Ribabohali EP by Kawtar Sadik

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 flavors with fresh Afro beats.

The deep and spiritual opener "Ribabohali" is made using a ribbab, a native instrument from south Morocco. It's an enchanting trip with mesmerizing 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.

Kawtar Sadik - Ribabohali EP
Release Date May 2023
Label connected

Tracklist
01. Ribabohali feat Aziz Ozouss
02. Hamouda
03. Hamouda (Ary Sya Remix)