The Cairo studio of Sudanese musician Mohamed al-Mustafa, also known as Timon, is a far cry from the Khartoum protests where his band, Aswat al-Madina, once performed for thousands demanding democracy. The band, which translates to "Voices of the City" in Arabic, has reunited in the Egyptian capital after years of displacement due to war. Timon described the reunion as unreal, as the band began recording and performing live again.
Aswat al-Madina was part of a wave of underground bands in Khartoum that pushed Sudanese music beyond conventional boundaries. The band blended folk traditions with jazz, reggae, and contemporary rhythms, singing about corruption, social injustice, and life under authoritarian rule. Lead singer Ibrahim Ahmed Taha was arrested several times for their music, which became a soundtrack to Sudan's 2018 uprising against longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir.
The band's songs blasted from phones, passing cars, and makeshift barricades during the protests. Timon recalled a demonstrator carrying a giant speaker blaring their music through the marches, which pushed people forward and told them not to retreat in the face of repression. The band was a regular fixture at pro-democracy protests, including the sit-in outside military headquarters in Khartoum.
However, the sit-in became the site of a massacre in June 2019, when security forces led by the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 120 protesters. When the same forces turned their guns on each other, the band lost everything, including their five-storey creative hub, which was looted and destroyed.
The musicians fled Sudan, carrying little more than backpacks and laptops, and settled in different parts of Africa. Regular rehearsals gave way to anxious discussions of visas and relatives still trapped in Sudan. It was only this August that the band could reunite in Cairo for its first performance since the war began.
The reunion was a significant moment for the band, with audience members singing along to every word and shouting requests. For keyboard player Roba Bashir, the band's only woman member, the reunion was "the happiest day since the war began". The band now hopes to tour internationally and is recording a new version of their song "Nos Kobayet Shai Bi'Aisha" with an Egyptian-Nubian collaborator.
The band's music has taken on special meaning in exile, with themes of home and family resonating with their experiences. As they look to the future, Aswat al-Madina aims to bring their unique sound to a global audience, while keeping their connection to Sudan's revolution and culture alive. Their story serves as a testament to the power of music to bring people together and transcend adversity.
Key points
- The band Aswat al-Madina has reunited in Cairo after years of displacement due to war.
- The band's music played a significant role in Sudan's 2018 uprising against longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir.
- Aswat al-Madina hopes to tour internationally and continue making music that reflects their experiences and culture.
