VIA PRESS RELEASE | Wewantsounds is delighted to announce the release of Sweet Rebels—The Golden Era of Algerian Pop-Raï. Selected in Paris by Cheb Gero, the set features the raw energy of the Algerian Raï scene from the ’80s and early ’90s and its young stars Cheb Zahouani, Chaba Zohra, and Abderrahmane Djalti. Newly remastered and including liner notes (FR/Eng) by Raï authority Rabah Mezouane, the compilation brings together eight cassette tracks from the electrifying period when Raï music was evolving from a more traditional sound to the mesmerising electro funk sound of the ’80s.
Raï music was born in the seedy parts of Oran, the port city north-west of Algeria, during the 20th century. Mixing elements of Arabic music and western influences, the music was raw and urban emanating from the cabarets and nightclubs of the city. Mainly performed by female singers such as Cheikha Rimitti and Cheikha Djenia, Raï songs would talk about love and social hardship in direct and often crude ways. The style evolved after the war and it was revolutionized in the 1980s by a new wave of singers who infused their sound with synthesizers and drum machines to instill tough messages of youth rebellion, political criticism, and heartbreak.
Mainly released on cassette by street vendors in Algeria during the ’80s, Rai rapidly spread among the youth. It became a phenomenon which soon spread beyond North Africa, led by the crossover success of Cheb Khaled. “Sweet Rebels” gives an insight into the genre’s ecstatic electro sound, showcasing a unique cultural moment, where creativity and resistance connected to form a vibrant trend.
Compiled by DJ Cheb Gero, Sweet Rebels includes cult, sought-after tracks released on cassette by the label Oriental Music Production and features the best exponents of the genre, such as Cheikha Djenia El K’bira, Cheb Zahouani, and Chaba Zohra. These artists were instrumental in pushing the boundaries of Raï music during the era. They gave birth to a sound that is now sought after by DJs around the world, as heard on Cheb Zahouani’s hypnotic “Zinek Bekani,” Chaba Amina’s pulsating “Kindi Ebatal,” or Abderrahmane Djalti’s reggae-tinged “Ala Bladi Nebki.”
As Rabah Mezouane mentions in his liner notes, “Sweet Rebels sums up the spirit of the era when Raï was expressed in a raw way, with a naturalness that mocked prejudices and commercial criteria.” Most of the tracks here make their vinyl debut and Wewantsounds—following its releases from Lebanon and Egypt, is delighted to continues its exploration of Arabic music by digging into the fascinating Algerian Raï heritage.
