"it had a sensibility that seemed soothing and warm"
June 8, 2018 9:07 PM Subscribe
Starting out singing Misfits covers in a local punk band, then moving onto producing her own electronic tracks and making a name for herself in Cairo’s underground scene, Nadah El Shazly’s backstory is not that unusual. Her debut album on the other hand, is an entirely unexpected story.
The album's final track, "Mahmiya (Protectorate)," now has a mind-bending video by the cover artist, Marwan El-Gamal.
El Shazly's YouTube channel also has a live performance video of another song, "Palmyra."
The album's final track, "Mahmiya (Protectorate)," now has a mind-bending video by the cover artist, Marwan El-Gamal.
El Shazly's YouTube channel also has a live performance video of another song, "Palmyra."
Yes, yes, yes! Nadah El Shazly is brilliant and that video is truly something else.
There's an article about Cairo's alternative music scene in the latest issue of The Wire - Nadah El Shazly's on the cover - that's supposed to be really great (I haven't had a chance to pick up that issue for myself yet).
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:47 AM on June 9, 2018
There's an article about Cairo's alternative music scene in the latest issue of The Wire - Nadah El Shazly's on the cover - that's supposed to be really great (I haven't had a chance to pick up that issue for myself yet).
posted by soundofsuburbia at 1:47 AM on June 9, 2018
My view of the world has just been enlarged.
I thought of Cairo and thought maybe of camels or god knows what. Maybe they have camels all over the place, but there also is a place where I'd want to be. And that place is where Nadah El Shazly is playing, esp with her band -- gawd.
I can't make sense of her, and I've tried, I've hung in through maybe six or eight videos. I don't have to make sense of her, I can see that what she is doing makes perfect sense to her. And that's been enough to get me to hang in and hang on.
And on a couple of live videos, with a full band, a very hot band, and what she is doing makes perfect sense to them, no doubt about it. And they're so fkn good that I trust them. They're so happy to play with her. That bass player is amazing, totally into it, and the drummer is fkn great, he could play with anyone but it's awfully plain that he's totally psyched about being in her sphere.
It is a large world we live in.
Thanx Johnny Wallflower, for opening that world up a bit more for me, early of a Saturday morning.
posted by dancestoblue at 4:32 AM on June 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I thought of Cairo and thought maybe of camels or god knows what. Maybe they have camels all over the place, but there also is a place where I'd want to be. And that place is where Nadah El Shazly is playing, esp with her band -- gawd.
I can't make sense of her, and I've tried, I've hung in through maybe six or eight videos. I don't have to make sense of her, I can see that what she is doing makes perfect sense to her. And that's been enough to get me to hang in and hang on.
And on a couple of live videos, with a full band, a very hot band, and what she is doing makes perfect sense to them, no doubt about it. And they're so fkn good that I trust them. They're so happy to play with her. That bass player is amazing, totally into it, and the drummer is fkn great, he could play with anyone but it's awfully plain that he's totally psyched about being in her sphere.
It is a large world we live in.
Thanx Johnny Wallflower, for opening that world up a bit more for me, early of a Saturday morning.
posted by dancestoblue at 4:32 AM on June 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I’m all in on this. Thanks for posting!
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 5:11 AM on June 9, 2018
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 5:11 AM on June 9, 2018
Not to hijack, although I've listened to El Shazly (and will be putting her album back into rotation again, now I've been reminded), what I've really loved out of Cairo recently is Lekhfa - the singer Maryam Saleh, electronicist Maurice Louca and oud player/singer Tamer Abu Ghazaleh performing songs based on the poems of Mido Zoheir. All of them well worth checking out in their other projects.
posted by Grangousier at 6:51 AM on June 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 6:51 AM on June 9, 2018 [7 favorites]
Thanks, G! That's not a hijack, that's what's great about this site: other people improve my little posts and I learn more about the subject.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:05 AM on June 9, 2018
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:05 AM on June 9, 2018
Nadah El Shazly’s arrangements are really adventurous, and that video was utterly mesmerizing.
And whoa, Grangousier, Lekhfa gave me chills. I’d love to hear more about them.
I love hearing about a scene I didn’t know about that is doing thrilling things.
posted by umbú at 12:53 PM on June 9, 2018
And whoa, Grangousier, Lekhfa gave me chills. I’d love to hear more about them.
I love hearing about a scene I didn’t know about that is doing thrilling things.
posted by umbú at 12:53 PM on June 9, 2018
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Lyrics by Nadah El Shazly
Translation by Nariman Youssef
مَحْمِيَّة
كلمات ندى الشاذلي
كان فيه مَحْمِيَّة
نوم يافِع ، رُصاص حَرير
في غيابَك
ضُلُوعي بتوسَع
مَحْمِيَّة
There was a protectorate
Youthful sleep
Bullets of silk
In your absence
My ribcage expands
Protected
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:19 PM on June 8, 2018 [1 favorite]