From Paris to London to Oslo to Stockholm and many other stops along the way, several of Egypt's electronic and mahraganat artists are set to tour European cities from 19 September until 7 November.
The tour, organised by 100Copies Music, a Cairene space and recording label run by electronic musician Mahmoud Rifaat, will feature mahraganat artists Sa Dat, Alaa 50 and Islam Chipsy along with electro music artists Bikya and Wetrobots.
Sa Dat, Alaa 50 and Islam Chipsy are considered some of the pioneers of the street music movement that emerged in Cairo's slums and suburbs. Sa Dat and Alaa 50 use electronic music and some rap in their performances, while Islam Chipsy mixes electronica with acoustic sounds with his keyboards playing out to be the star of the show.
The artists have gained a popular following with their music described by many as the "soundtrack of Cairo" heard in taxis, tuktuks, shops and in weddings and nightclubs. Mahraganat - meaning festival - music has gained immense popularity in the last four years among Egyptian youth.
Bikya - a band comprised of Rifaat himself, Maurice Louca and Mahmoud Waly - is among the oldest electronic projects on the scene with its establishment in 2005. Using electronic and acoustic sounds, the band experiments and fuses various genres producing a unique sound of their own.
Wetrobots on the other hand also fosters electronic music made up of Ismail Hosny and Hussein El-Sherbini. Known more as Wetrobots <3 Bosaina, where the duo are joined by female vocalist Bosaina, they have been regularly performing in Cairo and abroad for four years now.
Bikya and Wetrobots will only perform one show on 7 November joined by German band Diamond Version - who Wetrobots have previously collaborated with - in Berlin.
Tour Dates:
19 September Sa Dat & Alaa 50 at the Institute Monde Arabe in Paris
10 October Islam Chipsy at The Island in Bristol (as part of record label Nashazphone tour)
11 October Islam Chipsy at Tufnel Park Dome in London (as part of record label Nashazphone tour)
12 October Islam Chipsy at Tusk Festival in New Castle (as part of record label Nashazphone tour)
28 October Islam Chipsy at the World Music Festival in Oslo
29 October Islam Chipsy at the World Music Festival in Oslo
30 October Islam Chipsy at the World Music Festival in Stockholm
7 November Bikya, Wetrobots and Diamond Version at Ritter Butzke in Berlin
Egypt's audiences can also check some these artists in Cairo:
16 September Bikya at the Cairo Jazz Club
28 September Sa Dat & Alaa 50 at Vent
