El Abranis....or les Abranis for stubborn Francophones

I recently found some mp3's of an obscure band from the late 60's. I somehow thought they were Iranian, naively mistaking an LP titled *Waking up Scheherazade* as a hint. They're Algerian/Amazigh in fact, -doesn't all ear-tickling Maghreb music lately seem to come from those regions?- Karim Abranis is the founding member and vocalist, so hence the band name. Turn your surname into the band, easy does it.

The edgy thing about Abranis music is that he tends to play western music, though in some way it doesn't sound western -ofcourse the vocals are done in Tamazight, a southern desert Berber language. It's more like a smooth fingered take through Northern African guitar/lute riff techniques and hidden background cultures.

Here some early 70's style pyschedelic rock from the *Waking up Scheherazade* LP, which is somehow described as an Arabian Psyche Nuggets compilation, resisting to push the Tamazight culture. Dig that lushly coloured artwork though!



El Abranis - Athedjaladde

El Abranis - Ayetheri a l'afjare











Both are songs that could have easily been put on Sublime Frequencies' recent & excellent Algerian Proto-Rai Underground LP. Perhaps an idea for a dusted Amazigh release?

Here's some more info on the band, on what seem to be a fine French sound blog. Plus a lofi blues song done Algerian style. Those funky background guitar beeps hit the spot.
http://radiodiffusion.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/les-abranis/

Fired Up

The Gang Gang Dance show on Friday apparently was a real blast out, so I've heard -I didn't go-. So much that their instruments catched fire in the attic storage room @ Paradiso, A'dam. Seriously bad luck there, hopefully the insurance can sort out the done damages. But how does one go about replacing vintage synths? ouch. The band wrote a statement on their MS blog, some snippets;

"we had a blast, but unfortunately our morning was a bit tragic. We stored our gear in the club last night and when we arrived there today to pick it up and head off to Brussels for tonights show, we were informed that an electrical fire had occurred in the very room where our stuff was stashed. We didnt really know the scope of how bad the fire was until we arrived on the scene to find every piece of equipment we own scattered out in the parking lot...melted, charred, and still smoldering. Most of our gear is way beyond repair and the small amount of stuff that looks as if it wasnt physically destroyed by the fire itself has all been doused by the firehoses. So we have been left with synths that are melted, a charred guitar, cases full of wet pedals and cables, drums that are nothing but the metal rims, amps that look as if they've been doused in tar...the list goes on.".....

"On top of that we are stuck here in Amsterdam until we are able to meet with the insurance company that is dealing with the fire, if we were to leave then we would risk losing out on the compensation that will be necessary for us to build our equipment back up."

Here a track from their nice 2008 rekkid 'Saint Dymphna'
Gang Gang Dance - Bebey

And one from the 2007 'Rawwar' EP
Gang Gang Dance - The Earthquake That Frees Prisoners

It seems more and more like they're stepping up to fill the void between the now defunct outfit Out Hud and some dubby-delica/step spheres. So there.

BZzzZzzzzzzzzzzzt.

Awakening on friday the 13th

*****yawn******

awakening from blog neglected sleep.
*sniffing at new paint*

this for now:
Okkervil River - Listening to Otis Redding at Home during Christmas
Thanks to Nilo for his swell selected mix tape

Vosbikian Band - Yar Muneyi
Thanks to El Rikko for his excellently diasporic 'soft guide to Armenia' compilation.

An animist & animalist ode to friday the 13th, as well on Nesske's
365nights blog. Meet my adopted stray beach daughter of Portugese descent. The Africans downstairs are seriously wary of her. Just like most Africans tend to be scared of cats, I've noticed. She approaches them anyhow, rubbing her whiskers and fur against their legs while they try to hurry past her. Fledermaus love.