(a(version)s) (Middle East)

Samples, clips, pinches, and rips - the art of sonic appropriation is an intuitive process that begins in the gut, a conflation of time where a moment of sound jumps out and shakes your core, a moment where the universe aligns itself forming a cryptic revelation which the artist must capture and decode.

(a(version)s) features original compositions from 10 sound artists from the Middle East who use sampling as an integral part of their practice. Their work spans a wide spectrum of approaches, dealing with intimate autobiographical references to over-arching archival systems exposing the politics of listening. Sounds steeped and inspired by their locale and history, politics and pressures, are defamiliarized - creating threads that are spatially ambiguous and future in their scope. We'll also get the chance to speak with a few of the contributing artists (Basel Abbas, Cynthia Zaven, Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Rayya Badran) about their compositions and practice. Hosted and produced by J. Namy and posted here by partnership with ARTonAIR.org.

Program guide:
Feriano - Rough Americana
Interview with Rayya Badran
Asking to be possessed - Rayya Badran
Interview with Basel Abbas
Bag of Cassettes Vol. 1 - Basel Abbas
Beirut Cornice Encounters - SC MoCha
Effects Pedals in the Trial of Saddam Hussein - Lawrence Abu Hamdan
Pourqoui - Mohamed Abdelkarim
Interview with Lawrence Abu Hamdan
FRE SPEECH 6.0 - Lawrence Abu Hamdan
Tanaffus Istina’i - Boikutt
Halim El Dabh’s 3arooba - (J. Namy re-edit)
Interview with Cynthia Zaven
Lullaby for Traffic - Cynthia Zaven
Animal Rights aka MGM’s Lion: The first sonic theft - Lawrence Abu Hamdan

For more information on the artists or to download any of the audio please visit www.a-versions.com. Production for this program was made possible with the support of Ashkal Alwan and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture.

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