When embarking on the adventure called the Middle East Essentials on Splice, we didn't know what a meaningful project the label would become.
When we set out to create the initial packs in the series, we had two goals in mind: Capture the rare sounds that represent the musical heritage of the Middle East, and demonstrate how music can act as a cultural bridge, connecting people (and nations) through sound.
Producer Gio Israel said, "The beginning was simple. I am a DJ and a producer, I grew up in Jerusalem with a Morrocn grandmother and though I always played and produced electronic music and have since traveled the world and am now based in New York City, I somehow always tried to incorporate the sounds of my childhood memories into the dancefloor music I produce and play. I try to bridge the new with the old."
As a Splice creator, Gio has a deep appreciation for making music creation accessible. He wanted to leverage that accessibility by making nearly endangered soundscapes available to anyone.
He added, "Luckily, my excitement of creating this musical universe wasn’t solely mine. The partners at Splice and my creative team all joined forces to make this dream come true. MEE is a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind label designed to amplify rare, authentic sounds from around the world."
To bring this dream to life, we invited respected musicians to bring their sacred instruments into the studio, capturing sounds that had never been recorded as samples with some of the best engineers and studios we could find. The result is a sonic time capsule with the potential to inspire many producers, artists, and DJs out there.
From Sufi flutes to Egyptian strings, from Lebanese vocals to Turkish violins to Morrocan percussions, and beyond, this expansive recording process started in NYC, went to LA, and continued on through Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Nablus, and is still going on.
Gio said, "Above all, it’s the collaboration we created with Musicians Without Borders that really fills my heart with pride. We invited producers from around the world to create their own tracks based on our Middle Eastern sample packs, releasing the best of them on Beatport’s Top 10, LA-based label, Pipe & Pochet and donating all of the revenue to promote musical education for kids in areas of conflict around the world."
He reflected, "If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it's that music truly has the power to transform our lives, and when you allow yourself to dream big enough, the world will find its hidden ways to make your dream reach the hearts of many."
The Middle East Essentials releases feature the following musicians:
Zafer Tawil - Oud, Qanun, Darbuka
Bashir Taha - Oud
Tamar Shawki- Vocals
Aviv Bahar - Kopuz & Oud
Niri Sade - Ney & Vocals
Yoni Sharon - Percussion
Yoni Ben-Dor - Dumbak & Dhol
Omri Zelig - Baglama & Guitar
Elad Kimchi - Keyboards
Yagel Haroush - Kamanche & Ney
Yochai Cohen - Percussion, Vocals & Morrocan Mondol
Shir Gadasi - Vocals & Oud
Gilad Hazan - Violin & Oud
Ohad Elkoubi - Musical production & Oud
Dvir Cohen Eraki - Vocals
Gilad Weiss - Strings
Muna B - Vocals
Contributing Producers: Hayden Nóbrega, Ohad Elkouby, Umru Rothenberg, Guy Mozes, Devon Karpf
