Goubi’s EP ‘7OFRA’ is a Descent into Deconstructed Trap & Grime

Within the oversaturated hip-hop scene, it’s not very often to come across artists that dabble in leftfield creativity, for fear that they alienate their core audience.

Egyptian artist Goubi, however, has consistently navigated these boundaries, creating music that can feel unconventional but remains cohesive and purposeful. His approach sometimes keeps him on the scene’s periphery, yet he continues to release work on his own terms.

His latest offering, an EP titled ‘7OFRA’ is the epitome of that beautifully chaotic sonic universe of his. Across four tracks, the Egyptian rapper jumps between various styles and subgenres of rap with ultimate ease, going from experimental sad trap and industrial grime and abstract noise, without forcing the transitions.

The opening track, ‘Makinat’, is an experimental emo trap cut in collaboration with Palestinian producer Joz. Against the backdrop of a mellow yet cinematic atmosphere, interspersed by crisp 808s, Goubi spits bars in a seemingly detached tone, exploring themes of isolation and emotional unravelling. Meanwhile, the title track, ‘7ofra’ eschews melodic instrumentals of typical trap formulas, hyper-focusing more on the jarring bounce of the percussion. 

His two collaborations with producer Aten on ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Msh So7ab’, however, lean more towards the aggressive, experimental side of grime and glitch. The former is imbued with industrial textures and gritty, distorted noise with poignant verses on the highs of a dopamine rush, while the latter takes a more abstract approach, deconstructing grime through non-linear arrangements and fragmented sounds -a fitting production to highlight the complexities of unresolved relationships. 

Throughout the EP, Goubi explores unconventional approaches to rhythm and texture, creating a work that is consistently thoughtful in its experimentation, offering a clear sense of his evolving approach to music.