MAGHREBIKA WITH BILL LASWELL: Neftakhir

Maghrebika With Bill Laswell

Neftakhir

© 2006 Barraka (7619942912727)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

Algerian & Moroccan trip hop-dub fusions

notes



مغربك

MAGHREBIKA with Bill Laswell „Neftakhir“ Barbarity 026

This is what happens when a bunch of Algerian immigrants, musicians and singers living in Switzerland, do cross the path of people from Barraka El Farnatshi Prod. Abdelkader Belkacem and Abdelaziz Lamari, both from Oran - Algeria, the capital of Rai music, were invited by Pat Jabbar to contribute some vocal parts to two tracks (“Babour” & “El Baqara”) for a solo project which should have been called Abdeljabbar. The easy-going work at the studio during the recordings as the same general interests and musical taste, pushed them to work together on a whole album, which finally became Maghrebika. After the great experience on Azzddine with Bill Laswell, it was nearly obligatory to have again no other bass sound than the one from the Master himself. From the ten tracks that got sent to New York, ten crucial and tremendous bass lines to all the ten songs have been sent back. Every Maghrebika member was completely astonished to see how the whole sound with the freshly added bass lines changed. There are so many details and small solos in Bill’s work, that a listener has the choice to listen either to the complete song or just to concentrate on the perfection of the bass itself. Sometimes it comes in a heavy Dub-like style, sometimes in a floating jazzy way. Sometimes the bass is as furious as the lyrics and creates a tension that it will blow your mind. Sometimes the sound comes gentle and smooth. In any case “Neftakhir” is a bass album. Back in Marrakech, summer 2006, Pat Jabbar met again by accident “old friend” Aziza El Marrakchia, who was a longtime neighbour, living also in the old medina. Her Shikhat combo
B-Net Marrakech became famous after some contributions for Rachid Taha, DAR BEIDA 04 and Cheb I Sabbah. With her new band line-up they went to the studio of Youssef El Mejjad of Amira Saqati to record some vocals that are well reflecting the rough side of a Shikhat’s life and in the same moment do perfectly represent the content of Maghrebika’s lyrics. The main subjects of the songs are the actual problems in the Islamic world: the neverending prejudices against Muslims since 9/11, Islamophobia in general, the caricatural provocations of Muslims either by journalists or a pope etc., social injustices and corruption in Muslim countries, the division “Fitna” of the Muslim community created by the media and the US propaganda as the anti-islamic manipulations of the Bush administration, the fight for the liberation of Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, etc. The main title “Neftakhir” (pride) is a message to the young Muslim diaspora, telling them to be proud of their roots, culture, moral values and religion, as to reject a forced westernization. Maghrebika stands for a pacific Islamism and is vehemently against the use of violence and terror. For booking and interviews, contact Barraka now !!!

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • author: Clay

    only 2 words, "Kick ass album"

  • author: Tamara Turner, CD Baby

    If Massive Attack took up residence in Oran, Algeria and studied the Rai music of the capital, then invited Bill Laswell to craft abundant and well-endowed, sometimes dub-like bass lines to converse, exchange and play off of the combination of club-born, trance-influenced beats, not only would you come close to this album, but you’d be holding it in your hands (minus it really being Massive Attack, that is). With the master himself, Laswell, on bass, Maghrebika has produced a musical collage remarkably bountiful in frequencies that sizzle and impel the imagination. Using traditional instruments and vocals together with keyboards, guitars, samples and of course, bass, all 14 tracks capture a sonic world that while being crisp and haunting on the high end, it reaches down deep into an earthy, rumbling foundation of low-end support. The title of the album, Neftakhir, means “pride” in Arabic and was intentionally chosen as the project aims to instill a sense of healed and healthy identity to Muslim youth who have undoubtedly been affected by Islamophobia since 9/11. Encouraging them to be proud of their roots and to embrace pacifism, the album appeals to both their past and their future, not just in musical style but in its themes. Both elements of Rai music and electronica complement each other so well that it’s suddenly a question why we haven’t heard more of it before now.

email

Please log in to email this artist.