From Morocco’s Small X to Sudan’s MaMan, North African artists are searching for new sounds and media to respond to the socio-political realities of our time. This is the best North African and Arabic music of the year so far.
In May, music releases were less energetic and more introspective, powerful in their minimalism, and stepping stones towards bigger releases and projects awaiting us in the summer.
The 23-track, deeply personal album confronts the death of the rapper’s mother, embedding the experience of depression and loss in an Egyptian cultural context.
The Egyptian government announced 2025 to be the “Year of Umm Kulthum.” Egyptians of different generations share what it takes to really appreciate the icon’s music.
Abo Sahar's self-coined electronic genre 'Trobby' is heavily-influenced by his youth and memories in upper Egypt. "People dance to my childhood dreams," he says.