ARGAN

BERBERISM

  1/  Amdakl                                     (Argan)                       4.44
  2/  Anouach                                    (Argan)                       4.27
  3/  Ajdig                                      (Argan)                       5.00
  4/  Tibdit                                     (Argan)                       5.02
  5/  Iguider                                    (Argan)                       3.09    
  6/  Tillili                                    (Argan)                       5.35
  7/  Tssilim                                    (Argan)                       4.11
  8/  Raja                                       (Argan)                       7.04
  9/  Umlil (Ajdig)                              (Argan)                       3.54
  10/ Ouartmund                                  (Argan)                       4.49
  11/ Arbalou                                    (Argan)                       5.02
  12/ Atbir                                      (Argan)                       4.31
  13/ Aissa Kilo                                 (Argan)                       1.22

          Recorded at Sonya Disque, Casablanca and Secret Laboratory, Basel 1995/96
          All tracks produced by Pat Jabbar and mixed by Pat Jabar and Fido K.
          Tracks 5 and 8 arranged, mixed and produced by Bombax and Pat Jabbar
          Mastered by Glenn Miller
Hassan Arouhal: banjo, lead vocals; Mohamed Najah (1,3,5,8): lead vocals; El Bachir: backing vocals; Mohamed Marra: backing vocals; Jalal Hamaoui: darbukka, shloh-loop; Abdelhadi: bass; S'Mohamed Kbirr: violin, ney; Bill Laswell (4): voice (intro); Omar Bouchenak (7,8): darbukka; Fido K.: programming, electric guitar; Bombax (5,8): programming; Abderrahim Akkaoui: pre-production, general assistance; Pat Jabbar: programming, sampler, keyboards.

          1996 - Barbarity (Switzerland), BARBARITY 011 (CD)

REVIEWS :

Frankly, it's kind of hard, on a cursory listen, to distinguish this mix of Moroccan and Western elements from similar material that's been issued by other acts on the Barbarity label (including Aisha Kandisha's Jarring Effects, Ahlam, and Amira Saqati). Except, maybe, that this is on the whole blander. The traditional elements--the wailing vocals and the string instruments--hold a lot more interest than the routine electronic rhythms. That might be an unduly sour condemnation given that this sort of music is still in and of itself rather experimental within the Moroccan scene. But when you enter the international music community, you've also got to take into account that the standards become that much tougher. As pop-influenced world music goes, this simply isn't a standout.

Richie Unterberger (courtesy of the All Music Guide website)