Various Artists - Place: Tunisia (Air Texture, 2023)
New York-based labels Air Texture and Kompakt have for some time now been releasing the great but slightly understated ‘Place:’ compilations. With ‘Place:’, the labels aim to highlight the electronic scene in specific countries. To do this, they team up with local heroes who present up-and-coming talent from the subcultures on the compilation. After countries such as Colombia, Georgia, France and the city of Nairobi, ‘Place:’ turns the spotlight on Tunisia. Azu Tiwaline and Shinigami San let you discover the Tunisian scene. They take a look at what is happening in the country, but also what the diaspora is up to. With some more familiar names like Nuri, D3MOR, the founder of Paris-based Radio Flouka, and Near Stoic, it’s mostly talent shopping for the listener. The album moves between electro (Root, Dawan), house (DJ Mourad, Hamdi RydEr), techno, IDM and ambient. Something for everyone and with a few musical outliers. For example, Skander Jaïbi from the Netherlands will be playing a very intense and atmospheric ambient track. SKNDR meanders between dreamy and intoxicating ambient on ‘A Life of Hope & Sadness’. Mash, on the other hand, swings more towards the industrial side of ambient with ‘Lurid Chains’. Azu Tiwaline drifts further into a dub-driven hypnagogic rhythm on ‘Ethereal Tribes’. Ratchopper keeps the fun going on the aptly titled ‘Cubasse Project’. The beauty of ‘Place:’ is the many discoveries you can make. Even if your favourite search engine doesn’t get you very far when you’re looking for more work by, say, Tawfik, Buried Alive or Hannah Schheider. Hopefully, a series like Place: will open the eyes of many music lovers beyond their familiar influences, and take them across less obvious borders for a change. Be it France, Kenya or Tunisia, depending on where you live. Because while globalisation is an absolute fait accompli, it certainly isn’t in music. So there’s a lot to explore and you’re sure to find your own thing. By the way, proceeds from every ‘Place:’ release go to a local human rights group. What else is holding you back?
Released on Air Texture,