TuneLab
EGYPTIAN LOVER's old school electro set in The Lab LA
When The Egyptian Lover takes over The Lab LA, you can almost smell the 808 batteries overheating and see the ghost of a popped collar. This isn't a set; it's a living museum exhibit of electro-funk, and we are willing participants. The vibe is pure, uncut nostalgia, a room full of people who know every synth squeal of 'Planet Rock.' Technically, it's a tour through the BPM wild west, spanning 122 to 140, but it's all held together by that unmistakable 808 swing and the dominant, funky key of 12A. The energy is raw and mid-focused, all about those iconic melodic hooks, vocal chants, and drum machine patterns.
Mixing is secondary to the tracks themselves, which are given room to play out as the anthems they are. The crate digging here is the whole point. He starts with Nairobi's 'Funky Soul Makossa,' a deep-cut Afro-boogie gem that warms up the floor perfectly. From there, it's a parade of canon: Afrika Bambaataa's 'Looking For the Perfect Beat' for the purists, Newcleus's 'Jam On It' for the sing-along, and Kraftwerk's 'Numbers' for the historical context.
Throwing City Girls' 'Twerkulator' into the mix is a brilliant, anachronistic twist that proves the beat is eternal. The journey is a history lesson, opening with the infectious groove of 'Funky Soul Makossa,' peaking with the world-altering sirens of 'Planet Rock,' and closing on his own heartfelt, electro-ballad 'I Cry (Night After Night).'.