Ziad Hisham On the Making Of ‘On A Personal Level’
How does 'On A Personal Level' reflect your musical journey and growth as an artist?
For me, the EP is a significant documentation of the relationships I cherished during my time in Cairo before relocating to London. All the collaborators on this project are dear friends of mine, and having them contribute to the EP was a beautiful experience. It truly reflects the sound I'm striving to cultivate and evolve—a fusion of Egyptian music with elements of jazz and electronica.
Which song is your personal favorite and why?
Flying Solo is my favorite because it's the first song I've put out where I've really embraced the Egyptian music style I've been working on for a while. So it feels nice to finally share it with the world.
Have you noticed any particular interpretations or connections that listeners have made with 'On A Personal Level?'
The thing I appreciated the most is that the listeners had different favorite songs. This EP has a mix of artists and styles, and each one of these artists has their unique charm. The beauty lies in the fact that every listener resonates with something distinct, whether it's the melodies, the beats, or the lyrics. I'm truly grateful that the EP was able to offer such a wide array of musical tastes, allowing each listener to find something they genuinely appreciate and enjoy.
How do you approach the creative process when working on a new project? What steps do you typically take from start to finish?
I don't really have a specific process when I'm making music; it's more of a random trial-and-error journey until I stumble upon something I like. Typically, I begin on the guitar because it offers me a lot of creative freedom and lets my imagination run wild, especially regarding how the other instruments in the track might complement it. This guitar-centric approach is my usual method for composing.
However, if I'm working on a track composed by another artist and producing it for them, my approach shifts. I usually kick off with drums or percussion to establish a solid groove and then build upon it from there.
Are there any unconventional techniques you've experimented with that led to interesting results?
In most tracks on the EP, I've incorporated an Arabic percussion section that I created by setting up two microphones in the studio. I recorded myself playing various percussion instruments at different spots in the room. This setup allowed me to capture a sense of a genuine percussion section with multiple players. The beauty lies in the subtle variations of acoustics you get when playing from different spots in the room, similar to what you'd hear with multiple musicians playing together in one space.