Rachid Aous

Bonjour is a different kind of Rachid Taha album. Until now, the Algerian-born singer (who has resided in France since his childhood) has made his most significant impact by fusing traditional Algerian rai music with rock on albums such as Diwan, Made in Medina, and Tékitoi – his cover of the Clash's "Rock the Casbah" on the latter helped establish Taha in markets he was previously unable to penetrate (Taha, in fact, looks oddly like Joe Strummer as a cabaret singer on this album's cover).

«Vi chiederete senza dubbio cosa stia facendo nella camera di mia madre. Io, professore di Letteratura all'Università di Lovanio. Che non mi sono mai sposato. In attesa, con un libro in mano, che mia madre si ridesti. Una madre affaticata, sfinita, provata dalla vita e dai suoi imprevisti. La pelle di zigrino di Balzac è il titolo del libro. Una vecchia edizione, così consumata che l'inchiostro dei caratteri si è sbiadito. Mia madre non sa leggere. Avrebbe potuto scegliere qualsiasi altra opera. Chissà perché questa? Non lo so. Non l'ho mai saputo. Del resto, non lo sa nemmeno lei. Ma è questo il libro che mi chiede di leggerle quando si sente disposta ad ascoltare, quando ha bisogno di essere tranquillizzata, quando ha semplicemente voglia di godersi un po' la vita. E la compagnia di suo figlio.»

Delving into the deepest recesses of raï, this compilation serves as a tribute to its roaring years, but also as a rejuvenation of the genre in its sulphurous, subterranean version. It seemed like a good idea to dig into nearly untraceable cassettes, thus confirming it’s in the oldest of Oranese pots that the very best of raï is to be found. Just 50 years ago, no one would have believed even a bit in a genre seemingly bound to forever turn round and round in its native Oran, laying low in one of its many coastal road clubs.

This album takes the listener on a musical journey through Morocco. From the Berber traditions of the Rif and Atlas Mountains, to deeply spiritual Sufi music and the improvised street music of Marrakech, Morocco is a land of musical riches. The tracks on this release have been curated from ARC musics vast catalog of world music, and include artists like Nour Eddine, Abdesselam Damoussi, Rachid Halihal, the Altaf Gnawa Group, and many others. Julia Beyer is responsible for compiling the works on this album, and Diz Heller, once again, presents stellar mastering.