A Quick Look at Al-Massrieen, the first Egyptian pop band. Founded by Hany Shenouda in 1977, the group brought new harmonies, electronic sounds and instruments to Egypt’s music scene. Image via Habibi Funk & Egyptian Streets.

The historic town of Ushaiqer was a significant stopping place for pilgrims who travelled to modern-day Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj or Umrah. Today, though no longer a stopover, it’s a well-preserved example of Najdi architecture.

Before his solo career, Rachid Taha was part of a band called Carte de Séjour that shot to fame during the 1980s. Their cover of “Douce France” became an anti-racist anthem for Arabs across France. Image via Les Trans.

A brief history of Nablus’ artisanal soap making. Starting in the 14th Century, Nablus became a major soap making center. In 1907, Nabulsi soap factories were producing half of the soap in Palestine. Image via Palestinian Soap Cooperative.

A curated Listen, Watch, Read list spotlighting works from Saudi Arabia with Moayad Alnefaie’s Bath Al Shaer, Abdulrahman Munif’s Cities of Salt and Yallah Yallah Beenah.

Suhaib Gasmelbari’s 2019 documentary Talking About Trees Image is a celebration of cinema and film, following four retired filmmakers as they work to reopen an outdoor cinema in Omdurman. Image via Hollywood Reporter.

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. The second highlights some of his favorite hip-hop artists, each with a unique voice and sound.

Our new series, Tsawwar, explores places, people and moments in time through the eyes of photographers and their photos. The second of this series is Jinane Ennasri, a Moroccan photographer.

A history of Sudan’s Nubian pyramids and why they look different from their counterparts in Giza. Image via Intro Africa.

A brief look at the Tripoli International Fair (Rashid Karameh International Exhibition Center), an unfinished relic of modernist architecture from the 1960s built on southern Tripoli’s orange orchards. Image via Anthony Saroufim & Design Boom.

A curated Listen, Watch, Read list spotlighting works from Iraq. Featuring an album by Natik Awayez, poetry by Nizak al-Mala’ika and Maysoon Pachachi’s 2021 film Our River….Our Sky.

Mai J Abbassi reminisces about Sah El Nawm — a Syrian comedy series from the 70s — from huddling round windows to catch the newest episode to its satirical undertones and the love triangle at the heart of the show.

A brief history of Kuwait City’s iconic water towers — looking at their architectural design that brings together local and international aesthetic with functional purpose.

Over his career, Wael Kodeih has gone by many names: From Aks’ser, Good Bye Schlöndorff to Rayess Bek, and his music has evolved with it. Here you’ll find the links to all the tracks mentioned in his Quartertones interview.

Our new series, Tsawwar, explores places, people and moments in time through the eyes of photographers and their photos. The first of this series is Tanya Traboulsi, a Lebanese photographer.

Compiled by record store owner Mohamad Rifaï (aka @ri_fo) who's behind @thelickrecords in Beirut, and features some of his favorite Arabic interpretations of international hits that even your grandad might know.

A curated Listen, Watch, Read list spotlighting works of resistance from Palestine. With work by Riad Awwan, Tawfiq Zayyad and Rakan Mayasi.

A look at Casablanca’s colonial-era architecture and its main figures.

A nostalgic personal essay in which Ghada Al-Bahar takes us back to the drive-in cinemas of 70s Kuwait.