Cute Community Radio - Hudu’ Nisbi – هدوء نسبي

Right in the middle of the Kortländer Kiez in Bochum, in a former shop on Herner Straße, Guy Dermosessian recently brought to life a broadcasting station called Cute Community Radio. The accompanying Cute Community Space, which is brightly coloured and includes a big glass display window, is only twelve square metres in size. It was conceived as an inviting platform for producing and releasing diasporic pop and club culture – with the idea of putting marginalised regional artists centre stage. Every Thursday a hybrid radio show is presented together with various DJs and musicians.

For the Ruhr Ding: Schlaf, Guy Dermosessian curates the eight-week radio format Hudu’ Nisbi here. Born in Beirut, the DJ and founder of the international music label Kalakuta Soul Records has been producing new, easily accessible event series for art and music in Bochum, the Ruhr Area, North Rhine– Westphalia, and beyond for over 15 years now. Having grown up listening to the 1985 album by the composer, musician, journalist, and playwright Ziad Rahbani, he now in his own programmes (conversations, compositions, and DJ sets) pays reference to Rahbani’s legendary album title from the time of the temporary ceasefire during the Lebanese Civil War: Hudu’ Nisbi describes a state of rest combined with constant mental alertness.