Khaled
Sahra

THE REVIEW

Born in Oran, Algeria, in 1960, Khaled is an exceptional artist in the context of global musical globalization, a true "poète maudit" who has long been at the top of the Algerian government's wanted list; a brave musician and songwriter, he has continued to showcase his modern musical ideas in Paris, where, starting from 1990, he has produced works that have earned him the admiration of the entire world. It would be pointless to debate the exact definition of his music: in the genre, of course, of world music, it is suspended between rock, funk, and Arabic folk, but the fact remains, more than any other consideration, that its fundamental characteristic is the harmonious syncretism between Eastern and Western elements, between the canons of Arabic rai on one side, and the robust Euro-American rhythms on the other; a musical blend skillfully crafted by a mind that has managed to overcome the territorial and political limits imposed by existing bureaucracies.

"Sahra", from 1996, perfectly simplifies the concept of musical blending just mentioned: the sixteen total tracks, well-crafted and arranged, are divided into pieces closer to Algerian folk tradition such as "Wahrane Wahrane" and "Ouelli el Darek", and into captivating funk pop like "Walou Walou" and "Mektoubi"; a constant element in the album, the presence of European vocalists and musicians significantly enriches a work that often does not shy away from using the French language. It is precisely French that makes a worldwide hit like "Aïcha", the third track of the album, both more commercial and refined at the same time, without forgetting that it is indeed the musicality of the Arabic language, so full of breathy gutturals and diphthongs, that produces a far more captivating effect than any other more common language. Thus, "Didi" is exquisitely Arabic in its interpretation, a piece taken from a previous work, where the extraordinary use of winds confirms a general trend in the album, which is at times enriched by strings, at times by keyboards, at times by native instruments such as the bendir and the derbouka.

The result is therefore a rich and varied work, never saturated in its magnificent eclecticism, a musical piece to be listened to attentively but which can also be enjoyed in the light-heartedness of good company. Khaled, let's remember, a hero of our time.