In 2011, the singer-guitarist Habib Farroukh met drummer Marc Dupont and his travelling companion, bassist Clement Vallin. Through the wild jam sessions held in numerous squats and cafe-concerts in the capital city, a strong, tacit understanding developed among these three musicians from the west, all driven by the same taste for adventure and groove.
At the crossroads between Maghreb folk, soul and African music, a rough form of Bab El West (“the Western Gate”) took shape in 2012. The magic happened: transported by increasing lively audiences, they hit the road, passing from popular cafes at festivals, to intimate shows on crazy tours. In the process, they released a four-song EP, thus marking the birth of their unique style.
Striking a balance between traditional and modern sounds, the trio brought on guitarist Hamza Bencherif, who lends his blues rock touch to the group, and Nidhal Jaoua on the qanun, a virtuoso of this eastern ancestor to the harp.
After five years of adventures and the success off all their meetings and sharing, Bab El West took a controlled exit and entered the studio to record their first album DOUAR.
DOUAR is an imaginary country at the intersection of soul and North African folk music. An air of pop seeps through it regularly, and anyone can appreciate the climate of groove that rules here all year long!
The lyrics from singer Habib Farroukh are evocative of Nature, Love and the Journey. Timeless themes that, in the second reading, gives him the chance to address his personal journey. He shares the most sensitive matters as an ode to freedom, an exile song or a prayer of hope, surrounded by unifying refrains.
With this debut ten-song album that blends the current with the traditional, Bab El West’s hybrid music takes over the body and soul.
*****
INFORMATION
Website: www.babelwest.com
Souncloud: soundcloud.com/veev-com
Facebook: babelwest.officiel
Album teaser: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZwW1Lc5S9M
