Digiwaves | Podcasts of the UAE
The 264 Cru have been running its musical outputs online for just under the last year, covering a blend of two very important sonic spectrums. The initial podcast is known as The Comedown, released every Saturday and serves as a way to promote awareness to a variety of downtempo, chilled and eclectic sounds, mixed mainly by a selected body of avid music heads from across the UAE and beyond. It’s purpose is to provide meditation for listeners wishing to sooth their heads and smooth out those weary post weekend comedowns.
On the complete flipside to The Comedown, The 264 Cru established their second output of online sounds with the Booty Bangers series. Booty Bangers is a monthly mix that promotes only the loudest, most vivacious sounds the world has to offer. Booty Bangers is composed lovingly for The 264 Cru by a wealth of today's leading international bass heavyweights, and is designed for listeners as a pre party, turn up mix to get ready for the weekend ahead.
Whilst serving up these podcasts The 264 Cru has taken note of the many different online music outputs that Dubai has to offer. Some of these unique broadcasts are being used as a way to channel individual music nights and events who want to present their musical influences in a form that is accessible to all listeners locally and across the globe.
Some of the podcasts are created to help promote the people behind it and spread their influence, while others were created out of frustration towards the existing radio stations' cloney, commercial nature that lacks edge and variety. The frequency and regularity of these broadcasts is either weekly or twice a month, showing an urgency for expression and a desire to create a difference.
We reached out to the heads behind each of these shows and asked them for some more insights as to why they do what they do and what their various goals are. We’ve selected some of the more poignant answers from each, to piece together this blog post and entice you to check them all out.
MOTELLACAST
Every week Mohammed Abood a.k.a DJ MoCity, one of the founders of The 264 Cru curates his very own weekly Mixcloud show for the many followers he has amassed worldwide. Initially inspired by his love of Nutella, Motella cast is described as “a delicious music spread for your head”, or more specifically, an eclectic mix of some of the worlds finest current beats and bass. Growing consistently over the past year or so, MoCity shares the music he's currently digging, playing and discovering and has had a string of high-profile as well as up-and-coming guest DJs including names such as Zed Bias, Alexander Nut, Tim Parker, Addison Groove, Chunky, Kutmah, Om Unit, Sarah Farina and that's just scratching the surface.
Who’s involved?
DJ MoCity (Music) and Emote (Graphics)
A sentence describing your podcast’s format
Fresh beats from across the globe, special guest appearances interviews and now, in-depth conversations covering special topics during my travels.
Motive: What was the catalyst for starting up your series? What did you initially set out to achieve?
Find new music, stay on top of my game, share other peoples favorite music and get new listeners.
What topics and/or music do you usually showcase in your podcasts?
Beats, World Music, Bass Music, Hip-Hop, all kinds of Indie Electronica and some local brews like Radyous and his eclectic selection.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
Massive development at high pace. Happy to be part of it in some way.
What’s next for you?
Hopefully get the show a slot on some established online radio station.
“A new episode of Motellacast goes up each and every Wednesday and you can check it out by heading over to https://www.mixcloud.com/motellacast/”
The Shady Shady Show
One of the earliest podcasts to start in the UAE alternative scene and is still broadcasting, albeit after a couple of years hiatus, is The Shady Shadow Show (SSS) run by the local respected DJ and nightlife reveller Shadi Megallaa.
With a format unlike any other, The SSS prides itself on its looseness, where the host and guests say what they want and play what they please. The live video broadcast via social media and live audio recording dictates an improvisational and spontaneous vibe, while also adding in the performance factor for a live audience in Shadi’s home.
Motive: What was the catalyst for starting up your series? What did you initially set out to achieve?
Initially I had been invited to play on my friend Salah Sadeq's The Crate platform. It went well & then we decided I'd have my own show, originally called The Shady Shadow. Back then it was every 6 weeks. After 4 Episodes I decided to call it quits. I had planned to start it back up at my record shop, but since the process was taking so long I brought it back as The Shadow Shadow Show & recorded it at my place. Nothing has been the same since. After changing the art direction, the flyers have become a huge part of the show.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
Dubai's alternative music scene has grown by leaps & bounds just in the last 3 years. More so this past year. Certain promoters, mainly The 264 Cru have broadened people's musical palettes & that is very important. Same goes for the efforts of Freshly Ground Sounds & The Other Side expanding on the live music scene which is still lacking. Analog Room has also done an amazing job in digging deeper into house/techno bookings & don't play it as safe as most other promoters & venues, when it comes to house music. The scene has grown a lot recently, but there’s always room for improvement.
What are your thoughts on traditional radio (local and global)?
Sadly, traditional radio both local & global is dead. Its very uninspiring & doesn't cover a broad range of music. There aren't enough concept radio shows. How many top 40 hits can one listen to before wanting to jump off a bridge & into a pit of hungry gators. There are tons of great podcasts around the world that serve the same purpose that traditional radio once served.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Every two weeks you can tune in to the listen to the The Shady Shady Show head over to https://www.mixcloud.com/Shadi_Megallaa/ or watch the recap videos at facebook.com/fibrepassion/- and keep your eyes and ears peeled for Dubai’s new record shop ‘The Flipside’ which is coming to a warehouse near you.”
Fresh Select
From the oldest to the newest or freshest we should say, is one of our own The 264 Cru members’ Kev Fresh, with his podcast aptly named Fresh Select. A weekly round up of new music that he is feeling at the moment as well as taking the listeners back to old gems and favorites that he has rediscovered. The podcast is run solely by Kev himself and began in May.
Motive: What was the catalyst for starting up your series? What did you initially set out to achieve?
My friend MoCity had his 1 year anniversary for his podcast Motellacast and it got me totally fired up to do something similar and commit to making something creative happen every week. I had wanted to do something similar for ages but tended to over think how hard it would be to make a weekly mix of new music. Mo showed how it was just about getting it done and putting something out each week.
The other major motivation was to have place where I could just play whatever music I was feeling and not be constrained by stuff that works for the dancefloor or what the crowd might want. I have always loved such a wide range of music i find it hard to have it make sense in a DJ set, but with the podcast/mixcast I can just do whatever I want, and people either like it or don't. It's great to have a creative outlet and spread good music to as many people as possible!
What topics and/or music do you usually showcase in your podcasts?
I don't really have a format. I just take in a lot of music over the course of the week from across the internet and then just pull together my fav 15-20 tracks. But there usually tends to be a few beats/bass heavy tunes, some hip hop, some more left-field electronica and some indie dance or disco vibes.
What are your thoughts on traditional radio (local and global)?
I honestly haven't listened to traditional radio on a regular basis for over 10 years or more. I think there is still a place for it, but broadcasting music via the radio waves is totally inefficient and massively limits the size of the audience.
The internet and the freedom it presents for finding whatever music I like, from anywhere I like, at whatever time I like, makes a lot of radio obsolete.
But I can still see a place for local radio in it's ability to bring people together and create a central point for a scene or a group of scenes. However any radio station now needs to have an online aspect.
As far as the local radio I have heard, it is total rubbish, pop music, censored, mainstream stuff. Just copy-paste corporate style radio that you could hear anywhere around the world. Except here I think they only have about 20 tunes on repeat. I feel sorry for the kids that grow up here with that as their only option.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Catch the Fresh Select show every monday over at https://www.mixcloud.com/kevfresh/”
Bassworx DXB Radio Show
One of Dubai’s veterans of the Drum and Bass scene Tim Woodstock, runs a weekly show which started early on in 2016. An informal radio station featuring a mix of Drum and Bass and Jungle from a selection of local artists Woodle and Trigger being the main residents, with a wealth of guests on rotation which include Mach4, Sya One, Espace, Cruz, JAB, Militan, Somalie and many others. The shows are aired live on Lazerfm.com and later the recordings are uploaded to Mixcloud.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
It's a never ending roller-coaster. Promoters, events and punters come and go, and the "scene" evolves with it.
Who else in Dubai do you think is on a similar mission to what you’re trying to achieve? Is there a partnership/collaboration?
We've always had strong ties with Globalfunk and Deep Crates Cartel. Past collaborations have been successful and we're working on plans for later in 2016.
What are your thoughts on traditional radio (local and global)?
Local radio is in dire need of variety. The vicious cycle of pop / house music fueling a crowd with equally narrow tastes is frustrating to say the least.
What’s next for you?
Keeping on keeping on.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Catch Bassworx Radio show evey week over at www.mixcloud.com/BASSWORX_DXB/”
Tea With Culture
Twice a month Hind Mezaina artist and founder of The Culturist blog (theculturist.com) along with Wael Hattar who is an artist and founder of Young Collectors Collective together form the Tea With Culture podcast where they discuss the art scene in the UAE, including reviews and thoughts on specific films or exhibitions, giving their recommendations on art and culture events and interviewing people from the scene.
Motive: What was the catalyst for starting up your series? What did you initially set out to achieve?
Share the conversations Wael and I have when we get together with a wider audience. We have lots of opinions/thoughts on the arts and culture scene in the UAE and we decided it was something we wanted to share to create a discussion. We were tired of the fluffy like art reviews we normally read, or the self promotional pieces and the lack of thoughtful criticism when it comes to the culture scene in the UAE in the local media (radio, newspaper, magazines).
What are your thoughts on traditional radio (local and global)?
Local radio [is] terrible. Dubai Eye 103.8 feels like it is dumbed-down radio and isn't interested in critical discussions on the shows that are about art/culture/film. Also it's 'very white' and not interested in being diverse with their guests, topics, which doesn't represent the city.
As for the local music channels, they all play the same songs. No one is interested in seeking out new music and no interest in playing music by local/regional musicians. The only time I hear music by local/regional musicians is on the show co-presented by TripleW once a week, late night on Dubai Eye 103.8. Every time I listen to that show, I wonder why can't we hear this music during the day. It's as good as, [or] even better than the so called "radio friendly" commercial songs.
I listen to a handful of radio stations outside the UAE and lately listen to more podcasts, e.g. NPR, Monocle Radio, BBC 6. There are some intelligent well programmed shows on traditional radio and it's a shame there's no equivalent in the UAE.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
I would replace "alternative music scene" with "independent music scene". I don't believe there's an "alternative" music scene in the UAE. It's a word I feel that gets misused, just like "underground".
There has been an increase in independent musicians, singers, music promoters that are trying to promote local talent or fly in smaller acts that aren't deemed 'commercial'. The local music scene has been developing for more than 10 years and I get frustrated when there's only acknowledgement made to what is currently made and presented, as it's never been done. Part of it is people come and go, or many with short-term memories and people that like to be promoted as the next big thing.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Head over to - theculturist.com to keep up to date with Hind and Wael’s artistic endevours”
The Dukkan Show
Found on iTunes each and every week The Dukkan Show hosted by local MCs and creatives Toofless, OT and Jibberish focuses on spirited discussion and celebrates friendships and bonds created in tight-knit neighborhoods such as the ones found in the region, namely centered around the local grocery shop or ‘Dukkan’. The hosts tackle a wide range of topics from ‘Cultural Pollination’ to Zakat, poetry, and childhood experiences.
What topics and/or music do you usually showcase in your podcasts?
There is neither an agenda nor format for the topics, as long as it interests us personally and collectively. As far as the music is concerned, the segment is highly essential and is a reflection of the Dukkan identity; we don’t believe in putting this segment in a box, in other words there is no specific genre that identifies the Dukkan. With that being said, the music is chosen very carefully with an objective to create an avant-garde experience and heal our listeners, we firmly believe in the power of music and poetry because it’s been part of lives since we were young. Another factor, is to break boundaries and showcase music that traditional radio won’t play and have a message that is of positive substance, the music we play ties all cultures, races, religions, nationalities and backgrounds. In a nutshell, it’s all about putting out good music and good vibes.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
Dubai’s alternative music scene was always there, but remained under the radar. In recent years it has definitely emerged and solidified its presence, and it’s all because of the consistencies of the people that made it happen, we are keen to continue this legacy forward, and add our flavor to it.
Who else in Dubai do you think is on a similar mission to what you’re trying to achieve? Is there a partnership/collaboration?
We cannot deny collectives such as DUST, OHM, yourselves (The 264 Cru), Deep Crates Cartel, Bad House Party and other true players that contributed to the scene’s development like DJ Solo (whom is highly underrated) Danny Neville, Rony Jaxx and many more that kept It flowing. The Dukkan was/is always involved in the scene’s development, whether it’s behind the scenes, support or engaging in events that truly care to push the scene forward such as recent collaborations with RBMA and The Future of the UAE Music Scene panel, which was hosted by Brown Book at the Intersect by Lexus, amongst many more. And we are always down to collaborate and partner with others that believe in a similar vision.
What’s next for you?
The main focus is to elevate the quality of the show. There are a few plans in the pipeline, but at the moment it’s about tailoring the show in terms of concepts, design, quality, and consistency. Once all that is done, some announcement will follow so stay tuned for that. Another exciting project being embarked on is the introduction of Dukkan’s Bidoun band, showcasing Toofless and Jibberish backed by a highly skilled band performing live shows.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Head over to http://www.dukkanshow.com to find out more”
Wasta Radio
Wasta Radio is a weekly well-balanced mix of everything between the latest and trending, non-specific genres that appeal to the current youth, with a handpicked Top 10 selection from leading music blogs, run by MC Hype, Firas Al-Bakrj and Sydney Miranda.
Motive: What was the catalyst for starting up your series? What did you initially set out to achieve?
Recently me and a couple friends were driving around in my car and noticed something odd after I got stuck in Dubai traffic. As I tried to skip the songs on the radio the same songs would be playing different stations when I switched. It was very frustrating and it turns out that everyone can relate to it. I started to notice that there wasn't a flow to music selection on radio so I set off to making my own unique experience that others can enjoy and relate to with Wasta Radio.
How has the Dubai and the UAE as a whole alternative music scene developed in recent years?
There are only a few places to go out here in Dubai where you can enjoy your Alternative fix. However, it is growing year by year which means the awareness is there and that's what we hope to bring to the community.
What are your thoughts on traditional radio (local and global)?
Some people like them and some people don't. We want to serve the people with something new and fresh that they can enjoy.
What’s next for you?
We pride ourselves in hosting live podcast events, our last one was at Cafe Rider and we really enjoy the audience interactions and watching the good vibes grow. Keep a lookout on our next event.
Check out the most recent episode right here...
“Check out Wasta Radio here at Mixcloud - www.mixcloud.com/WastaRadio/”
