Temenik Electric - Ouesh Hada? - 2013

 

From the vibrant multicultural melting pot of Marseille comes Temenik Electric's debut album, Ouesh Hada? (2013), an exquisite excursion through Arab rock that extends to both sides of the Mediterranean. The jagged electric guitars and rock rhythms of songs like "Hel El Bab" and "Arteni Boussa" ring with the energy of Led Zeppelin or U2, evoking the spirit of agitation of Rachid Taha or Cheikha Rimitti. But the infectious pop melodies and electro-rock beats are just one element of a splendid hybridity that also picks up traditional gnawa, chaabi, raï rhythms and influences from all over the Maghreb with hypnotically played ouds and other instrumentation.

Temenik Electric's Arab rock is not a copy of the Anglo-American formats. The rock of Temenik Electric, fronted by singer-songwriter Mehdi Haddjeri, comes from a very different place, crafting a sound that is essentially rooted in the spirit of North Africa but takes the language of Western rock music and dynamically absorbs the continuous lineage of Arab musical culture. It's "fusion" at its best and, like Tinariwen, a thrilling example of artists' ability to embrace western rock guitar and still sound wildly original, robust and unadulterated.

Staff:

Mehdi Haddjeri (voz, guitarra, coros)

Jerôme Bernaudon (bajo, coros)

Hassan Tighidet (guitarra)

Djamel Taouacht (batería, percusión, coros)

Mathieu Hours (programación)

01. Li Fèt Mèt (part 1)

02. Ness Jirènin

03. Dèouni

04. Hel El Bab

05. Arteni Boussa

06. Faïn Kount

07. Ouesh Hada

08. Rikha

09. Haïnik

10. Li Fèt Mèt (part 2)

11. Chibani