Salma Maps Berlin's Creative Mania on Electro-Tarab EP 'Chtih w Rdih'

Tunisian DJ, producer, and sound artist Salma has been steadily carving her own path through Berlin’s kaleidoscopic music scene, blending nostalgia, identity, and political consciousness into sets that are as glittering as they are unpredictable. On her new EP, 'Chtih w Rdih', she turns inward, mapping the fractured psyche of modern life across five tracks that move through bass, electro-tarab, and breakbeats with skilled precision.

The record is anchored in duality: the tension of living as part of the Arab diaspora in a metropolis, where each track captures the fleeting beat between Berlin’s creative mania and the calm of flowing through chaos while staying rooted in her heritage. Explosive breakbeats and looping grooves convey the relentless hustle of city life, while manipulated Arabic percussion and the haunting melodies of oud, violin, and qanun provide moments of grounding and reflection.

On ‘Frahna Bik’, a syncopated sharqi tabla rhythm races alongside percussive, bass-tinged drum kicks, relentless yet measured. Meanwhile, ‘Watarwave’ leans more toward the meditative side of things, with specks of industrial textures wafting through mellow oud arrangements and subtle bass percussion.

The visual counterpart for the EP is the music video for 'Hzem', directed by Ahmed Tarek Hamdy, which traces a similar duality. Footage of Maadi’s traffic and Cairo’s historic El Sayeeda Zeinab neighbourhood echoes the chaos of Berlin streets, drawing a poetic line between two cities that shape Salma’s sonic and cultural identity.

With 'Chtih w Rdih', Salma breaks free from the box of Berlin techno and trance sound, establishing herself as a promising young producer with a forward-thinking approach to reimagining Arab traditional music in an electronic dance sphere.