time, NEDZ’s sound is heavily influenced by her multicultural upbringing, fusing hip-hop and RnB with African, Caribbean, Latin and Egyptian sounds, creating a soundscape of her own.

On this Select 221, NEDZ is bringing you a meticulously-curated emotive set, centered around the Palestinian, Sudanese and Congolese causes. The hour and 12-minute set opens with a prelude in Arabic, retailing the rich cultural history of Palestine, with a soulful Ney melody playing in the background. Featuring a powerful South African Amapiano, and smooth afrobeats with Middle Eastern sonic undertones, the set –described by NEDZ as the ‘Sounds of Liberation’ –follows themes of post-colonial struggle and resistance, juxtaposed with the beauty and depth of pain uniting humanity across the world.

Select 221: Mixed by NEDZ

Lebanese DJ and producer Arabian Panther, famed for his keffiyah stage mask and his distinctive sound which can transition swiftly from a warrior’s march anthem to a club banger tinged with Arabic scales and instrumentals. His dynamic sets and productions pay homage to his multicultural heritage as a French child from the Lebanese diaspora, demonstrating solidarity with the Palestinian cause. 

Arabian Panther’s journey of solidarity commenced with the release of his EP ‘Desert’s Anthem’ in 2019, which caught the attention of Palestinian DJ Odai Masri, aka Oddz and helped him forge connections within the Palestinian music scene. After signing his first track with the first Palestinian techno label ‘Harara’ – managed by the late great Oddz.

For our 230th episode of Select, Arabian Panther has created a set exclusively for SceneNoise, which he recorded in one take at his home. The set is infused with some of his favourite tunes that he has been incorporating into his sets over the past year, along with a selection of tracks from his latest EP, ‘The Death of the Panther’, which he released on Ritmo Fatale on March 22nd of this year.

Featuring his own original tracks like ‘Hafla For Our Dead’, as well as ‘Lala Torkia’ by Cheb Hamar and more, the 66-minute set begins with an eclectic mix of Palestinian Dabke music, incorporating classic Middle Eastern instrumentals like Tabla, Mezmar, and Darbuka drums, which serve as the base for the set. As the set unfurls, Arabian Panther brings in versatile elements of techno, with dreamy vocal undertones. Proceed with loudspeakers in hand...

Select 231: Mixed by Arabian Panther

Cairo’s electronic heavyweights STZ and DOU are back once again for their yearly Eid ritual with SceneNoise’s Select. The duo are widely known in the local clubbing scene for their immaculate house and disco selections, best savoured on a yacht (or anywhere near the beach really). 

The duo go back-to-back for our Select 235, bringing an electric mix of soulful melodies, and funky grooves with pulsating basslines, a literal soundtrack for your seasonal beachside shenanigans. The set features tunes from Corrado Alunni, Dr. Packer, Harvey Ross, Michael Gray, and Birdee & Ken@Work.

Select 235: Mixed by STZ B2B DOU

Ahmed Refaat, aka Riff, is an Egyptian electronic music producer and multi-instrumental musician. Having grown up in the isolated industrial city of Khanka, Riff was deeply influenced by the bustling sounds of his daily life, as well as Egypt’s heavy shaabi rhythms and classic pop music.

His latest releases include a double single with rising local singer Nourine Abouseada and shaabi artist Veto, where he presents a softer, and more pop-inspired rendition of the music he makes. Riff is also widely recognized in the local rap scene, for his hit EPs with Karim Osama, ‘K.O’, and ‘O.K’.

On this episode of Select, the producer has cooked up an exclusive set for SceneNoise, exploring the sounds of the city as a harmonious symphony through his unique and experimental electronic lens.

Select 242: Mixed by Riff

Philippe Zarif, aka Boshoco, is currently one of the pioneering DJs and producers in the Syrian electronic dance music scene. Born and raised in Aleppo, Boshoco drew inspiration from the rich cultural heritage of his hometown to craft a distinctive playful sound. Imbued with sweltering rhythms and infectious grooves, Boshoco’s sets skillfully blend left-field electronics with contemporary Arab music.

For our Select 255, the Syrian producer created an exclusive 45-minute set for us in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. He recorded the set at his house, and played it on the first recording gear he owned at the early start of his career. The set features a slew of eclectic tracks by various prominent Arab producers such as Shabjdeed, Hello Psychaleppo and Postdrone.

Select 255: Mixed By Boshoco

The 260th edition of our Select series features some old-school broody house vibes from Cairo-based DJ Hisham Zahran. 

Arguably one of Egypt’s most renowned and well traveled dance music acts, Hisham Zahran is known for his innovative and impeccably curated house and minimal sound. Since 2006 Zahran has regularly played in Europe, Asia, North and South America and has had residency stints with Egypt’s Nacelle and New York’s Bespoke Music. As a producer Zahran has released on respected international labels such as Mood Music, Audio Tonic, and Brown Eyed Boy and is notably part of the A&R team at electronic label Anjunadeep.
For Select 260 Zahran delves into the darker side of his record collection, a moodier fit to what we’ve usually come accustomed to in his sets, mixing in a selection inspired by 90s and 00s house featuring tracks from the likes of Housey Doingz, SPCE, Mataemon and Inner Lakes.

www.scenenoise.com

Select 260: Hisham Zahran

For our Select 270, we brought in Egyptian music producer Ahmed Mokhles, aka El Mokh. Hailing from Al Mansoura, El Mokh has become recognized in the local music scene with his trademark lo-fi and electro-shaabi productions, fused with elements from drum ‘n bass and techno. 

For his select set, El Mokh opens with a gentle and ambient Lo-fi flow, dominated by soulful piano notes, portraying his calm side. Halfway through the set, the sound gradually transitions into a cacophony of grungy shaabi rhythms and percussion-infused electronic beats, capturing his other dark side.

Select 270: Mixed by El Mokh

Shellwell is a Dubai-based selector who has earned residencies at some of the top clubs and venues across the Middle East with her versatile sets encompassing a wide range of sounds, from minimal and garage to disco, jungle and drum n’ bass.

For Select 271, Shellwell delivers a funky, groovy bass-heavy set, featuring thumping drum patterns and hard-hitting tunes like ‘Theme From The Scam Planet’ by Driss Bennis & Swoze, and ‘Night Chase on Acid’ by Kosh. (Disclaimer: there are some rolling accelerated beats and breaks that will keep your foot off the ground).

Unknown Album

Select 271: Mixed by Shellwell

In the latest edition of our Select series, we have Hmehdi, a Tunisian selector, label manager and resident at the XPAM label, event and podcast series. When he’s not wearing the DJ hat, Hmehdi is a filmmaker, whose emotional approach and storytelling galvanises much of the music he makes.

Inspired by the spirit of 90s clubbing, Hmehdi’s select set experiments with various obscure sounds and trance music in all its forms and peppered with melancholic undertones, powerful kicks and fast-paced rhythms. It’s a wild ride, like something out of Tomorrowland.

Select 272: Mixed by HMEHDI

For the second year SceneNoise and Sandbox Festival came together to bring a handful of the region’s freshest upcoming selectors to #SelectBox - an intimate showcase space amidst the El Gouna Red Sea festival’s beach-side shenanigans. Arms were raised and marks were thoroughly made. 

www.scenenoise.com
www.sandboxfestival.com

Additional audio engineering by @theazzouni

SceneNoise x Sandbox Festival 2024: Selectbox Ft. Zeft Funk

SceneNoise x Sandbox Festival 2024: Selectbox Ft. Gloria

This week on our Select series, we have Beirut’s seasoned melodic techno DJ duo and long-time rave buddies Jom & Terry. A driving force in the Lebanese clubbing scene, the pair went from co-hosting intimate house parties almost five years ago to sharing decks at a slew of prestigious venues across Lebanon and the globe.

Their select set pulses with the hypnotic energy of those early techno rave days, featuring rapid frequency thumps, syncopated snares and hints of breaks. It opens with relentless rolling basslines which then fade away smoothly, and have your guts frizzling with anticipation as powerful drops hit. Right amidst that cacophony, around minute 43, the duo mix in their self-produced track ‘Calm But Scared’, amping things up even further.

Select 273: Mixed by Jom & Terry

Cairo-born selector Essam has become recognized in the underground electronic scene over the past few years for his refined blend of deep and progressive house, smoothly transitioning between atmospheric and ambient to full-on elaborate grooves. 

In this edition of our select series, Essam delivers a dynamic set that leans more on the lighter side of things, incorporating progressive tracks with tribal drums and subtle trippy rhythms that are uptempo but still pretty mellow. Featuring tunes from the likes of David Alvarado, Ben La Desh and Soulforce, the set is peppered with warm grooves and layers of organic and synthesized sounds that evoke the feeling of floating in outer space.

Select 277: Mixed by Essam

This Saturday's Select comes courtesy of Uruguay-born vinyl spinner Maximiliano Perez, aka Mape.

Mape began his musical career in hip-hop before moving to electronic music, and since then he has been mixing vinyl and doing the rounds in prestigious venues and clubs across Uruguay such as Emile, Living, El Ciclo, Montevideo Micro and Formato Montevideo. He also launched his own record label, AroAro.uy, which puts the spotlight on diverse sounds from various emerging local and international artists. His unwavering passion for vinyls propelled him to open his own record shop 22:22, which is currently located in Montevideo, where he’s based.

His sets are colourful and evocative, born from his own feelings and interpretations of various subgenres, crafting stories and generating conversations on every stage he takes over. He is all about chasing new sounds, recognized for delving deep into a little bit of everything from Goa and Bleep to techno and progressive house.

“I never focus on one genre in my sets, I really like the sub-genres within electronic music,” Mape tells SceneNoise. “And, I particularly like to tell a story in various stages, trying to communicate what runs inside me with tracks. There are sets that I make with a more linear approach, generating harmony and groove. Other times, I like to link different pieces from different producers that I find have an interesting sound, interweaving their works into something that’s very entertaining.”

His select set opens with a brooding ominous melody and a male voice speaking in Dutch as if caught in a vortex, before transitioning into a mixture of swerving synths, drone-like basslines and rhythmic acid, featuring famous talents like Paolo Macri, Lara Martinez, and Barik.

Select 278: Mixed by Mape

On our 279th Select, we have Beirut-based DJ and producer Nicolas Merheb, who built up quite a reputation in the region’s underground electronic scene with his dynamic melodic house sets. His innate ability to read the crowd has seen him fire up some most prestigious clubs and venues across the globe, from Beirut, Doha and Amman to Dubai and Barcelona, sharing decks with a slew of prominent global artists like Mathame, Rampa, &Me, Marco Carola, Monolink and Adriatique.  

His select set is a heady melodic house ride decorated with driving four-on-the-floor rhythms and high-voltage pop anthems. The set features intricate arpeggios, throbbing basslines and anthemic synth hooks with hints of tribal house, as well as eclectic tunes like ‘Good Times’ by Tripolism and ‘Born in Blu’ by Chambord.

Select 279: Mixed by Nico Merheb

Select 282 comes courtesy of Beirut’s rising DJ Andreo, delivering an interesting take on house, where he carefully weaves eclectic hi-hats with ear-tingling synths and luscious drum patterns, showcasing his wholly unique blend of melodic, deep and progressive house. The set features tunes by renowned producers like Ray Mono, The Ginger Cat and Sepp.

Andreo initially began his musical career by performing at private parties and has since been spinning in many prestigious venues and clubs across the globe, such as B018, GrubanandGroove, Orient and Express, establishing a name for himself in the regional electronic scene. His sets are known for being energetic, engaging and quite unpredictable. He has recently ventured into music production, working on various new projects to expand his creative reach and evolve his sound.

Scene Noise

Select 282: Mixed by Andreo

For Select 283, we have Cairene selector, vinyl collector and multifaceted artist Khaled Youssry. His deep passion for vinyl records led him to travel across the globe collecting records, building an extensive record collection that has become central to his work. Khaled’s commitment to DJing transcends the booth; he is the co-founder of Laselky, a Cairo-bred platform and party series committed to celebrating the roots of Egypt’s underground culture whilst embracing new sounds, and fostering a space for artists to connect and collaborate. 

He has done his rounds at famous local parties and venues, including Lazuli, Laselky, Cairo Jazz Club, Yellow Tape, Tap East and Cassette, and shared the decks with a slew of international artists like Velasco and Lamalice. 

“It’s a raver’s journey packaged into less than two hours, capturing the stages I love about the experience of a raving,” Youssry tells SceneNoise of his set, which was mastered by Saharty. “Starting with those warm inviting beats as you enter the club, transitioning to darker electro vibes through the night, then kicking into some high-energy funky rhythms at sunrise, before signing off with a smooth joyful finish that encapsulates the walk back from a rave.”

The set features tracks by famous global artists such as Lorenzo Aribone, Gabriel Bel Abbas and Outflow.

Select 283: Mixed by Khaled Youssry

This Saturday’s Select comes courtesy of Alexandria-born, Cairo-based DJ and producer Fady El-Tellawy, aka Fady T, whose repertoire of productions encompasses house, techno and trance beats. He has been performing at exclusive private parties and famous venues across Alexandria, Cairo and more since 2019, including Cairo Jazz Club and Lazuli. 

His select set is a club-ready mix of colourful, groovy and ultra-bouncy tech-house and deep-tech, packed with driving 4/4 beat, punchy kicks, deep basslines and multi-layered claps, hats, and percussive textures, featuring some of his unreleased productions as well as eclectic cuts and tunes by the like of DJ Sneak and Louden.

Select 284: Mixed by Fady T

For Select 285, we have brought in Willillah, a Lebanese-born DJ, producer and co-founder of Beirut’s HighHats Community, recognised for her innovative productions and dynamic sets encompassing breakbeat, bass, hardcore and more. She has a series of releases on prominent global labels like HHC, Synthwave Records, Glanz + Elend, Aux Records, Ekstasis, and Disorder. 

For her select set, Willillah shows off her breakbeat and jungle Dnb side, and affinity for distorted kicks and incorporating obscure sounds and unusual elements in her sets. The set opens with a drill track by ‘Naja’ by Palestinian artist El War3i, before transitioning into a cacophony of bouncy kicks, wacky vocals, occasional sultry amen breaks, and tunes by famous producers the likes of Muskila, Booty Bouncer and Clafrica.

Select 285: Mixed by Willillah

This Saturday’s Select comes courtesy of Cairo-born Abu Dhabi-based selector Gloria Roffael. The house mix opens with minimal sounds and a driving 4/4 beat intersected with crisp hi-hats, before transitioning into an upbeat house, featuring vocal samples, light breaks, firm kicks and tunes by the likes of Fantastic Man and Pocket Beagle, as well as an unreleased slow burner by Egyptian house maestro Misty. 

Gloria has been keeping dancefloors on all their toes since 2018 with her unique blend of house and dreamy electronic beats. She has previously showcased at major regional festivals like Egypt’s Sandbox, at SceneNoise’s Selectbox, as well as Shorelines and Abu Dhabi’s Bred.

Select 286: Mixed by Gloria Roffael

On this episode of Select, we have Taqtuqa, formerly known as Maxi 45. The France-based label run by Egyptian-bred selectors Joseph and Dafadee3o delivers a disco edit and deep club cuts of retro Middle Eastern music and Egyptian cassettes, including tracks by Amr Diab and Simone, featuring multi-layers of pulse-bounding kicks, tabla arrangements, vocal samples and throbbing basslines.

Raised between Beirut and Alexandria, Joseph grew up listening to a lot of classical scores and French records. As an avid digger with a passion for vinyl, Joseph’s extensive record collection encompasses everything from classical and synth-pop to house, disco and punk. After relocating to France, he launched his own label, Taqtuqa with DJ Dafadee3o, which specializes in releasing remixes and edits of classic Middle Eastern music and Egyptian cassettes from the 60s up to the late 90s.

Select 287: Mixed by Taqtuqa

This Saturday on Select, we have Badry, a Dubai-based Egyptian spinner who was raised between Cairo and Toronto, bringing a mix of minimal and deep house that leans more towards the groovy side of the spectrum with hints of acid licks. The set features eclectic tunes like ‘Where You To’ by Harrison BDP, ‘I Wanna Turn’ by Franck Roger, ‘Into the Clouds’ by Politics of Dancing and ‘Planet Express’ by James Andrew. 

Badry is also the co-founder of Dubai’s party series Duck Soup, curating various parties and events across the city. He has previously showcased at the Groove On The Grass festival in Dubai.

Select 288: Mixed by Badry

On today’s Select, we have SAUD, a veteran DJ hailing from Belgrade, Serbia, recognised for his multicoloured hypersonics, blending hardcore breakbeat patterns with contemporary gradients that gravitate towards a regenerated form of rhythmic psychedelia. He is also the co-founder of Belgradie-based famed rave platform SUTRA, which has brought a roster of acclaimed producers the likes of Gabber Modus Operandi, ZULI, Abadir, Aisha Devi, Mumdance, Batuu, Lee Gamble, Flore and more, to Serbia’s clubbing scene over the last 7 years.

Besides running SUTRA, SAUD was featured on Boiler Room x Belgrade. He has also played in various clubs and venues across the globe, from NYC, Berlin, and France, to Austria, Belgium, Norway, Poland, and Beirut, just to name a few. In 2023, he also launched his own club in New Belgrade called Živa.

For our 289th Select, SAUD shares the set he played at his club Živa’s season-opening party that took place earlier this year, featuring Kuwaiti producer Van Boom on the lineup. The set, a whirlwind of saturated bass sounds, razor-sharp electro, distorted drum patterns and vocal samples, features tunes by the likes of 3Phaz and Van Boom. “This one is dedicated to my lovely people in Beirut, whom I think of every passing hour,” SAUD tells SceneNoise.

Select 289: Mixed by SAUD

For this week’s Select, we have Berlin-based underground DJ/producer duo Marko & Bene, aka Longhair. Arguably one of the leading figures in the electronic dance scene, they’re known for their devilishly pumping and harmoniously uplifting sets that dabble in versatile shades of hazy house, with influences that range from disco and balearic to trance and electro. Earlier this year, the duo released ‘Surf & Turf’ EP on the famed London-based label OPIA Records, a deep and progressive house fusion of futuristic funk and dreamy rave nostalgia across four cuts.

For their select set, Longhair came in with a pulse-pounding house set, featuring psychedelic layers, acid-licks and rousing synth-heavy grooves with hip-thrusting kicks, combined with a subtle pinch of trance-like repetitive rhythms. The set features tunes by famous international producers such as Eddie Richards, Nanami Togarashi and Hidden Spheres.

Select 290: Mixed by Longhair

For Select 285, we have veteran techno DJ and producer Anthon, a prominent figure in the Lebanese underground music scene, recognized for mastering the craft of dark edgy big room sounds, as well as his ominous twisted techno productions, which are infused with shadows drawn from his own life experiences.

Anthon is the founder of one of Beirut’s burgeoning party series, Deep Department, which has been running since 2015. He has done his rounds at some of Lebanon’s most famous clubs and venues, from The Grand Factory and The Garten to AHM, Harbor, Ballroom Blitz and B018. He has also showcased at prestigious clubs across the globe, including Berlin’s Suicide Circus, Montpellier’s PZ Club, as well as Klub Der Republik with the Cluck Im Ohr crew. He has shared the decks with a roster of globally acclaimed artists like Sam Paganini, Boris Brejcha, Dubfire, Stephan Bodzin, Marco Bailey, Reinier Zonneveld, and Victor Ruiz, just to name a few. 

His extensive discography boasts several EPs, released on famed labels like Mango Alley, UNSEEN Records, Timeless Moment, Phobia and Phobiq. His works also appeared on various artist compilations alongside prominent artists such as Hernan Cattaneo, Citizen Kain, The Element, Oscar L, Blancah, Ten Walls, Soul Button, Space Motion and many more. 

For his select set, Anthon delivers a dark melodic techno mix, rich with warm synth layers, deep basslines and atmospheric soundscapes.

Select 285: Mixed by Anthon

This week’s Select comes courtesy of Cairo-based selector Mahmoud Okasha (AKA Zeft Funk), who has been helping Egypt’s top dancefloors groove over the last four years with his distinct blend of italo disco, acid house, textured bass-heavy sounds and eclectic tunes pulled from his own secret collection.

For his Select set, Zeft Funk delivers an hour-long mix of fancy funk tunes and pulse-bounding acid, disco and groovy house. The set kicks off with spoken words of the classic intro of radio broadcasting in Cairo, which then wafts through a fire mix of Lineat’s ‘InsBLaue’. The set is a treasure trove of irresistibly danceable grooves, featuring some of Zeft Funk’s favourite tunes like ‘Bigboy Exercises’ by Schwarzfahrer, ‘Self Loathing Rulz’ by Shout Out Out Out, and more.

Select 292: Mixed by Zeft Funk

Episode 18 of our bi-weekly electronic music series, Select Mixed by @Safi

Select - 018 Mixed by Safi

SceneNoise X Ballantine's True Music brings you Blended, a new project exploring the collision between traditional and electronic sounds. 'Ouds in Space' is the birth child of techno and trip hop inspired live electronic duo @The-Meteors-Project and the innovative, classically trained oud player @Bal-Qeis.

Find out more here:- www.scenenoise.com/oudsinspace

Balqeis X The Meteors Project - Ouds in Space

Read our full article about @MovingStill's newest track I'll Tell You For A Tenner out via @OrangeTreeEdits on February 29th as part of his 'Inta Min Feen?' EP. 

https://scenenoise.com/New-Music/premiere-moving-still---ill-tell-you-for-a-tenner-orange-tree-edits

PREMIERE: Moving Still - I’ll Tell You For A Tenner [OTE006]

NOISE MIXES: Abyusif Classics, Oldies, And Rare Trax 2013 - 2015

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