"It’s a great, authentic and killa mixtape that you can be rest assured would cause absolute mayhem both in a traditional Egyptian Electro Cha3bi context and also on western dancefloors for those who appreciate Middle Eastern vybz." Generation Bass http://generationbass.com/2013/01/28/cairo-liberation-front-presents-electro-cha3bi/
This is so awesome. Politically inspired Electro Cha3bi, music that arose during the Arab Spring in Egypt. Mixtape: Soundcloud
My only reference point is Omar Souleyman, which is spot on but wholly inadequate, lacking further knowledge about this music. But this is fucking great.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Wednesday, 30 January 2013 00:55 (eleven years ago) link
I'm listening to this and it's awesome.
― Differ of Narcissus (The Reverend), Wednesday, 30 January 2013 03:30 (eleven years ago) link
The second mixtape from Cairo Liberation Front saw the light yesterday, and again it is awesome. Soundcloud
They've been getting nationwide attention for their project in the Netherlands lately. The back story is quite amazing: an Egyptian DJ asked one of the Dutch guys to add him on facebook. He could barely speak English at all, but pointed him to the cha3bi music. He'd taught himself to use software like FruityLoops through youtube, sharing his music throughout the country through dropbox/mediafire etc. It's a very interesting triangle of internet, music and political activism that gets this new sound of the streets of Egypt out to the world.
Bla bla tl;dr: the mixtape is awesome, bass heavy cha3bi music, very inspiring and energetic.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 11:58 (eleven years ago) link
As this is of such marginal interest I'm trying to get these pieces out to anyone with an interest in Nile Delta Synth/ New Wave Chaabi/ Electro Cha3bi Music, so please forgive the flagrant posting of my own stuff on ILX.
I wanted to travel to Cairo to report on the scene first hand, so I asked one of the CLF (a friend of mine) to come with me.
Here are the first three blogs.
Electro Chaabi In Cairo I: High Speed Ballet
Electro Chaabi In Cairo II: The Wedding Of The Year
Electro Chaabi In Cairo III: The Valley Of The Keyboard King
More tomorrow if anyone's interested.
― Doran, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 20:17 (ten years ago) link
thanks for the links, cool stuff...
― m0stlyClean, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 21:30 (ten years ago) link
cool, will check it out.
the very little i know about this music is through jace c.: http://www.thefader.com/2012/10/16/cairo-something-new/
― shit tie (Jordan), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 21:45 (ten years ago) link
John, as starter of this thread I just want to say that I have been devouring your blogs about your and Joost's adventures in Cairo. Brilliant writing and such a valuable thing to be doing, too. No other website/mag sticks out its neck in this in-depth, sincere way, treading unknown cultural and musical territory.
So thank you so much, and yes, I am very interested. I was already sold, both to Cha3bi (through Joost) and your writing, but I am even more so with your billiant and vibrant writing from Cairo.
― Le Bateau Ivre, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 21:58 (ten years ago) link
Ah, thanks dude. A very nice thing to say. There'll be a couple more blogs this week I hope and I've got enough material to do some other artist/project specific features in the future.
And thanks for the Fader link... it's been the steepest of learning curves. Reading/listening to as much as possible.
― Doran, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 22:13 (ten years ago) link
Looking forward to it very much, hope you both are well and soaking it all up! Yalla!
― Le Bateau Ivre, Wednesday, 24 April 2013 22:17 (ten years ago) link
Can someone reup the second mix? I can do the same with the first if anyone wants it. Can't wait to read your pieces, Doran.
― sandra dayo connor (The Reverend), Wednesday, 24 April 2013 23:31 (ten years ago) link
Electro Chaabi In Cairo Part IV: Filming The Revolutionary Party
If anyone knows people who put on film festivals... especially ones that feature music documentaries, can you tell them about this documentary that Salma el Tarzi has made? I'd love to put them in touch with her. Obviously it's not going to get shown in Egypt under the current regime but there's no reason why it couldn't play in Europe/America etc.
― Doran, Thursday, 25 April 2013 09:26 (ten years ago) link
I bet they'd show it in next year's Filmfest DC, an early April festival of international movies in Washington D.C.
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 25 April 2013 13:46 (ten years ago) link
the one here (madison) just happened last week, but it would be great for next year. i can get you some contacts.
― shit tie (Jordan), Thursday, 25 April 2013 14:56 (ten years ago) link
...try Hot Docs in Toronto....
― m0stlyClean, Thursday, 25 April 2013 16:49 (ten years ago) link
Ah great, thanks. Any contacts would be most appreciated otherwise I'll use a generic contact email on their websites. It's John at the Quietus dot com. Cheers!
― Doran, Thursday, 25 April 2013 21:23 (ten years ago) link
And my last post before flying home:
Electro Chaabi In Cairo Part V: Street Wisdom
― Doran, Friday, 26 April 2013 14:33 (ten years ago) link
Have only read the first one so far, but its great. Nice work.
― curmudgeon, Friday, 26 April 2013 14:48 (ten years ago) link
hulk hogan, ha!
great read, thanks doran. and holy wau @ those live islam chipsy clips. NOIZE
― controversial vegan pregnancy (contenderizer), Saturday, 27 April 2013 16:33 (ten years ago) link
Thanks both. More news on the Islam Chipsy album when I have it. Should be out in July fingers crossed.
― Doran, Saturday, 27 April 2013 16:43 (ten years ago) link
Great new footage of Islam Chipsy playing live at the 100Copies Electronic Music Festival in Cairo recently.
My man tells me Chipsy's album will be out on Nashazphone in about a month and it's very raw sounding.
― Doran, Monday, 5 August 2013 19:38 (ten years ago) link
http://www.afropop.org/wp/12920/afropop-exclusive-cairo-liberation-fronts-paint-it-black/
― curmudgeon, Monday, 16 September 2013 18:17 (ten years ago) link
Peter Holslin on electro cha3bi:"In a way, this music makes me wonder how it must’ve felt to see a game-changing artist like Iggy Pop or Afrika Bambaataa for the first time. While many popular “indie” artists these days seem heavily indebted to their influences—as well as to established networks of taste-makers, sponsors, managers, agents, et al.—this music feels remarkably organic. There is no industry to prop it up, no conventions to abide by; there’s just a few simple tools, a bottomless reserve of passion, and a pressing need to tell it like it is"http://passionweiss.com/2013/09/26/the-world-of-electro-chaabi-egypts-festival-rap/
― nonobody, Sunday, 13 October 2013 14:33 (ten years ago) link
Did anyone manage to nab their Future remix?
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 1 April 2014 21:46 (nine years ago) link
I got an email about it, but by the time I clicked the link a couple days later it was gone :(
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 1 April 2014 21:47 (nine years ago) link
Future remix is up again https://soundcloud.com/cairoliberationfront/future-honest-cairo
― nonobody, Wednesday, 2 April 2014 13:49 (nine years ago) link
ooh, thx boo
― The Reverend, Wednesday, 2 April 2014 17:20 (nine years ago) link
And this is a new remix, this is from Dutch autotune rappers SBMG https://soundcloud.com/cairoliberationfront/sbmg-oeh-na-na-cairo-liberation-front
― nonobody, Thursday, 17 April 2014 23:00 (nine years ago) link
Some new mixtapes with the newest stuff at Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/cairo-labelration-front
― nonobody, Monday, 5 January 2015 22:14 (nine years ago) link
thanks
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 6 January 2015 14:24 (nine years ago) link
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2015/01/09/rage-against-the-regime-the-hip-hop-artists-spearheading-egypts-underground-social-revolution/?hpid=z10
Other folks in Egypt
― curmudgeon, Friday, 9 January 2015 16:51 (nine years ago) link
First EP out, featuring Electro Chaabi remixes of Sinkane and Al Lover and others, https://soundcloud.com/generation-bass-1/sets/clf
― nonobody, Tuesday, 17 February 2015 13:42 (nine years ago) link