Maurice Louca - El Taalab الثعلب (Simsara)

Maurice Louca is an Egyptian composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, solo practitioner, keen collaborator and all round force for progressive and genre fusing Middle Eastern music good, whether it's psychedelic shaabi music, cosmic jazz or imaginative improvisation, you don't always know what you're going to get, but you always know it will be interesting and top quality.

Both timeless and forward looking, "El Taalab" is the first track to tease the forthcoming Barĩy (Fera) برٌِي LP, to be released on Simsara Records. Warm bass and hypnotic, polyrhythmic percussion immediately launch the track to its brisk yet somehow unhurried cruising tempo. Classic Arabic strings repeat a well worn, yet recontextualised motif that expands to cinematic effect when the musicians feel that they've teased you enough with the repetition that urges anyone in earshot to leave their place of rest and start whirling like a dervish. Hell there's even a theremin in the mix if you listen carefully enough.

It's a compelling slice of horizon gazing Egyptian music that is rooted in the region's rich musical heritage whilst causing multiple ripples in the North East African music continuum, just how Louca (guitars and synths) and his crack collaborators: Khaled Yassine (drums, percussions), Ayman Asfour (violin), Rosa Brunello (double bass),

Hazem Shaheen (oud) and Nancy Mounir (violin) would want.

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Playlist Companion

Find this great tune in the Slow World playlist: