Cairo's New Wave of Indie Bands

Once an omnipresent kaleidoscopic genre in Egypt, lending its unrestrained compositions and unfiltered songwriting to legacy acts like Cairokee and Masar Egbari, indie rock music has long been subdued, drowned out as rap and electronic music came to reign over the local scene. 

The genre might just be making a defiant comeback. Cutting through loud hi-hats and swelling sub-bass, another rising of raw guitar riffs and lo-fi melancholia is quietly brewing, led by a new wave of bands rebuilding the underground sound, one self-made debut at a time.

Crashendo 

With gritty vocals and groove-crazed guitars echoing a bygone era of classic indie, and a TikTok presence stacked with band-core shenanigans, Crashendo feel like a sonic and visual diary of what it means to be young and in a rock band. You can hear it in their music - deftly shifting from English releases to Arabic experimentation - and you can see it in their online presence, where they have as much fun as they sound. They know it’s the coolest thing ever.

'Kol El Layali', the lead single off their upcoming Arabic EP, lands as an instant earworm dressed in a retro fit, channelling the old-school cool of indie music and fully embracing Crashendo’s nostalgia-soaked aesthetic. Cairo’s indie scene has been rising steadily - and when it finally reaches its crescendo, it might just sound like Crashendo.

Stormalong

Stormalong, who proudly (and pre-emptively) dubbed themselves “the indiest band in Cairo,” has built an entire soundscape from the ground up. And it's one they're keen to see gatekept.

Stormalong brings intimacy back to the local scene through emotionally open lyrics and performances that feel as much yours as theirs, music that feels like stepping onto a hidden island and secretly hoping it stays undiscovered. Fittingly, their recent debut album is titled 'Island Fever', featuring tracks like 'Die in Sunshine', where they put the ukulele back into the indie sound, and 'Background Noise', a bluesy, genre-bending fusion of dream pop and rock that doubles as an ode to an emerging band trying to make it in a modern setting.

404 Band

Having shared the stage with AC/DC’s first lead singer, 404 Band is an indie rock band that makes sure their influences bleed right through their tracks. They've been paying tribute to the legacy of classic rock legends, both through their live-set covers and their original songs, where they turn that legacy into something entirely their own.

404 Band lay Arabic lyrics over Western instrumentation inspired by the 70s and 80s era of rock. They sound like their heroes, and they sound like themselves. They’re Cairo’s own local rock stars in the making.

Elegy To The Moon

Bringing back the long-lost charm of teenage band antics and unfiltered quirk is a vibrant, synergistic line-up with a great understanding of band nomenclature: Elegy to the Moon. Consistently playing shows at small venues, from Gramophone to Garden City’s Room Art Space, their live presence on tight stages is reminiscent of garage rock icons.

And while those gigs, as well as the band’s TikTok account, are still the only places you can hear most of their originals, you can hear their atmosphere debut single 'Call' on streaming platforms. Swapping lyricism for harmony, 'Call' sounds straight out of the tonal realm of some iconic alternative bands like Radiohead or Slowdive.

Woodpeckers

Think of Woodpeckers as the local answer to Wallows. Fronted by singer, songwriter, and indie incarnate Hany Mustafa, and backed by a line-up of local seasoned musicians, they deliberately shape a slow-jam sound through the genre’s signature laid-back drum arrangements and colourful synth melodies.

Woodpeckers is the kind of band that belongs on sunny festival stages or in equally hazy, soft dream-lit dance clubs.

4 Elfagr

On the nocturnal side of indie, 4 Elfagr stands the strongest under a starry sky.

Their sound tugs at your heartstrings from first listen, a masterclass in melancholic, late-night introspection. Sweeping guitars lead into a cathartic emotional collapse, carried by raw, vulnerable vocals that feel like they’re on the verge of breaking.

It’s music to lie on the floor to, just before the quiet break of dawn. And it’s music to astral-project to.

Soulphonic

Reckoned to be the next big act on the scene, Soulphonic are an indie neo-soul duo crafting a star-packed sonic universe, flowing through bouncy basslines, R&B-inspired drums, and jazzy keys.

Their debut album introduced frontman Sherif Abdelmaged’s velvety vocals over emotive, moving songwriting, complemented by a standout verse from rapper Lege-Cy on Wa7ed Tany — a spark of the duo’s collaborative flair.

Though follow-up collaborations with local favourites like Perrie and Tul8te shine bright, Soulphonic’s stand-alone tracks orbit just as dangerously close to obsession.

Are.

An indie outfit adorned with silky vocals and textural instrumentals, are. possess a kind of voice so familiar that by the time the chorus hits a second time on a track like Just Because, you’re already singing along — even on first listen.

Every lyric is carefully weighed, every line melodically pleasing, and every guitar riff rhythmically thoughtful — all contributing to that easy familiarity and making for a touching, resonant listening experience.

Alan-K

Probably the most prolific indie band of the 2020s to come out of Cairo, with five studio EPs under their belt in pristine condition, Alan-K follow in the footsteps of innovative, initial-loving greats like Alt-J and Alex G. Their name may have come from a local mispronunciation of “Allen Key”, but their sound is anything but accidental: experimental yet deliberate, marked by distinctive chord progressions.

With new releases still trickling in, Alan-K’s lush world of meditative guitar lines and serene melodies keeps expanding. They’re a band that continually stretch their chilled-out sound to gently wrap around the listener like a breeze across an open field.

Estrobia

Coming from a background in psychology, Estrobia are a concept-driven band that turn everyday psychological cases into immersive musical journeys. Their sound draws on heavier elements of psychedelic and progressive rock, occasionally blending in oriental melodies that complement the Arabic lyrics.

Alternative rock has long been known for centring mental health, but Estrobia approach it with an unparalleled sense of insight and rigour. Each track on their self-titled debut EP translates inner states into a dark, moody sound that feels both studied and deeply felt.