How Zouj spins on Raï and presses it in his own language
Raï drifted in slowly, like heat rising off the deserts of western Algeria. Long before it became a global dance language, it lived in the…
Music
Exclusive BTS from Ali Sethi’s Love Language, a visual world shaped by Somnath Bhatt
Few debut albums arrive as fully realized as Love Language, Ali Sethi’s luminous blend of Sufi poetry, bhangra rhythm, and electronic experimentation. Described by The…
Cheb Hasni and how raï refused to die
In 1994, Cheb Hasni—known to millions as Le Prince du Raï—was walking through his neighborhood in Oran, carrying a wheelchair as a gift for a…
The revolution will not be televised: A conversation with Greentea Peng on music, the politics of the self, and Palestine
After my conversation with London-born musician, Greentea Peng, I began to question the true meaning of the word ambition. In the New Oxford American Dictionary,…
The kids are alright
It’s the year 2025, and the youth of Karachi are raging to a samosa. Conceptualised by Mr Shotbox, who’s spinning the decks in a ‘Make…