Keakie Spotlight Interview: Disco Makrout
Ahlem and Nesrine, also known as Disco Makrout, are two talented DJs deeply passionate about the North African and Middle Eastern music cultures. With solid Algerian roots, they have come together to form a unique musical duo that aims to promote their rich and diverse cultural heritage. Their musical journey is a blend of traditional and modern sounds that takes listeners on an eclectic temporal journey full of emotions and nostalgia. Through their carefully curated selections, Disco Makrout expresses different aspects of their cultural identity, showcasing the depth and richness of North African and Middle Eastern music.
As their new show recently launched on Keakie called “Nomads,” the artist speaks to the platform’s MENA Curator, Nahida Tarbaoui, about their influences, the Electronic scene in Algeria, and their future plans.
Artist: Disco Makrout
Nahida: In what way has the music culture of North Africa impacted you? Can you mention three songs or albums from that region that you have deeply connected with?
DM: As Africans who grew up in Algeria, we have been influenced by many music styles, especially in the 90s, when our society consumed SWANA cultural media such as Majda El Rumi. It was also the golden era of Raï. You will undoubtedly find a K7 of Raï singers in an Algerian house, such as Cheb Hasni, Chebba Zahouania, and Cheikha Rimitti. And in the 2000s, many bands were broadcasting fusion Gnawa music, such as Gnawa Diffusion and Cheikh Sidi Bémol. Adding to this, all the Pop music, Western or Eastern, from Nancy Ajram to Britney Spears.
Nahida: You mentioned two Raï female icons: Cheikha Rimitti and Cheba Zahouania. They sang about themes such as love and alcohol like their male counterparts. Who are the present-day equivalents of strong female artists in Algeria?
DM: The big name in Raï music right now is Warda Charlomanti. Every time she drops a sound, it goes viral on TikTok. What’s amazing about her is her badass attitude and her straightforward lyrics. The Rap game is also shifting. We see the rise of some names, such as Raja Meziane.
“The main genres listened to nowadays in Algeria by young people are Raï and Rap.” ~ Disco Makrout
Nahida: Which artists and types of music are currently popular among young Algerians?
DM: The main genres listened to nowadays in Algeria by young people are Raï and Rap. You have Cheb Bello for the Raï scene with songs like: “Manich Kima Bakri” or “3inehoum Mesawsa”.
When it comes to the Rap scene, you have Flenn, TIF or Didine Canon 16. There is also a sub-genre taking up more space called Zenquaoui, which is the kind of music you can find in the stadiums during football games. A very famous group is Ouled el Bahdja.
Nahida: As an Algerian female artist, what obstacles have you encountered while creating and promoting your art?
DM: The world of music, especially DJ-ing, is new to us. Until now, we have been able to showcase our sounds in some clubs and cultural spaces. But being from another country and new to the business can be challenging because you need a network to expand. Besides, it’s a male industry. It’s not just DJs but the whole ecosystem that men rule. So often, they don’t think about programming a female DJ in their lineups or only do it at the beginning of the lineup because they feel that a woman is unfit to close a show, for example.
Furthermore, as Algerian DJs, people usually associate us with Raï music. And even though we really like this genre, our music and Algerian music, in general, is broader than this. That’s why we’ve launched our collective, FAWL (from Africa with love), to be able to showcase the African diaspora through its diversity and unity.
Nahida: Your collective sounds very interesting. Can you tell us more about it?
DM: Its recently launched appFAWL (From Africa With Love) is an Electro music collective founded by Disco Makrout, STE and Wakanda ETNi, celebrating the diversity and mix of genres and cultures of Africa and its diaspora. FAWL offers a new vision of the Afro-electro scene, where artists, DJs, and musicians from the continent and beyond come together to convey a unique and exclusive exploration of Afro-diasporic sounds at each event.
FAWL (From Africa With Love) is an Electro music collective founded by Disco Makrout, celebrating the diversity and mix of genres and cultures of Africa and its diaspora.
Nahida: What are the ways in which the youth in Algeria party?
DM: The Algerian party scene is different from other North African countries; club culture was very present during the 70s and 80s and completely nonexistent during the 90s due to political instabilities in the country.
Nonetheless, we have noticed an emergence of an alternative scene in the last decade, especially regarding Electronic music. Some collectives & underground festivals are starting to see the light.
Artist’s favourite shows on Keakie
Nahida: Do both of you have aspirations to enter the field of production in the future? What goals or moments do you hope to achieve or experience as an artist?
DM: Our creative process has evolved with time. We added Electronic percussions to our DJ sets and some live vocals sung by one of us. Producing our own music is the logical evolution we plan to tackle very soon.
“Producing our own music is the logical evolution we plan to tackle very soon.” ~ Disco Makrout
Nahida: Your videos, especially your TikTok presence, have been captivating. What measures do you follow to incorporate local fashion and culture into the music you play?
DM: As artists, we believe that expression can take many forms. And one of them is through what we wear: clothes, jewellery, and sunglasses (like Oum Kalthoum ;)
Beyond being DJs, Disco Makrout is also an audio-visual experience. We take into account all the scenographic elements in our artistic direction to ensure our audience is captivated by our performance.
Nahida: In the debut episode of Nomads, we heard many tunes from the local region. What can we expect to hear in future episodes?
DM: We want to explore several styles as we were influenced by many. As said earlier, we have many influences when it comes to music. So we want to create short mixes to explore them all. We truly believe we don’t need to stick to one style; experimentation is part of our DNA as artists.
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