Low-rise jeans, flip phones and a conversational sneer: bubblegum pop recovered rather than parodied.
Rising Egyptian pop artist Nourine Aboseida takes us back to the bubblegum pop era of the early 2000s with her latest single, ‘Tab Eh?’ featuring producer Ismail Nosrat.
‘Tab Eh?’ channels a sassy, conversational spirit that perfectly matches low-rise jeans, flared tops, and flip phones leaning to Arabic Y2K’s fast-paced Maksoom tabla rhythm, blending traditional acoustic percussion loops with electronic dance beats.
The production relies heavily on sounds reminiscent of those produced by Roland and Korg synthesizers, with portamento between notes. With acoustic Spanish guitar fills between sections, back then, almost every upbeat pop track featured these bright, flamenco-inspired guitar plucks to transition between verses and choruses.
The track itself does not take itself too seriously. Instead, it delivers a playful, slightly impatient narrative about cutting through mixed signals and simply being together. That same flirty, rebellious energy, reminiscent of pop icons like Ruby and Haifa Wehbe, runs throughout the song, making ‘Tab Eh?’ the kind of track that instantly makes you want to throw on a glossy lip and oversized sunglasses.
