The short timespan between 2005 and 2008 holds tons of memories for Khaleeji music. Artists were more experimental with their production selections and musical arrangements: you could hear Indian and North African influences in many albums released at the time. Music was more upbeat even when the lyrics were sad. These tracks took over the Kuwaiti airwaves, making every drive to college memorable and fun for me. I'm sure that any Khaleeji listening to this playlist will have a connection with these songs or – at the very least – enjoys them as much as I did then and now.

As Cheb Mimo writes about the mixtape he curated for us this month: "Raï is a music genre that originates from the rich cultural tapestry of Algeria. It uses the language of the streets to articulate views about life in urban settings. Raï music places a significant emphasis on lyrical improvisation, often incorporating diverse musical influences to create its unique sound.

Travel through geography, space and time in this roadtrip playlist that crosses genres, eras, regions and covers that celebrate the Arab world and being on the road.

Fairuz not only lived and thrived through radio, but she also grew out of it. Her career in the 50’s can tell us a bit about why radio stations are not as relevant as they once were.

We put together an Arab Jazz mixtape that we hope is more accurate than what’s out there already. Here’s a little introduction to the big names you should know in Arab Jazz.

May ‘24’s QuarterTones mixtape is a quintessential Iraqi music compilation by shamokamonet, a platform and collective dedicated to sharing stories inspired by Iraq. 

A superb mixtape celebrating old and new tunes from Sudan, compiled by our very own Khaled Malas who you know from the afikra Community team.

This month's mixtape, compiled DJ Amen Ra (aka Ramy Abou El Oyoun), introduces us to Egyptian sounds and artists we should have on our radar. The first half of the playlist focuses on the instrumental side of the producers featured & the second half highlights some of his favorite hip-hop artists.

Our mixtape this month was compiled by record store owner Mohamad Rifaï (aka Rifo) who's behind The Lick Records in Beirut, and features some of his favorite Arabic interpretations of international hits that even your grandad might know. 

A five and half hour long mixtape created by music writer and curator Danny Hajjar to celebrates the voices of some of the best up-and-coming (but also some old favorite) musicians from the Arab world. Make sure to play it at your next party.

To round off what has been a difficult end to 2023, December’s mixtape is dedicated to Palestinian sounds, old and new.

November’s mixtape is dedicated to Palestinian sounds, old and new.

A selection of music from across Libya and Morocco, with tunes from all kinds of genres.

A playlist of all the songs we’ve been loving in September. Featuring artists from across the region and the diaspora, all through the decades.

A playlist of all the songs we’ve been loving in August. Featuring artists from across the region and the diaspora, all through the decades.

A playlist of all the songs we’ve been loving in July. Featuring artists from across the region and the diaspora, all through the decades.

A playlist of all the songs we’ve been loving in June. Featuring artists from across the region and the diaspora, all through the decades.