As part of its ongoing mission to bring the music of the Middle East to the UK in various forms, MARSM has expanded its online activities with the launch of new podcast, The Music Elevator.
The debut episode features a short mix from Lebanese producer, sound artist and hybrid DJ, Liliane Chlela, who has been killing in recent years through her high-energy Boiler Room performance and the release of her outstanding dystopian EP, Malign/Benign, which was released this year.
Aiming to dig deeper into artist in the region and Arab diaspora, the podcast featured short snippets of an interview with Chlela herself, followed by a mix that shifts through more mellow pieces by Bill Evans and Miles Davis, a cello based ambient composition by Chlela, as well as the more experimental/electronic pieces Chlela is known for.
As a platform and movement, MARSM has spent the last couple years building up an infrastructure for cultural exchange between the Middle East and the UK, with the aim of “deconstructing skewed perceptions of Arab sonic creativity.” Here, here.
Though most known for organising live events, the COVID-19 crisis has pushed MARSM online, where they have now implemented a monthly schedule delivering music related content. On the first Monday of every month, MARSM posts full music documentaries online, which are then available for free viewing for a set period. Every second Tuesday, there’s an ‘Artist of the Month’ feature and playlist (which kicked-off with Syria's Hello Psychaleppo), while new episodes of The Music Elevator podcast are published every third Wednesday of the month. In the meantime, MARSM also curates its own eclectic playlist, biweekly. So, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into and, more significantly, they’ve pivoted remarkably quickly to continue chasing its goals in the face of the pandemic.
Check out our feature on MARSM here.
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