Inspired by Egypt’s historic radio industry, a collective of Cairo’s electronic music artists and DJs are going back to basics, with a schedule of live-streamed sets designed to make staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic a bit easier, and a lot groovier.
Hunalqahira – the iconic words that mark the beginning of public radio broadcasts – is a collective initiative by Strictly Vinyl and No Name founder, Ahmed Samy, in collaboration with Cairo-based community and talent network, COXWAINS, that will see the capital’s favourite DJs, producers, promoters and record labels put on live sets on Facebook. A show of solidarity and support for the electronic music scene that’s been brought to a halt by the closure of clubs and music venues, Hunalqahira hopes to also further encourage social distancing by allowing audiences to enjoy the music they’ve come to crave, from the comfort of their own homes.
“There are so many people who have cancelled parties and events,” Samy, who's kicking it all of with the first episode, told us. “Hunaelqahira is a way to support everyone on scene and even those that maybe aren’t in these circles,’ he continued, while adding that, of course, all safety measures have been taken with the set-up.
So far, they’ve officially announced two live streams, kicking off with Samy on March 24th with a one-hour set starting at 6PM local time. On March 27th, infamous event-throwers and electronic music collective, Sakanat Studios, put on a four-hour showcase of their talented residents, starting at 5pm local time. Other movers and shakers on the scene that have joined the cause include Fractal, No Name, Unfamiliar and Jellyzone.
Tune in to their Facebook page for the live streams, and their Instagram for updates.
