hassaniya

What’s the name of this band/album?…

…I have no idea but this tape from Guelmim, a town in southern Morocco, is INSANE. commanding vocal repetitions, lyrical guitar space-outs and infinite hand-clapping vs. spectacular use of auto-tune vocals and mod wheel synth embellishments. If all music sounded like this (and everyone listened to this tape exclusively each day) there would be no reason to blog, no war, no corruption, we’d all just be chilling blissed-out lying on pillows in sunny living rooms for eternity. This is beautifully smart and modern music.

Chris, who is traveling in the region right now, sent this to me explaining it’s Hassaniya (the Arabic dialect spoken in most of Mauritania, Western Sahara and elsewhere) music. I’d be curious to know more about these artists and this cassette if anyone has additional info…

 

Side 1

Side 2

22 Comments

Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.

  • May 9, 2009 at 4:08 pm

    Thank you so much.
    I will be eager to find out more if someone knows anything.

  • May 9, 2009 at 4:24 pm

    The name of the brand is :
    “Amnat Azawan”
    The name of the group has a berber consonance but the songs are in Hassaniya arabic.

  • May 9, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    here the name of the group and more.

  • May 9, 2009 at 10:08 pm

    If you like this style, I encourage you to listen Saharaoui people in exile the most beautiful songs in language Hassaniya of the Sahara.

    In aduna blog you can find the old cassette El Wali.

    But present music with modern arrangements are also beautiful.

    Mariem HasanNayim AlalAziza Brahim

  • May 9, 2009 at 10:48 pm

    THIS IS GREAT!!! Thanks!
    -5-

  • May 10, 2009 at 8:05 am

    Many thanks for sharing. Apurva from Pune, India.

  • May 10, 2009 at 9:51 am

    hmm, s’alright.

    Hehe, I checked all your posts, and nothing whatsoever coming from Algeria, and rightly so, I haven’t heard anything good coming out of there in recent years, and I go there every year.

    I would be dead impressed if you could find something decent from Algeria, so I challenge you. ^__^

  • May 12, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    Yo this is brilliant.
    Here you all can find more similar and related music from the Sahara and surroundings:
    http://www.tamasheq.net
    Enjoy and thanks, mangue

  • May 13, 2009 at 7:37 am

    Awesome Senegal blog, have a nice day.

  • May 16, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    @ mange.
    The Tamasheq have a formidable music, they share landscape and territory with the Maures but they are two different peoples.

    The tamasheq is the language Berber spoken by the people known as Touareg and is used for thousands of years in North Africa, have their own writing Tifinagh.

    The Maures and Saharahuis speak Hassaniya a dialect of Arabic and for writing they used Arabic calligraphy.

  • May 17, 2009 at 4:36 pm

    thanks for all the awesome music!!

  • May 23, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    this
    is
    the best thing i have ever heard

    only after Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali

  • June 25, 2009 at 12:01 am

    holy shit. made my day.

  • October 6, 2009 at 5:04 am

    This band is called Sahara Blues or Mnat Azawan from Guelmim. This is my father Mohammad Bounani and my two sisters. My father has been a traditional singer in Morocco for over 30 years and has travelled around the world representing Moroccan Sahara music.

    If you have any more questions please do not hesitate to email me.

    at.bounani@hotmail.com

  • November 13, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    you´ve got it neonwhales

  • January 11, 2010 at 9:43 am

    so great full.

  • January 22, 2010 at 7:16 am

    Thank you so much, I haven’t ever read so wonderfull blog, your bolg is so good, I like it very much. I also want you to go to my web, and so that we can discuss something.
    By the way, do you like polo shirts, which are very chic, especially the polo t shirts, I love them very much. I also like playing tennis rackets, it can keep healthy, what do you like to do?
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  • January 31, 2010 at 6:16 pm

    Классные мультики мультфильмы бесплатно на кинозоуне.
    электронная почта без регистрации

  • October 7, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    Hi, this groupe leader is my friend, they are very good singers, and much open and I like their music.

  • July 17, 2011 at 1:06 pm

    at ELLY – check your head. what about:

    idir
    orchestre national des barbes
    gnawa diffusion
    cheik el meskine
    chikaha rahma

    just to name a few? algeria’s got badass tunes all over the place.

  • July 30, 2019 at 6:55 am

    i have a lot of of this cassette tape sealed new never used new old stock

    • August 23, 2021 at 11:26 pm
      In reply to: morito

      do you have any other mauritanian tapes? would be interested in more.

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