‘El 7ofra’ Inside The Mind of Dirty Backseat

Cover Image by Hassan Radwany

In 2023, Egyptian one-man band Dirty Backseat only released one single, the introspective melodic ‘Tayer’, and then completely went off the grid. Little did we know, the rock rouser, Moe Hani, aka the brain behind Dirty Backseat, was cooking something major in his bedroom-like studio to kickstart the year 2025.

The singer-songwriter, producer and guitarist is now returning with a full EP, ‘El 7ora’, a six-track record that is loose, loud and confident – a distillation of Moe Hani’s influences of post-punk and psych-rock with a pop edge. Mixed and co-produced by Mostafa Adel, co-founder of Audio Bus, the record’s moniker metaphorically represents ‘falling into the hole’ - a mental space of self-doubt and confusion that Moe has struggled with, offering a window into his inner world.

Moe takes the production of this album up a notch with a close-to-electronic, machine-like delivery of the beats, showcasing his artistic growth and a sound that’s more refined and solid compared to his earliest releases. There are no full-fat rock ‘n roll chords in their traditional sense, but rather a strong emphasis on a nuanced, multi-disciplinary approach to melody with a light touch of experimentation.

Almost every track on the album, except for ‘Ghannet’, bursts with visceral noise carried out by a mix of synth-pop and lo-fi psych, where arpeggiated synthesisers, steady drumlines,  thick basslines and catchy hooks contrast with Dirty Backseat’s signature washed-out, heavily vocoded vocals and spaced out Arabic lyrics.

With playful repetition and simple lyricism, Moe reflects on his inner conflict that comes with pursuing music full-time, his tendency to isolate himself in the hole of his bedroom to create and his struggle with the toxic standards of success in the music industry.

The intro on the album’s opener ‘Fenak’ features samples from different radio shows which then dissolves into a bouncy synth-driven instrumental with dreamy retro sonic aesthetics, as Moe repeats only one word throughout the entire three minutes - ‘Fenak’ - in robot-like vocals.

A low-tempo garage-rock vibe appears on the pads and kick pattern on‘Mn Sokat’, while Middle Eastern percussive tabla pumps up the drumline of tracks like ‘Weshen’ and ‘Kol Ama A3oz Asebha’.

Meanwhile, ‘Ghannet’, the album’s outro where Moe speaks of his resolve to music and singing in dealing with his turmoil, leans more towards the dreamy side of Dirty Backseat, featuring emotional bittersweet lo-fi melodies with woozy psychedelic undertones.