Egyptian rising hip-hop/shaabi talent Seif Mrdeny has been making steady moves in recent months. Since his debut EP in 2024, Seif has been maturing artistically at an impressive pace. While ‘Welad Khalti’ felt a bit half-baked, it featured collaborations from the likes of Mahib Sleat and Riff that added to Seif’s eclectic, experimental, and often over-the-top vocal deliveries. The beats elevated the EP’s overall quality.
Seif returns with his favourite producer, Riff, on a new EP ‘Zaman El Fan El Gameel’ that marks significant artistic growth. This time, he fully embraces a pure shaabi persona across vocal performances, lyrical themes, imagery and aesthetics. Backed by Riff’s eclectic production, the duo delivers an EP that could easily be imagined playing at a shaabi Egyptian wedding. Yet, it doesn’t overdo the shaabi vibe or lean too heavily into its traditional setting; Riff lays down a dynamic foundation that allows Seif to push his vocal range to the limit.
From the very first track, ‘Aaah’, Seif delivers a performance reminiscent of nabatchy-style singing (think Reda Al Bahrawy), but with a surprising sense of command, as if he has been MCing weddings his entire life. Riff produces a minimal yet dynamic shaabi structure with compressed kick drums and looping mizmar-like horn sections that place Seif’s delivery at the forefront.
‘Kalb’ follows a somewhat similar direction, but here, Riff explodes with a maximalist, head-turning sound that creates a sense of sonic chaos. The stereo bursts with unexpected sonic inserts, keeping the listener on edge. Meanwhile, Seif shifts from melodic shaabi singing to a rap-leaning delivery, spitting bars with wit, charisma and a fast-paced flow, as if racing to keep up with Riff’s frenzy-inducing production.
The highlight of the EP comes with ‘Matfkaresh’, where the formula strikes the perfect balance. The production neither overshadows nor underwhelms; instead, it complements Seif’s most outstanding vocal performance. His lyrics are personal and reflective, yet irresistibly danceable. As the track progresses, his melodic delivery intensifies, while Riff’s unconventional percussion perfectly complements his vocals, showcasing an undeniable chemistry between the two.
This chemistry is emphasised midway through the track when Riff offers an instrumental passage, briefly interrupted by Seif dropping Riff’s producer tag—“Riff Ya Negm Masr”—before launching back into his intoxicating chorus, “Wanaaa.” This moment cements Matfkaresh as one of the best shaabi performances in recent years.
The EP firmly establishes Seif Mrdeny not only as a versatile artist to watch but as one with a strong, calculated artistic vision reflected in his music, collaborations, image and visuals. Meanwhile, Riff may be the only producer capable of pushing shaabi into uncharted territory. His experimental approach challenges the genre’s foundations while expanding its reach, proving his genre-bending ability and exceptional musicality.
