*Supported by The British Council in Cairo
The team-up between Rinse FM and Egyptian label 100COPIES to showcase the Mahragan sound of Cairo (also known as “Electro Shaabi”), has turned out to be the most natural thing in the world.
As will become abundantly clear from the upcoming album release, documentary screenings, live shows and discussions – to take place in both London and Cairo – the cultures of the two cities proved highly compatible. 100COPIES, run by Mahmoud Refat in downtown Cairo, has a long and rich history of representing everything from jazz to experimental electronica from Egypt and the wider Arab world. Lately they have been a vital conduit for the Mahragan explosion, providing studio space and mentoring as well as distribution of the music. And with Rinse’s history of representing the vernacular sounds of the UK’s own capital over the past 23 years made it the perfect mechanism to amplify and bring the vivid spontaneity of Cairo’s street-level musical explosion to the world.
