Cairo Music
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The Invisible Hands: The Invisible Hands
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Deerhunter: Monomania
Brian Eno once famously commented that the Velvet Underground might only have sold 30,000 records while they were still together, but "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band". In the case of Texas four-piece band, The Black Angels, they didn't only start a band, they named themselves after the Velvet Underground's 'The Black Angel's Death Song' and use a high contrast negative of occasional vocalist, Nico, as their logo. With those references, it should come as no surprise that The Black Angels' sound is highly inspired by the Velvet Underground and some of their contemporaries. Lead vocalist Alex Maas' voice has the same characteristic nonchalance as that of Lou Reed, while Stephanie Bailey's dry and often primitive drums are in line with Maureen Tuckers' bare rhythms. Other notable influences are the Doors, especially in the wild, flailing organ on tracks, 'Evil Things', 'I Hear Colors (Chromaesthesia)' and 'Twisted Light and War On Holiday'. There is a hint of early Rolling Stones in 'Broken Soldier' and the Yardbirds recieve a nod on 'The Day'. Overall, this fourth album by the psychedelic quartet breathes the atmosphere of the 60's flower-power era, with a dash of garage rock. It sounds almost exactly the same as the Black Angels did on precursor, Phosphene Dream, but this is where the saying 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' readily applies. As with most psychedelia releases, and therefore all output by the Black Angels, the production on Indigo Meadow is dense. On most songs the guitar, bass and drums are stirred into an impenetrable paste of sound, with the vocals drowning somewhere in the middle. A notable exception to this is 'Holland', which might be the cleanest the band has ever sounded, thanks to a crisp guitar melody and the sudden appearance of an ambient synthesizer. The somewhat macabre lyrics on this record contrast the hippie feel of the music, with Maas proclaiming "It's hard to kill when you don't know who's side you're on" on 'Broken Soldier' and telling the tale of professional killers, Josephine and Angie, "The demon with Lucifer eyes" on 'Don't Play With Guns'. If you're in need of a new addition for your 60's psychedelica playlist, look no further than the Black Angels' Indigo Meadow; turn on, tune in and drop out.
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There comes a time in everyone's life when it's time for reflection; time to escape the rat race and go back to basics. Usually, this time is spent at some desolate place, like a cabin in the woods or some far away beach on a desert island; somewhere one can fully recharge and shift their focus back to what's really important. English singer-songwriter, Ed Harcourt, seems to have done just that on his new record Back into the Woods. But instead of a cabin in the woods or a tropical beach resort, Harcourt went back to basics at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London. The nine songs were written in a month and recorded in just six hours. The end result is melancholic, but utterly beautiful, in all its naked simplicity. There's a piano, an electric guitar and his wife on the violin, but that is all Harcourt has taken with him to create this record. The use of dubbed vocals on a handful of tracks, and an organ beefing up the bare framework of the song 'Brothers and Sisters', is as frivolous as this album gets. It seems Harcourt returning to basics has paved the way for some lyrical introspection, as well. "You've got the good bits from your mother and the bad parts from me" and "pay no heed to good advice" he sings to his daughter on 'Hey Little Bruiser'. He serenades his wife on 'Wandering Eye' as he muses, "I remember when I first saw you/I couldn't move I was paralysed," and on 'The Pretty Girls' he states "I always feel like the monster in this fairy tale." In 'The Cusp and the Wane' the singer-songwriter tells us that Mozart died a pauper and that William Blake was ridiculed. "Let's hear it for the underdog," he sings – he might as well be singing about himself. It's always been a bit of a mystery how Jeff Buckley-esque singers and songwriters, such as Rufus Wainwright and Damien Rice, have managed to amass huge fan followings over the years, yet Harcourt still operates under the radar of the general music-loving audience. It's not like he hasn't got the talent. Harcourt's oeuvre is littered with brilliant compositions, most notably on the Mercury Prize nominated' Here Be Monsters (2001), The Beautiful Lie (2006) and Lustre (2010). They can certainly compete with the musical accomplishments of the likes of Rice, Wainwright and even Buckley, yet somehow, until now, Harcourt has failed to get as much attention. And that's a real shame. So here's a free tip if you're into singer-songwriters (especially the aforementioned ones): do yourself a favour and buy not only Back into the Woods, but Harcourt's entire seven album discography. You won't regret it.
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You've got to love Kurt Vile. Whether or not you like his songs or general aesthetics, no one can deny that he has mastered the 'like, I'm just an ordinary dude' artistic ethos exceptionally well. And not only has he been able to carry that grungy/punk torch into the modern world of indie music, he's been able to do it as himself; a solo guy, a 'singer-songwriter', in a time when the very notion of such is enough to make one cringe. On Wakin on a Pretty Daze, not much has changed since Vile released his debut album with Matador Records, Childish Prodigy, back in 2009. Vile is still creating acoustic guitar, 'singer-songwriter' songs punctuated with beautiful guitar lines and lazy but seductive melodies. Vile's also still singing half-pedestrian/half-stoned-out lyrics about the people he meets, the bars he frequents, the planet he lives on, or the squalor of his apartment that tend to turn everyday banalities and words into epic events – at least in the eyes of a stoner. Comparing Childish Prodigy's lead single 'He's Alright' with Pretty Daze's 'Wakin of a Pretty Day', it's clear that Vile's still trying to say: "Hey Guys. Chill out. Life's alright. If I can do, it you can do it – right? Oh, yeah, and thanks for listening." There's an instant soothing that comes from Vile's sound; especially in Cairo, when one has to hop into a car twice a day to join the static rush hour traffic – it's the perfect music to zone out to. But unlike many of his contemporaries, Vile is a slow burning candle. Even before his debut album, the songs he released were pretty similar just with lower production quality. In a recent interview, Vile explained that "I know what to do to become the next big thing, but I have no interest in doing that. I want to do this my whole life." The slow and subtle evolution of Vile's albums – noticeable to probably only the most voracious listeners – is testament to this. However, this desire to just cruise through his career on his own terms removes that element of surprise and heavy experimentation from Vile's work that would really help make it stand out album to album. But at the same time, this aesthetic loyalty is also a large part of his charm. Therefore, as a result, none of the albums really have any peaks, or troughs, and Pretty Daze is no different. The entire album is one long, approximately 70 minute, beautiful moment, but there are no real fireworks, no explosive flashes. Stand out tracks are certainly the opener and title track, 'Wakin on a Pretty Day', as it sweeps the listener off their feet straight away and plunges them into the world of Kurt Vile. Another notable track is 'Shame Chamber' which uses a steady head-nodding groove in order to bouncily deliver lyrics about mankind's shortcomings as a finger pointing, shame inducing species. "Shame on you, shame on me, and shame on us, for feeling bad in the best way," says Vile. But as said, there are no money shots on Pretty Daze, only one long smooth, sensual session. Pretty Daze has also arrived just in time for spring, when hopefully, the daze that Cairenes have come to wake up to becomes a little brighter.
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For his new project, How to Destroy Angels, Nine Inch Nails mastermind, Trent Reznor, has teamed up with his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, his long-time musical partner in crime, Atticus Ross, and Nine Inch Nails' art director, Rob Sheridan. With How to Destroy Angels' DNA so closely linked to that of Nine Inch Nails, it should come as no surprise that the groups, at first hearing, sound quite similar. The easiest way to describe this album – or this new band, for that matter – is to say that it sounds like a light version of Nine Inch Nails; less angry and aggressive. But the new foursome wanders into plenty of other musical corners to justify their new musical explorations. For starters, most of the tracks on Welcome Oblivion are more electronic than anything Reznor has ever done. Good examples of this are the bare beats on 'The Loop Closes' and 'Too Late, All Gone', with their use of dry slaps and pulsating synths. The female voice also adds a new dimension, as does the use of dual lead vocals by Reznor and Maandig. The latter is essentially the main vocalist for the band and her voice comfortably switches from angelic on 'On the Wing' to riot-girl-angry on the title track. Brief opener, 'The Wake-up', introduces the sometimes glitchy production of the album and builds on a deep bass and layers of vocals that quickly intertwine and pile up. The entangled disorder gets cut off before it gets too messy, though, and ends with a peculiur backward loop of one of the lyrics, giving the track a spooky finale. 'Ice Age' wraps a staccato banjo, stuck on an angular loop, around Maandig's ethereal vocals, while 'How Long?' has a very poppy chorus and is filled with the type of beats and bass loops that would make even Timbaland jealous. 'Strings and Attractors', meanwhile, sounds like an ode to 90's glitch, whereas 'Recursive Self-Improvement' has a distinctive analogue sound, vaguely reminiscent of 8-bit. One thing that How to Destroy Angels certainly has in common with Nine Inch Nails is the meticulous attention to detail; every beat, fill, vocal and loop sound like they are exactly where they should be – not a single note on the album sounds superfluous.
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What do you get when you take the noisy guitars out of Mogwai? Well, you get the Scottish five-piece band's soundtrack made for French TV-series, Les Revenants, conveniently also called Les Revenants. Post-rockers Mogwai doing a soundtrack is something to get excited about; they created a near masterpiece with the film score to the documentary, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, and delivered excellent work collaborating with Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet on the soundtrack to Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain. The Revenants is an eight-episode long zombie TV-drama that aired on French cable TV. It revolves around a small mountain village, not unlike David Lynch's Twin Peaks, where the dead keep re-appearing. The soundtrack comprises fourteen songs; tracks, 'Wizard Motor', 'This Messiah Needs Watching' and 'The Huts' also appeared on the Les Revenants EP that was released in December of last year, the latter two in slightly different versions. Intro song, 'Hungry Face', features an innocent high-pitched synthesizer melody, driven by propelling drums against a back-drop of guitars quietly humming in the background. It sets the mood for the rest of the album; one that is dominated by piano and synthesizers, instead of the dense walls of guitars that usually prevail on Mogwai's albums. The overall feel of Les Revenants can best be described as restrained. There is an underlying tension that snakes through all fourteen songs, yet the pent up energy never comes to a full explosion. It complements the mystery tone of the mini-series and makes for an eerie sense of the unexpected when experiencing the music on its own. Slight musical themes are recurrent throughout the album, but most noticeable on 'Kill Jester', 'Relative Hysteria' and 'Portugal'. The biggest surprise on Les Revenants, however, is 'What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?'; a cover of a Washington Philipp's gospel song. Going against what is almost a rule of thumb in post-rock music, it uncharacteristically features clear and intelligible vocals by guitarist, Stuart Braithwaite. Unfortunately, said vocals just don't work; they sound shaky and insecure. This might have gone well with the overall feel of the TV-show, but when listening to the song on its own it, it comes across as poor production, rather than intentional styling; Braithwaite's not quite blessed with a singing voice. That's probably why vocals in Mogwai songs, when there are any at all, are virtually always drowned in sound effects, usually so much so that the lyrics are barely comprehensible. Still, props to them for trying something new. Not all new musical directions turn out to be improvements, but fortunately this is the only faux-pas on an otherwise masterfully crafted soundtrack, making this a record that is well worth your time.
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No matter how deep you are into adulthood, it's never too late to grasp the complexities of a musical instrument. Most of us have dabbled in one form of musicality or another as children, but few persist. As we grow older and wiser, however, we come to appreciate the craft of music and even have a daydream or two about being the next big star. But if there's one thing that Cairo teaches you, it's that you're never too old to do, well, anything. But even when the passion is there, the problems lie in where, what, who and how. Following our guide to the best guitar courses and instructors in the city, we've humbly moved onto the percussion family. If you have aspirations to be the next Ringo Starr, Cairo 360 will help you achieve that dream. Or maybe you just want to be a tabla master? That's ok, too; there's plenty of money to be made playing at weddings. Keep in mind that since drums require a studio space for practice, fees for the instructor do not always include the amount required to rent studio space – be sure to ask. Ahmed Hesham Considered one of the best drummers in Cairo, Ahmed Hesham plays in bands such as Eftekasat and Sahara, and is also a long-time member of the Percussion Show. You can take classes with him at Wave Studio in Dokki for 100LE an hour, studio space included. Call 01004765157 to get in touch. Magd El Soury If you live in or around Heliopolis, then Magd El Soury is your man. Syrian by birth, Syrian by name, El Soury (which literally translates to the Syrian) is professional drummer who has experience in a variety of musical genres. Classes come as a package of seven lessons (700LE) or 14 lessons (1400LE), and will teach you the basics across several types of percussion instruments. Call Frequency Studio on 01006019964 for more information, or contact him directly on 01061363495. Amr El Zanaty For a more alternative approach to percussion, Amr El Zanaty offers lessons in more obscure instruments such as the bongo and the djembe, as well as traditional drumming. Call him on either 01110620950 or 01006152283 to decide on a time and a place. Rates are negotiable. Bob/Mizo Members of popular Egyptian band Wust El Balad, Bob and Mizo's classes take place at the Downtown Studio in Garden City. The duo offer basic drums lessons as well as lessons in the aforementioned bongo, djembe, et al. Lessons are available from 2PM till midnight; call 01112727973 for more information. Amr Galal Based out of El Mesa7a Art and Culture Center in Dokki, Galal has played in some of the most prominent local bands and offers a package of classes as opposed to single lessons. Courses start at beginner, and move up to advanced, before finally reaching expert over five curriculums. Get in touch with the centre on 01111899998. Of course, as with any instrument, it's important to practice. Percussionists have it harder than most, considering the racket they make; late-night bedroom jamming isn't always an option, unfortunately. Alternatively, you can always teach yourself via the many weird YouTube tutorials. Happydrumming, Cairo! Translated and edited from Cairo 360 Arabic
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With Comedown Machine, the band's final verdict is now clear: the Strokes are officially no longer the same band that produced the near perfect first two albums, Is This It? and Room on Fire, about a decade ago. They might be the same individuals, per se, but those individuals have grown up, changed, separated, reconvened, hated each other, had side projects and come back together, often reluctantly. After third album, First Impressions of Earth, recieved mixed reviews and the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2006, they 'reluctantly reconvened' in 2011 to create their fourth album, Angles. Just short of a disaster, the album is confused and lacking in the 'Strokes' identity – not surprising considering that lead singer and main composer, Julian Casablancas, refused to be in the studio at the same time as the others during recording. Nonetheless, despite the confused nature of Angles, the Strokes have now done what all great bands do; just plough on. Their latest release, Comedown Machine, sounds like the band has accepted that they are no longer the same people and are ready to run with their new selves and new songs without inhibition. The result is a very interesting, very beautiful, though at points tragically bad, piece of work that will likely be very challenging to early Strokes fans. Comedown Machine is the Strokes moving forward unabashedly and just producing what they think sounds good. While still present, the 'in your face', tight as hell, nostalgic garage rock revival sound has been abandoned largely for songs clearly informed by new indie bands – like Beach House and Deerhunter – as well as old genres such as new wave, and 50s doo wop girl groups. In other words, making sure the songs are guitar driven is no longer a signature sound of the Strokes as all kinds of effects pedals, synthesisers and organs are present on the album. Casablancas is no longer the drunken, youthful, restless, deep-voiced crooner, but has now moved to sing in falsetto at times, amongst other things. At times, this new approach works incredibly well, and has earned the band beautiful songs such as '80s Comedown Machine', which sounds a bit like the Strokes covering Massive Attack; 'Chances', which sounds like a Beach House cover; and the early-20th century sounding 'Call it Karma, Call it Fate', which sounds like it was recorded in the 1950's. However, despite referencing other bands to describe the songs, they still very much do sound like the Strokes; it's beautiful when a new approach works. However, there are times, as expected, when this approach fails miserably. Upon release, the album's first single, 'One Way Trigger', was insanely confusing to fans of the Strokes' early sounds. It sounds like a group of amateurs trying to rip off Norwegian pop band, A-Ha, using just digital instruments from Garage Band. On the other hand, 'All The Time', sounds like the Strokes trying to imitate their younger selves, which, whilst upbeat, just sounds really soulless. Nonetheless, as a whole, Comedown Machine is a pretty beautiful and triumphant record for a band that finds itself in the challenging position of ploughing forward in the midst of a musical landscape vastly different from the one it built its iconic status upon.
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Music has always been a big part of life in Egypt and now, more and more people are looking to take music lessons in Cairo; whether your musical aspirations lie with the guitar, violin, piano, oud, or drums, the demand is high. Naturally, where there is demand, sooner or later, there will be supply, and Cairo 360 is always here to oblige. Influence of western music has naturally bred a whole generation of guitarist-wannabes. From jazz and folk, to rock and metal, the guitar is a versatile and essential element of the evolvement of modern Egyptian music. Due to this reason alone, there has been a huge increase of expert guitarists in Cairo who are ready and willing to pass on their knowledge. When it comes to services such as these, one would be forgiven for treading cautiously. But here at Cairo 360, we're committed to endorsing only the best that Cairo has to offer and we've compiled the most dependable instructors and institutions for your guitar-ing needs. Independent Lessons: Wessam Sultan offers private classes for beginners, the location and time of which is up to you. Sultan offers one-hour classes at 100LE. Call 01114565741 to get in touch. Bahaa El Dahaby specialises in rock and metal guitar lessons, but he can also teach the basics using an acoustic guitar to begin with. The location and time is up to you; call 01224312950 for more information. Mena Ezzat is a good option for those who consider themselves to be at a more advanced level and are looking to learn how to make an electric guitar scream. He is available at several locations for 100LE per session. Call him on 01117179758 for more information. Sherif Watson is all about the world of blues and his lessons are priced slightly higher at 150LE. However, he is versed on the complexities of the electric guitar, too. Available for lessons at his Manial home, or elsewhere if you prefer, call 01222829020 to get in touch. Mostafa Fathy is a sound engineer and specialises in teaching guitar in several different musical genres. There are no fixed prices as such, so a little negotiation would be in order. This applies to location and time of the lessons too; call 01146165372. Music Studios/Centres: Studio Wave: Located in Dokki, there are several instructors available for lessons; Samer George, the bassist of popular Egyptian band, Eftekasat, offers a beginner's class, or you can ask for Ashraf Mansour or Tamer Brazily. You can pay per class (100LE) or sign up for a course that consists of four to eight classes. The studio is open for lessons from 2PM to 11PM; call 01004765157 for details. Legato Music Centre: Located in Nasr City, Legato Music Centre works according to set classes of four, which can take place between 10AM and 8PM. Call 01207666426 for details on fees. Frequency Studio: Situated in Roxy, Heliopolis, there are several instructors at Frequency Studio, where a one-hour class will set you back 100LE. Call 01006019964 or 01113566665 for more information. Kaythara Music Centre: Offering classes on a variety of instruments, Kaythara Music Centre's guitar courses are comprehensive and lengthy. The centre is located in Heliopolis; call 01006566625 for more details. El Sawy Culturewheel: Among many music classes, El Sawy also offers guitar lessons. While some instructors there are available for private lessons, El Sawy Culturewheel offers them at cheaper rates, though times are fixed. Call 0227366178 or 0227368881 to find out more. Whether you decide to take classes independently or as part of a set course within a centre is a choice that only you can make. The most important thing for any budding guitarist is to find an environment that suits them best. Owning your own instrument is of course preferable and a basic acoustic guitar can be found for 300LE-500LE at any music shop around Cairo. Happy strumming, Cairo! Translated from Cairo 360 Arabic
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As you may know – because we haven't stopped talking about it – Cairo 360 celebrates its three year anniversary this month, which naturally has us deliriously excited, thankful and full of smug. Subsequently, we're feeling a little generous and are looking forward to celebrating another occasion; one of a competitive musical nature. This month, Red Bull Soundclash pits two of Cairo's most popular bands in a battle of musical pugilism. Interested? Read on. What? Our good friends at Tazkarty are giving away 10 tickets to 10 lucky Cairenes – each of which would otherwise set you back 150LE – for this month's Red Bull Soundclash, pitting Cairokee and Wust El Balad against each other. Who will win? You decide! Where? There aren't many expansive, open spaces that can hold such an explosive event, but Cairo Festival City provides the perfect backdrop to this huge battle of bands. Why? Because nothing like a little bit of competition to get the adrenaline pumping – only one band can emerge victorious! How do I get my hands on it? It's easy! Just answer this simple question: What is the name of Cairokee's debut album? (pssst, clues are here) Now what? Send your answers to freestuff@cairo360.com, including your full name and contact details with 'Red Bull Soundclash Competition' in the subject line. The competition ends at midnight on Wednesday March the 19th; so hurry up and send your answers in! Terms and Conditions apply.
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Just when we thought David Bowie had gracefully slipped into retirement, the sixty-six year old has thrown us all the screwiest of screwballs and released his first album in ten years. Unlike so many comebacks and reunions, though, Bowie has made a return of the utmost grace – one befitting of his age and his already cemented status as one of the most influential and innovative musicians of the 20th century. The Next Day is an album that, in varying degrees, pops and crackles with a trademark flamboyancy and panache, with a little sprinkle of seventies rock-effeminacy. Opening tracks, ‘The Next Day’ and ‘Dirty Boys’ announce the album with force, but it’s not till ‘The Stars (Are Out Tonight)’ that Bowie slips back into his flow like the proverbial old slipper; raw acoustics underline the track, before ‘Love is Lost’ strips it all back for a masterful vocal performance – one that sees Bowie dip in and out with a sense of dramatic timing. The album’s first single, ‘Where Are We Now?’ is the first of several ballads; Bowie teases with John Lennon-esque vocals, which threaten to break out into a dramatic crescendo, only to root itself in typical Bowie brood. On the other hand, ‘If You Can See Me’ ignites Bowies more experimental phases with polyrhythmic guitar lines carrying strained vocals at breakneck speed. Several ballads and a few rock thrashes later, The Next Day finishes on a fade-out that trickles the man’s trademark haunts. Hardcore Bowie fans have and will continue to gush at the very fact that that their musical messiah has returned with gusto. But for most, the fact that Bowie has resisted stepping outside of his comfort zone serves up relief and regret in equal measures. No one does Bowie like Bowie, and his firm grip of his own musical identity is commendable. But what this ultimately translates to is a body of work that is a little too familiar. The album sleeve cover is an adapted version of 1977 album, Heroes, apparently signalling a break from the past. But whether deliberate or not, The Next Day actually fits his eclectic back catalogue, touching on various tangents of his career. But this is a collection of songs that need to be delved into deeper for maximum appreciation. The most significant element of The Next Day is that Bowie’s words in no way show any yearning for the days of Ziggy Stardust, face paint and leather trousers. Lyrics touch on the fleeting nature of fame and his humble beginnings, amongst other things, though through a completely intangible perspective. And so in the end, it’s a catch twenty-two situation; this is a refreshing release that stands alone in this still relatively young year; but Bowie has been such an innovator that you can’t help but feel a twinge of defeat. At his age, though, maybe it’s for the best. Either way, like so many of Bowie’s albums, The Next Day has been conceived and executed in an ethereal bubble, unconcerned with the world around it.
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