Following the release of her latest Hyperdub EP Shaneera, Kuwaiti producer and artist Fatima Al sits down with Pitchfork’s Michelle Lhooq to discuss the risks of making queer Arabic dance music.
“Midway through our recent Skype chat, Fatima Al Qadiri tells me that she doesn’t want to get too deep into the themes behind her new five-track EP, Shaneera. With its raunchy, call-and-response Arabic refrains set to serpentine melodies and cavernous drums traversing the Mideast and the West, the Hyperdub-released record might be Al Qadiri’s most club-friendly music in years. But as with rest of the Kuwait-raised, Berlin-based producer’s work, grasping the cultural context greatly enriches the listening experience.
“The problem with this record, she says, is that it’s impossible to explain queer culture of the Gulf to Western audiences without tripping up over the fact that nuances will be lost in translation. “I want to explain this record the least to straight people—it’s none of their business,” she says. “I don’t want to speak on behalf of the queer Gulf. I don’t think it’s fair for one person to assume that role.””
Fatima Al Qadira presents Ja7eem, her new live a/v collaboration with Emmanuel Biard, at Rewire 2018 on Friday, 8 April. Listen to Shaneera standout ‘Alkhalaf’ below and learn more about her Rewire 2018 performance atFatima Al Qadiri.
Rewire 2018 Festival and Day passes are now available at Tickets.