Vudu, the club known for revolutionising the nightlife scene in Amman under the visionary guidance of Fairplay and Roo (JO), embarks on a groundbreaking journey with the launch of its label offshoot Vudu Amman.
At the forefront of this pioneering release are Fairplay, the Jordanian duo known for their rich, cultural soundscapes and deep, melodic rhythms. With years of experience and a passion for blending traditional Middle Eastern elements with contemporary electronic beats, Fairplay encapsulates the essence of Vudu Amman. Their contributions – along with Vudu co-founder Roo (JO) – not only anchor the compilation but also guide its artistic direction, infusing each track with a sense of journey and exploration.
With this release landing later this month, we caught up with Fairplay to find out more about this intriguing project.
As Vudu transitions from a popular local nightclub to a global music platform, how does Fairplay envision influencing this transformation through your music?
We plan to focus on curating a sound that represents the cultural and musical diversity in Amman. Also, we feel a responsibility to provide a platform for local talents and promote collaborations. By doing this, we hope to elevate the profiles of artists from Jordan and beyond on the global stage. We understand the importance of maintaining authenticity while embracing change, and our commitment to shaping Vudu Amman’s future through our music reflects our passion for the local scene and its potential to resonate globally.
In curating the compilation album for Vudu Amman, what criteria did you use to select the tracks and artists? How do you ensure diversity and coherence in your selection?
By curating our bookings for our club, we already did most of the work. After that it was just a matter of reaching out to all the artists we had booked and working with them to select the music that would fit. The album was supposed to give an idea of the sound we are pushing in Amman the past year or so.
Your music often integrates traditional Middle Eastern elements. Could you describe how you approached this blend in the tracks featured on the new compilation?
We are always trying to add these touches in our music. Its a big influence on us so sometimes it happens naturally even without trying at all. For our track Môj, the scale was mostly western but the middle eastern element was added with the Arabic vocal by the amazing Jordanian singer Keena.
With Vudu Amman aiming to champion artists from Jordan and beyond, what role do you see yourselves playing in promoting these talents on the global stage?
The main role for us is to provide a platform for these artists, whether it is by releasing their music, promoting and pushing it to our crowds or by booking them to showcase their artistic vision.
As key figures in shaping the compilation, what themes or messages did you aim to convey through the music selected for this project?
For this compilation, we just wanted to curate a playlist that shapes the sound we have been around the past year. All the tracks on the compilation are by artists we work closely with and have played at our events or club so it’s what we have been surrounded by.
How do you and Roo (JO) complement each other’s strengths in driving the artistic direction of Vudu Amman?
Our taste overlaps mostly, but even if it does not completely, as a whole we have a bigger spectrum. We sometimes argue about our different directions, but we have a very aligned vision of the future and what we plan to accomplish. Our relationship is very constructive.
What new elements or styles have you explored in your recent contributions to the compilation album?
The album was supposed to encompass the different sounds of genres we book in Jordan, at the same time, we wanted it to feature a full spectrum of energies you would have in a single night at an electronic music event. You have different sub genres for a certain night but they all go through the motions of starting with opening tracks, playing peak time tracks at a point and then having closing tracks as well. This was our approach to the compilation as well. It had to go through the whole journey of a club event.
Looking ahead, what are some upcoming projects or collaborations that Fairplay is particularly excited about?
Some exciting EPs coming out this year, we are also starting to flirt with the idea of a Fairplay album. Bunch of different collaborations as well. Our good friend Nico Morano has remixed our track from the compilation Môj, we can’t wait to release that one. What a track!
Reflecting on your journey with Vudu Amman so far, what have been some of the most rewarding challenges and achievements?
The most rewarding part has been connecting with these amazing artists we book. It doesn’t always work that we connect super well, some artists we only meet for a few hours but others we spend more time with and really become good friends. Also artistically, we have created some really surprising collaborations.