I recently came across the Syrian Cassette Archives digital project. Launched in 2018, this curious website brings together dozens of Syrian cassettes produced from the 1970s to the 2000s – the period when these magnetic tapes dominated the music market in the country.
Unusual, the project is worth mentioning here for recording a key part of Syria’s history. Especially in these years when the civil war has destroyed your archives and, with that, erased your memory. The archive has rare and diverse tapes, ranging from classics like Sabah Fakhri to a recording of a goldfinch singing.
The Syrian Cassette Archives began with Iraqi-American producer Mark Gergis’ travels to Syria between 1997 and 2010. Surprised by the amount of magnetic tapes on street markets in cities like Damascus and Aleppo, he began collecting them. He didn’t think about creating a file, but just collecting what he found in front of him.
The tapes that have already been digitized cover a comprehensive music scene, including traditional Assyrian, Kurdish and Armenian songs. The project – and your arms on social media – also includes interviews and other texts about the heyday of these ribbons in Syria.
“It is urgent that the musical heritage of Syria and its diverse communities be protected and preserved,” reads the website’s introductory text. “This initiative documents the sounds and memories of a story that cannot be ignored and must not be forgotten.”
