Beirut Underground

Yallah UndergroundFoto: Press kit

More fresh tunes from one of the world's most exciting alternative music scenes: Beirut, Lebanon. Alt-rock, hip hop, electronica and more, with a Middle Eastern flavour.

Documentary filmmakers Farid Eslam and Dana Wilson have just returned from Beirut, where they've been filming the underground music scene for their forthcoming film Yallah Underground: a documentary about youth subcultures in the Middle East. 

LumiFoto: Press kit

They're now back in Prague with the latest releases from all over the alternative spectrum: from the slamming hip hop turntablism of DJ Lethal Skillz, to the glam-trash electro-rock of Slutterhouse, to the twisted bar-room ballads of The Incompetents. You might recognise some artists from past Friday Ripple playlists, like anthemic electro duo Lumi, and post-punks The New Government and Scrambled Eggs. We're also premiering some unreleased tracks from forthcoming albums: Mashrou'Leila's debut album is out next month, and there's an exclusive premiere of one of the tracks here; elsewhere, look out in 2010 for more angry music by Palestinian refugee rappers Katibe 5.
There's lots more in this eclectic mix, including two acoustic sessions from "the Lebanese John Peel" Ziad Nawfal's show on Radio Liban, and groundbreaking stuff from Armenian-Lebanese alt-rocker Eileen Khatchadourian. 

Many of the artists in this mix appear in the Yallah Underground: Beirut film trailer which is online now. You can find out more about many of the artists here on the Lebanese Underground website, or, if you speak French, on Ziad Nawfal's Ruptured blog which is updated regularly (en francais) with the very latest interviews and music. If you're on Facebook, join Farid and Dana's Yallah Underground page, which is packed with links to subculture news from across the Arab world (and while you're doing that, join the Friday Ripple page as well!) 

You can stream this week's show in full at the Radio Wave Jukebox under Friday Ripple > 13.11.2009. 

Here's the playlist: 

Part 1: Beirut Underground
Lumi - Banging In The Stars (EMI Arabia)
The New Government - Sister Klaus (Lebanese Underground)
The Incompetents - Urinal Blues Pt. 1 (Incognito)
Rayess Bek - Soukout (Remix) (Lebanese Underground)
DJ Lethal Skillz feat. RGB, 6k, MC Moe, Hanouneh, Arrowz - Lost @ Midnight (Lebanese Underground)
Mashrou' Leila - Fasateen (B-root Productions)
Slutterhouse - Doe-Eyed (Ringside Production)
Nadine Zhouri - All this Violence (Ruptured Session) (Incognito)
Charbel Haber - Miss June (Ruptured Session) (Incognito)
Soap Kills - Enta Fen (Lebanese Underground)
Hiba - Fog el Nakhl (Lebanese Underground)
Scrambled Eggs - Girls on Fire (Lebanese Underground)
Eileen Khatchadourian - Karouna (Incognito)
Katibe 5 - Bgdag (Lebanese Underground)
Fariq el Utrash - Terikhna bi Libnen (self-released) 

Part 2: more global alternative tunes
Al Hamra band - Al Hamra (self-released)
Terry Hall & Mushtaq - Ten Eleven (Astralwerks)
Maga Bo feat. Bigg - 3akel (Soot)
3 Canal - Boom Up History (Rituals Music)
The Very Best - Julia (Moshi Moshi Records)
Sibot - Bang On The Drum feat.Spoek Mathambo (African Dope)
Eedris abdulkareem - Welcome to Africa (La Kreem Music)
Ragga Remi - Burn dem (Palm Beach Records)
Mexican Institute of Sound - Cumbia (Nacional Records)
Palov & Mishkin - Theme From Backslam (Cast-a-blast)
Astrud Gilberto - The Gentle Rain (RJD2 Remix) (Verve)
Fletcher meets Mix and Blend feat. Sindy - Shall We Swing (African Dope)