The focus for Bungarr is on a strand of Egyptian rap that is widely ignored by the mainstream due to its unfamiliar loop/sample-based sound, and often explicit lyrics that make it unsuitable for mass consumption in a conservative country such as Egypt. 

Our first release is a mixtape by Wagdi Yachter, a producer and sound engineer we believe to be at the heart of this movement. For this mix (previously broadcast on Rama's old Noods Radio show), Wagdi has created a fake radio station complete with jingles, banter between the hosts, guest callers as well as original music and remixes. 11 rappers in total feature on the mix; Sammie, Extension, Brutha Karim El Ghazoly, Mohamed 3eryan, Rico, Big Boudi, Logical Da9ud, TRZY, illfeel, Ereem.

Radio Yach Vol 1. YACH FM - SIDE B

Radio Yach Vol 1. YACH FM - SIDE A

Five years after the first instalment, ZULI revives his Swag Lee alias for a second pass at the Habibi Loops premise, leaning a little closer to “beats” without losing any of the mischief or extremity.

Working exclusively from scuffed, low-bitrate MP3 rips of Egyptian funk-and-jazz-inflected pop, Swag Lee fillets tiny inflection-points and holds them under a microscope. Instead of building tracks in the usual sense, the tape chains together sharp-edged loops, jagged edits, stop-start lurches and tiny breaths of swing frozen and reframed. Cut and paste is the operating logic, groove the fixation.

Threaded between the beats are short comic interludes lifted from Arabic reels and Facebook detritus, tiny sketches of Egyptian pop culture that interrupt the flow and flip the frame mid-tape. Where Vol. 1 leaned into abstraction, this one uses the same vandal energy to chase rhythm and body-feel, a crooked homage rerouted through ZULI’s experimental reflexes. Raw source, reckless surgery, and the loop treated as a unit of memory and mischief.


Swag Lee - 05 3ala eih على ايه

Swag Lee - 01 2alam ألم

Swag Lee - 06 Yoltosh يلطش

Swag Lee - 04 Ka3b كعب

Swag Lee - 02  Ta3ala narqa bel mostawa تعالى نرقى بالمستوى

Swag Lee - 11 Salam ya Sa7by سلام يا صاحبي

Swag Lee - 07 2afsh قفش

Swag Lee - 03 Waga3 وجع

Swag Lee - 08 Layaly ليالي

Swag Lee - 09 Hikma حكمة

Swag Lee - 10 Sawany Bas ثواني بس

Bungarr

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