Sound
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The Islamic Arts Biennale’s inaugural edition was held at the Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, a place built around the journey of pilgrimage. WithFeeling composed “Awwal Bait” as the sonic identity, in collaboration with APCO: a catchy, Saudi-influenced sound that celebrates cultural, intellectual and artistic achievements that trace their origins to the House of Allah.
THE CHALLENGE
Build a sonic identity for the world’s first Islamic Arts Biennale, hosted at the Hajj Terminal in Jeddah, where most visitors enter Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage. The sound had to honour the deep cultural and spiritual weight of Islamic art, while feeling like a contemporary biennial: hummable, modern and at home in a global cultural moment.
THE APPROACH
WithFeeling composed “Awwal Bait” around real oud, recorded specifically for the project, woven with authentic Saudi and Islamic musical elements. From the core theme we built an hour-long composition for full event immersion, multiple sonic logo variations and thematic cuts for the Biennale’s broadcast, social and on-site moments. Created in close partnership with APCO.
THE RESULT
A sonic identity adopted across the entire Biennale: the physical event, social media campaigns and all content. “Awwal Bait” turned the inaugural Islamic Arts Biennale into an event with a single recognisable sound, paying tribute to Islamic heritage while landing as a piece of modern cultural branding in its own right.
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