5AMASEEN

The stage name of Egypt-born, and currently Bologna based Tarek Reda. Inspired by a wide range of genres including metal and bass music, he forges his sound between pounding kicks, quick percussive syncopated patterns, distorted break, with a touch of noise/glitch. In addition to some heavily distorted guitar riffs and the incorporation of odd time signatures, he is heavily inspired by the music of his birthplace. Influenced by mahraganat and folkloric music from Egypt and the rest of the Arab world, he aims to transcend the tasteless “fusion” between the known and the “exotic.” Instead, his sonic identity revolves around paying respect to the musical roots while simultaneously reimagining and giving form to them within a contemporary context. He is also part of the Ghent based collective Yalla Worldwide, sharing the stage with some of the most innovative Arab artists at the moment, such as BADER, 3Phaz, Hassan Abou Alam, and ZULI.