With the rise of music festivals and gigs spotlighting non-mainstream talents in Egypt, my ears have recently been treated to pure talent- talent that isn’t mass-produced, auto-tuned or, well, basically, the trash of the music industry.
It comes to no surprise that those young talented souls have taken us all aback; for their live performances happen to be just as lively, in tune, and eargasmic as their recordings.
Here are my current and latest favourites, whom I was lucky enough to either listen to on repeat, or watch live…or both:
Glass Onion:
Hands down, they are one of the best Beatles tribute bands I’ve ever watched live- and that’s quite tremendous, considering I’ve always been a diehard Beatles fan. They put so much life into their covers of the legendary foursome’s songs that one cannot help but reminisce and wish they lived in the 70s the minute they hear them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4cTnIwiOrQ
Salalem:
Their songs are refreshingly carefree, smooth and bursting with positivity- basically what you’d want to tune to whilst you brave your way through Cairo’s torturous traffic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwqAxYBpsBQ
Basata:
The mixture of female and male vocals in their songs results in a very harmonic sound. They go from slow verses to upbeat ones in an instant, making their songs as lively as can be. Just listen for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6tpzxekHws
Hawidro:
Dedicating their sound to tribal African muses, Hawidro ensure the uniqueness of their songs. One cannot help but tap their foot along their infectious beats!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNldk8VkkwM&list=PL381bZv9sVajzLCzCofzOwjbua79cd2ml&index=3
Shaware3na:
Feel the need to unwind after a long day? Just play their music and let their relaxed, slightly melancholic beats take over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCL3jQ9EHtM
SimpleXity:
There’s a reason why fans of the underground scene refer to them as the “Egyptian Pink Floyd.” Their rock vibes hit home for listeners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3ua3jlni8
Meshwar:
This band’s basically the lovechild of reggae and oriental Egyptian vibes. I love the simplicity of their tunes, and the uniqueness of their music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-DIsyy4hYE
