Artist: Kawtar Sadik
Title: Ribabohali EP
Label: connected
Cat. #: connected124
Format: Digital
Release Date: 26th May 2023
Tracklist:
01 Ribabohali feat Aziz Ozouss
02 Hamouda
03 Hamouda (Ary Sya Remix)

Kawtar Sadik arrives on connected with a melting pot of authentic Afro sounds on a new EP that includes a remix from French artist Ary Sya.

Agadir-born Sadik both raps and sings and draws on her youth growing up in Casablanca for inspiration. The singer-songwriter has a rich vocal palette and has collaborated on releases with the likes of Da Mike, Filippos and Mr. ID amongst others while playing plenty live across Africa. This latest work is a meeting of traditional Moroccan, Berber and Arabic flavours with fresh Afro beats.

The deep and spiritual opener ‘Ribabohali’ is made using a ribbab, a native instrument from the south of Morocco. It’s an enchanting trip with mesmerising melodies and has Sadik singing in her own distinctive style about someone she met who doesn’t care for material things. Her friend Aziz Ozouss then provides ad-libs to complete this most storytelling of tracks which is alive with percussion and flutes.

The atmospheric ‘Hamouda’ is an homage to Sadik’s Gnawa ancestors with bass that emulates the guembri – a Gnawa instrument – and it brings richness to the Afro house drums. They roll beneath another expressive and emotive delivery from Sadik as cosmic synths slowly rise out of the mix to spellbinding effect.

Remixer Ary Sya is a DJ and producer based in Paris and a rising name in the indie and progressive electronic music scene. His version of ‘Hamouda’ is six deep and steamy minutes of late-night Afro house with a fat bassline and star-gazing chords that get you lost in a reverie.

These are richly layered Afro house sounds direct from the source.