Search - Gnawa Diffusion :: Bab El Oued Kingston

Rolling in Rai and Ragga

heej | South Korea | 08/04/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not your run-of-the-mill Algerian Rai. This is more of a project in brining the Rai and other mediums together -- particularly that of the Ragga (or Raga, depending on which continent you're reading this from). The eclectic fusion of carribean rap & rhythms and the sensual Algerian vocals create a genre that is separate from simply just the one or the other. Amazigh Kateb, Gnawa Diffusion's leader, tries to bring his two backgrounds together -- His Arab heritage and his exposure on multicultural levels living in France. You may not understand the lyrics but his voice evokes very basic and solid emotions. The music also differs from the modernized Rai, which recently have a tendency to be overproduced. This album, Gnawa Diffusion's most recent release, once again reaches back to roots of both the Rai and Ragga genres and brings them together."