Scene
For four decades, Egyptian Lover has taken the stage with the same core concept: hard-hitting TR-808 rhythms, synthesizers, a vocoder, and music designed for the dance floor. On Friday, October 30th, he will make his debut at Peti Kupe as part of the new Love Songs series, curated by Felver and Antonio Zuza.
Behind the name Egyptian Lover is Greg Broussard—a DJ, producer, and rapper from Los Angeles, and a pivotal figure in the early West Coast electro scene. His sound emerged at the intersection of New York electro, Zapp’s electro-funk, the mechanical precision of Kraftwerk, and the eroticism of Prince—with the Roland TR-808 serving as the most essential instrument in the mix.
He first encountered the machine as a young man; when he spotted it in a store, it cost around $1,200. Broussard had half the amount, and his mother lent him the rest. Just a few weeks later, he was using that very same machine to perform before an audience of roughly 10,000 people at the L.A. Sports Arena, building rhythms live while dynamically dropping elements in and out.
His major breakthrough arrived in 1984 with the single “Egypt, Egypt,” followed by a string of releases that defined his signature blend of electro, funk, and hip-hop. Perhaps what makes Egyptian Lover so unique is that he never really tried to keep pace with the changes happening around him. As production became increasingly digital, he remained faithful to analog synthesizers, vocoders, and the authentic TR-808. His goal was for his new records to sit comfortably alongside those from the eighties, without ever feeling like they belonged to a different world.
That world arrives at Peti Kupe this Friday: electro, 808s, vocoders, and over forty years of music that still operates on the same fundamental principle—it has to get the dance floor moving.
Tickets for this one-of-a-kind experience are available via this link: https://www.entrio.hr/event/love-songs-w-egyptian-lover-felver-antonio-zuza-34897
