The Almighty Groove offers Colombian rhythms and African roots on debut EP Frère d’Afrique
The Almighty Groove is the new production imprint of long-time musical adventurer, John Hollis.
Fri, 15 November 24
Track of the day: ‘Curfew’ by Khalab & M’berra Ensemble
Ahead of the release of M’berra by Khalab & M’berra Ensemble on 23rd April, you can now listen to a preview from the album, ‘Curfew’. This track captures the essence of the collaboration between Khalab and the musicians he met at the M’berra refugee camp, on the border between Mauritania and Mali.
‘Curfew’ is a meeting of traditional Tuareg and western guitars, both following the same riff, and both absorbed by Khalab’s trademark synths and electronics.
“For me, this track sets the scene for the rest of the album,” says Khalab. “It’s a meeting of traditional Tuareg and western guitars, both following the same riff, and both absorbed by synths and electronics.”
M’berra is out on 23 April 2021. The vinyl edition of the album will be available in a deluxe gatefold package with yellow LP and a 32-page booklet — an extraordinary visual accompaniment showing photographs of the musicians at the M’berra camp captured by French photographer Jean-Marc Caimi alongside written accounts of the project told from a number of perspectives. The album is also available digitally, and on CD (with accompanying booklet).
Featured release
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Released 23 April 2021
M’berra is the sound, the story, of a collective of Malian musicians from the M’berra Refugee Camp in southeast Mauritania and Italian producer and electro-shaman Khalab. In a sprawling tent city rising out of the desert, out of nothingness, at the border with Mali in West Africa, brought together by spirit and circumstance, the group’s Arab and Tuareg members find solace and beauty in music and song.
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