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Rating:
It's 1991 when I blindly choose a vinyl EP by MAU MAU. When I put it on the turntable, it was a revelation! And when, a few months later, their first CD "Sauta rabel" came out, I bought it immediately, without a second thought. The wait was not disappointing. Mestizo music, perfectly blending Occitan and Arab influences, meant to be danced to freely or listened to while traveling wherever you are. Composed with acoustic instruments such as the mystical accordion by Fabio Barovero, the vibrant djembe and percussion by Tate Nsongan, the guitar, voice, and inspirations of Luca Morino, along with violin, double bass, and trumpet (Roi Paci would be present in future records and tours), hands, and choirs.
The lyrics are mostly in Piedmontese and talk about poor peoples - "for chewing, there are those who cross the sea..." they sing in "Traversado" - about near and distant folks ("El Mat"; "Neir"), about the environment - "fela respirè povra tera del 2000" -. But the music is worldly, mixing tradition and new sounds ("singh sent ani" rides the dub wave), "Radio Canta Elena" is an ethno-waltz, specifically a courenta (Occitan dance), "Mostafaj" is a compelling blend of Langhe and the Middle East, in a swirl of flavors, scents, poetry across all tracks. Only the title track pleases me less, but the rest of it is an excellent ethno-world album that earned the group the Premio Tenco for the best first work of the year.
This album, perhaps because of that initial love, is the one that has most influenced my musical exploration in this field, broadening the many possibilities of style and genre contamination.
In some of the upcoming studio works, there are six in 18 years plus live and compilations, they will also introduce electronics (more or less present), gradually reducing the use of Piedmontese, creating all good albums in their style, sometimes introspective, other times passionate and energetic.
Tracklist Samples and Videos
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