Yamen Mekdad (Makkam Collective) is a music researcher, collector, DJ and radio host based in London. His interests in field recording, archiving, radio and grassroots organising have led him to found Sawt of the Earth and Makkam, two London-based collectives. He is a frequent contributor to a number of radio stations, including Root Radio and Balamii Radio, and was a co-host of DanDana podcast on SOAS Radio. Yamen is currently co-producer/curator of the Syrian Cassette Archives, a web based platform that preserves the Syrian cassette era. He is also the curator/producer of LSFA’s (London’s Syrian Festival of Arts) music programme. Yamen has performed and collaborated with various artists/art institutions both in the UK and internationally.