Lounès Matoub was the controversial voice of a generation of Algerian Kabyle people. He was brutally assassinated on June 25, 1998, but his work lives on. From Elmir Records’ Bandcamp site: “In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of his assassination, Elmir offers the very first vinyl edition of the reference album Lettre ouverte aux…; enriched with a 28-page booklet including biographical elements, the transcription of the poems and their analysis, as well as archival photos and facsimiles that suggest to the listener a complete immersion in one of the poet’s masterpieces. An emblematic album that testifies to the immense talent…
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MCPE Records is a French label who seem to specialize in great North African music. This release featured what looks to have been a cassette by Algerian Raï singer Boutaiba S’Ghir, and it’s as joyous and synthy as one would expect from the genre.
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A new name for me to enjoy! Raïna Raï are (were?) a band from Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria who gained a massive following with this album, released in 1982. On the 40th anniversary of its release, the album, lovingly curated by Elmir Records, highlights one of the best raï records of the 1980s.