Idirad
Zik (Soundfact, 2015)
Zik is the first album released by Idirad, an Amazigh (Berber) trio with Algerian and French band members, established in Brussels the capital of Europe.
Zik is a journey through the past, present and future that begins from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the depths of the Sahara. It is a mixture of the traditional Kabyle music, a part of the rich and varied Amazigh culture alive in North Africa, expressed with a modern twist.
Idirad forges an emblematic trademark by combining the creativity of French slam, the explosiveness of rock, the vibe of blues, the hypnotic melody lines of Tuareg guitars, Gnawa trance (one of the popular Moroccan music style), and the folk of the region of Kabylia (Algeria)
Idir Aït Dahmane, singer-songwriter of the band writes in Kabyle, his native language but also offers a broad palette by integrating French lyrics.
“Rose du Désert” is a song from the album that is universally relatable for its tribute to women and mothers who passed along the ancestral culture from generation to generation. The Amazigh alphabet, Tifinagh, is one of the oldest alphabets in human history dating back to 10th century BC and is now spoken by 50 million people worldwide.
“Rose du Désert’s” lyrical construction and poetic simplicity brings to mind the innocent and childlike atmosphere that’s harkens a comparison to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s, “Le Petit Prince.” By the end of the song, Idirad reminds us that the Amazigh culture is part of the African one, by bringing in a funky afro beat bass line which leads to a more up tempo beat.
“Amidini” was inspired by the journey that Idirad undertook to Tamanrasset, a Southern Algerian city in the Sahara desert. Never ending jam sessions with local Tuareg musicians, a Berber family living in North Africa, also contribute to the creation of the song. This influence can be heard in the harmonies on some of the tracks. With Anana Harouna of the Tuareg band Kel Assouf on vocals and guitar, one is reminded of those jam sessions and warm nights.
Idir Aït Dahmane left the mountain landscapes of Kabylia where he spent his teenage years to travelling around Europe and finally settling down in Belgium. He inherited, from the shepherds of his village, an amazing ability to observe his environment. His perception of that challenges and hopes that human beings face is clear in his song, “Welh’adj”:
“No matter what you’re going through, *there’s a light at the end of the tunnel“*
A suborn darbuka is amplifying the dark side of the song.
The album “Zik” is built on a solid rhythmic structure consisting of guitars and percussive instruments like the darbuka and bendir. Mourad Mouheb, a Kabyle percussionist does not hesitate to enrich the rhythms of his native region with various African polyrhythmics.
With the addition of modern instruments like the electric bass and electric guitar, the music of Idirad embraces a dynamic creative space while keeping its authenticity and identity.
A dynasty of Berber pharaohs (945 BC to 715 BC) respected the worship of Râ (the Sun) during the festivals. “Soleil,” a French word meaning sun, is a track in “Zik” that tributes to the benefits of the sun in today s life. The vitality of the song reaches its climax with the hypnotic rhythms of Gnawa trance, a musical cocktail inviting to dance.
The album “Zik” is a musical journey from the shores of the Mediterranean to the depths of the Sahara. A journey sprinkled with poetry, trance and energy in alternation.
Purchase the Zik digital download in North America
Purchase the Zik digital download in Europe
Author: Crygor
