Les Abranis – Album No. 1 (WeWantSounds, 2025)
WeWantSounds has reissued Les Abranis’ sought-after 1983 LP Album No. 1, also known as Id Ed Was, in 2025. The Paris-recorded private press intertwines irresistible Kabyl grooves with funk and hints of reggae. It arrives with the original artwork, remastered audio by Colorsound Studio (Paris), and a two-page insert featuring new French/English liner notes by journalist Rabah Mezouane. Cheb Gero, curator of the label’s recent Sweet Rebels Raï set, oversees the release.
Formed in France in the late 1960s by Shamy El Vaz and Karim Abdenour, Les Abranis became a key influence on the world music scene through a mix of Kabyl tradition, rock, funk, and psychedelia, with lyrics celebrating Amazigh (Berber) identity.
The group performed at Algeria’s Festival de la Chanson Algérienne in 1973. Subsequently, they rolled out several releases in the 1970s, including Les Abranis 1977 (Disques Bordj El Phen) and Imité Tayri, recorded with Algerian and French players such as Mohamed Salahedine (sitar) and Slimani Smail (oud), alongside bassists Jannick Top and Tony Bonfils.
The 1983 sessions at Acousti Studio featured drummer André “Dédé” Ceccarelli and bassist Tony Bonfils, locking in a tight rhythm section beneath Karim’s vocals. Highlights include the reggae-leaning “Avehri,” the funk-forward “Achethkhi,” and the hooky instrumental “Thadoukli.”
Originally self-released and distributed mainly within Kabyl and Algerian communities in France and the Maghreb, the album gained cult status after decades out of print.
Wewantsounds’ reissue restores the music and presentation, pairing the remaster with historical context from Mezouane’s notes to situate Album No. 1 within Les Abranis’ broader legacy.
Buy Album No. 1.
Author: Madison Quinn
