Electric Jalaba – El Hal – The Feeling (Strut Records, 2021)
Electric Jalaba is a fantastic group based in the UK that intertwines transfixing Gnawa music, West African rhythms, call and response vocals, funk, and seductive electronic beats and atmospheres. Producer and bassist Olly Keen describes El Hal – The Feeling. “It’s the feeling that comes when we’re playing and totally forgetting where we are. The feeling of being grabbed by the music and lost in the groove.”
The band includes Moroccan-born singer, guimbri and karkabas player Simo Lagnawi, a leading performer of Gnawa music in the UK. Electric Jalaba also features the four Keen siblings: Olly Keen on bass; producer and keyboards player Henry Keen; guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Nathaniel Keen; and vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Barnaby Keen. The sixth member of the band is Anglo-Italian kit drummer Dave De Rose.
“The trance-inducing effect of Gnawa was what hit us first. It was visceral, heart stopping,” adds Olly. “Simo selected the chant from the traditional song suites and, as a band, we extended these short pieces of ceremonial music and experimented with sound and structure.”
El Hal is the third album from Electric Jalaba and their first release in five years. Some tracks reflect the origins of Gnawa music that include Subsaharan West African music.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.