Outlandish
Brad & Barrels Of Water

Globalization is a commonly used term these days, with different connotations depending on the context, and not always with positive meanings. But if we refer to music and the continuous search for fusions between different musical traditions from all over the world, the result is absolutely fascinating and intriguing.

The multi-ethnicity is definitely in the DNA of Outlandish, a group formed in 1997 in Copenhagen, consisting of three guys (Isam, Wagas, and Lenny) whose family roots stretch across three continents, respectively from Morocco, Pakistan, and Honduras. The hip hop culture they are drawn to isn't exactly a widespread heritage in Scandinavian countries, but this doesn't prevent these three guys from embarking on their musical career as rappers, with very convincing results. Their first album 'Outland’s Official' in 2000 made them famous throughout Denmark, earning them six nominations at the Danish Music Awards (the Danish equivalent of the Grammys), even winning the Best Hip-hop Award.

Their new album 'Bread & Barrels Of Water' confirms their musical choices, a cauldron where the basic ingredients of American rap are skillfully mixed with Arabic pop and Indian film music, Latin rhythms with lyrics in English, Arabic, and Spanish, resulting in the most multicultural sound you can imagine in modern music. The first track Introduction already transports you into these atmospheres, with the Indian flute in the background and Spanish rap interludes, and the subsequent Guantanamo (the first chart-topping hit from this album) continues on this Latin path, bringing to mind the music of the standard-bearers of South American rap, the Cuban Orishas. With Walou and Gritty Outlandish demonstrates they also have a remarkable R&B streak, which reaches its peak with If Only, one of the most engaging tracks on this album.

But it is from the two Arab thirds of the formation that the most creative influence seems to come, and it's no coincidence that Outlandish's international success comes with the hip hop arrangement of Aicha, an unforgettable hit from a few years ago by the king of Algerian rai Khaled. Arabesque sounds can also be heard in El Moro and in the beautiful hidden track (clearly not indicated in the cover notes) that you find a few seconds after the end of the last track.

On the whole, a good album, with interesting insights where Outlandish demonstrates the ability to blend such different sounds with results that surely deserve to be appreciated.