DJ Gawad Debuts X Rated Album

In the current state of music, where oversaturation renders many releases unremarkable, the mantra should be “break free” and embrace the outlandish. DJ Gawad's new album ‘Volume 1’ does exactly that. It serves as a satirical commentary on the state of music, characterized by experimental beats and explicit songwriting, laden with cynicism and mockery.

The album cover, bearing the bold statement “best producer in the Middle East,” piqued my curiosity before I even hit play. With no preconceived notions of DJ Gawad’s musical style, I was immediately introduced to a pseudonymous voice, pitched down, providing a commentary on the current music scene. This voice critiques everyone from hip-hop MCs to techno producers while repeatedly self-proclaiming DJ Gawad as the “best producer in the Middle East,” a phrase that recurs throughout the 13-track, feature-stacked album.

The album unfolds with ‘3abbi Lshanta’, featuring Tony Bleng and Fara7, where the duo exhibits dynamic energy over chopped-up samples and looped synth inserts. Their explicit and often offensive songwriting injects a refreshing touch into the regional scene, asserting the album's overarching satirical theme, which is sustained by other MCs throughout the record.

On the subsequent track, ‘Diana’, Rknddn’s pitched-up vocals relentlessly deliver aggressive bars, with DJ Gawad intermittently infiltrating the mix in following tracks with his signature baby voice. On ‘Tasali’, Julmud’s powerful verse is contrasted by DJ Gawad’s satirical commentary, mocking the scene’s rappers while shouting out Palestine’s famed collective, Saleb Wahed.

The track ‘Lam3a’ stands out as it incorporates a looped guitar sample reminiscent of the post-grunge era, fused with trap elements and rapid hi-hats. Twinkie delivers an infectious hook and two of the album’s best verses.

The production on the album revives the Memphis rap era through sample-based production techniques, with DJ Gawad’s meticulous sample selection giving the album its haunting atmosphere. On ‘Slyfer’, DJ Gawad brings this 90s Memphis hip-hop era to life with pitched samples and scratched vocal snippets, enhanced by deep sub-bass.

DJ Gawad also brings back the importance of interludes and utilizes them perfectly to break the tension and reinforce the album’s overarching themes. The interlude ‘Lancer’ features a humorous conversation with a voice named Movenwomen, while DJ Gawad sarcastically addresses the lack of women in the hip-hop scene on ‘Interlude’, which features Rknddn’s explicit sung bars over a piano melody, further emphasizing the album's satirical tone. Another interlude, ‘Shoutouts’, sees DJ Gawad giving credits to everyone featured on the record, along with humorous acknowledgments of some of the samples used in production.

DJ Gawad’s ‘Volume 1’ stands out as a cohesive, atmospherically rich record, masterfully employing a unique set of elements, making it one of the most distinctive hip-hop experiences in recent years.