Top Middle East Independent Releases of 2010

Deciding this one was hard, there was a lot of talent at various stages of release and differing amounts of originality that came across the triplew.me desks this year.

We’ve been going for nigh on six months and this means that we’ve probably missed out on a bunch of releases from earlier this year and, of course, this list corresponds to the tracks that we’ve been sent or made aware of, but we feel it's a great representation of what can be achieved with a dose of originality across the Middle East.

So, our Top 5 picks this year? Here they are. Leave a comment if you don’t agree, or tell us yours.

Neobyrd – Naughty Boyz EP

Electro-tinged indie with production skills that could be at home anywhere on earth, Neobyrd (from Cairo) made a mark this year and set a high bar for himself.

Madly In June, Apollo 11 and Naughty Boyz highlight the talent. Collaborations with alternative-indie favourite RaSh Radio on Colors in Love (and the recently off-EP release Don’t Stop) have made this a standout release. {music}images/music/who-made-who/neobyrdrashradio{/music}

Pie Are Squared – This Life Changing Decision Will Change Your Life

With a tongue-in-cheek title, Pie Are Squared produced one of the most original releases we’ve heard this year.

In this release, Mohamed Ashraf delves deep into a sonic experience of limitless proportions – obviously influenced by a myriad of sounds (from shoegaze to lush electronic), he manages to bring it all together into one cohesive unit which turns out to be astoundingly good. {music}images/music/who-made-who/pieare{/music}

Sho? - I Don’t Wanna Go EP

Pop/rock/punk band from Dubai put out their debut EP this year and backed it up with a string of blistering live performances in the UAE.

Definitely in the early stages of defining their sound, the band has shown some great songwriting ability coupled with big vocals that create a unique presence and was a stand-out release in 2010. {music}images/music/who-made-who/sho{/music}

Absolace – Resolve[d]

One of the tightest productions we’ve heard in a long time – definitely in a league of its own as regional rock releases come. Being technically great doesn’t necessarily guarantee creating great music – but when this level of dedication, talent and superb skill are combined the result is bound to be fantastic.

Absolace has delivered an impressive debut and can only go further from here. {music}images/music/who-made-who/absolace{/music}

The Narcicyst – Mr Asthmatic

Never failing to disappoint, The Narcicyst’s star continues to rise, and his latest mixtape release Mr Asthmatic was no exception. Covering a range of typically politically relevant topics, The Narcicyst blends his Arab heritage with great production to create a well-crafted series of songs.

His recent release Hamdulillah (not on the mixtape) is the perfect example of the man’s talent. See below.