News

A colorful and exuberant ensemble led by Laïla Amezian and Laurent Blondiau Together they gather 18 top vocalists and musicians from very different horizons to create a contemporary musical performance. Reinterpreting the traditions of the Ghanayats and Shikhats, female musicians who fought for freedom of expression in Morocco at the end of the 19th century, this joyful band offers an explosive chaabi groove with enchanting vocals and breathtaking brass instruments.

Laïla Amezian, Emanuela Lodato, Farida Zouj, Marie-Ange Teuwen & Fatou Traoré: vocals
B’net Chaabi – Jamila Akhdim, Karima Arabi, Kawtar Abdoune & Mehdiya Sultana: vocals & percussion
Laurent Blondiau & Pauline Leblond: trumpet
Toine Thys & Grégoire Tirtiaux: saxophone
Michel Massot, Nabou Claerhout & Adrien Lambinet: tuba & trombones
Jean Gnonlonfoun: drums
Ahmed Khaili: percussion

https://www.metx.be/projecten/les-sheikhs-shikhats-bnet-chaabi/

Some people use their power only to enrich themselves and their entourage and that makes us FEROCIOUS. Earlier single ‘Furious’ was fueled by the same fury but the outrage has not yet extinguished. Third single of their upcoming album to be released 25th of november – after having worked together with dub legends Daniel Boyle and Alpha & Omega and played as the support act for Adrian Sherwood, The Twinkle Brothers and Omar Perry.

https://Biglink.to/ferocious

After ‘Ghalat’, Gaïsha is now revealing the first single of their upcoming album, to be released by Zephyrus Records in April 2023. Gaïsha is a collaboration between the Belgian-Moroccan singer Aïcha Haskal and some exquisite musicians from the Belgian music scene, bringing you oriental & psychedelic grooves with a Brussels twist. Aicha Haskal’s voice is smooth and warm and switches seamlessly between Arabic chants, parlando and even rap. The diverse background of the musicians (Absynthe Minded, Sylvie Kreusch, Va Fan Fahre, Echoes of Zoo, De Beren Gieren) results in a brilliant melting pot of styles.

With this song singer Aïcha wants to pay tribute to her name, which literally means ‘liberty’. The song reflects her rebellious voice that rises up against oppression of women and fights for revolution. With ‘Ana Aïcha‘ she wants to feel heard. The literal translation is ‘I’m living my life to the fullest’, regardless of conventional cultural standards. The melody translates this protest by creating an atmosphere that runs the gamut from intimate nostalgia to stirring rhythms.

Growing up in a family where playing music was taboo for women, Aïcha was secretly part of the Brussels hip hop scene at the age of sixteen. She even participated in a contest on a Belgian television channel, equipped with a cap and standing with her back to the public. Unfortunately the gig came to her father’s ear and a few years of radio silence followed.  At a later age she arrived in the masculin world of classical Arabic music. But Aïcha stood strong and due to her perseverance she is now the leading lady of Gaïsha. 

First single of ‘Ototoxic’ from the upcoming album ‘Fruit Of The Void’ to be released later this fall.

Kosmo Sound is a perfect balance of tight rhythms and extended melodies, and they constantly strive to push boundaries with their sound. Having worked together with dub legends Daniel Boyle and Alpha & Omega and having played as the support act for Adrian Sherwood, The Twinkle Brothers and Omar Perry, heavily inspired, they took refuge in the studio to record this album full of meditative sounds and dense grooves.

Inspired by a baroque harmony but then heavily jazzed up – the melody is rhythmically very peculiar so the challenge was to process all those elements into a natural sounding (digi)dub song. “Ototoxic” means toxic to the ear but actually the musical poison here is enclosed by a honey-sweet jacket

Listen: https://biglink.to/ototoxic

Myrddin’s performance of Peteneras in the beautiful mountains of La Drôme

Kosmo Sound will be supporting all-time reggae legends GROUNDATION at OLT Rivierenhof this summer (July 14th). They’ve been an inspiration for the band since day one so this one feels very special and surreal. 

New 7 inch vinyl single available from this Friday!

“After high rotation online, Ghent’s finest dub crew finally brings ‘Furious’ to wax, with an exclusive dub version by Kosmo Sound’s drummer Marius Couvreur on the flipside. One for the bassheads!”

Limited pressing of 250

Guitar – Edmund Lauret
Guitar – Cyriel Vandenabeele
Bass – Mattias Geernaert
Drums – Marius Couvreur
Keys – Bos Debusscher
Saxophone, Bongos – Ambroos De Schepper

Recorded by Christopher Lonneville
Furious mixed by Christopher Lonneville
Furious Dub mixed by Marius Couvreur

Gaïsha just confirmed a show at Ghent’s most beautiful summer venue Theresia. Theresia is an old monastery functioning as a cultural hotspot during the summer. In May/June/September Voo?uit, Democrazy & Theresia organise several concerts there and we’re glad to announce that Gaïsha is part of the stunning line-up.

Get your tickets here.

Gaïsha

Gaïsha is the latest act on Zephyrus Records. It’s a newly formed collaboration between Belgian-Moroccan singer Aicha Haskal and Les Cerveaux Lents bringing you oriental & psychedelic grooves with a Brussels twist. The band switches seamlessly between Arabic chants, parlando, and even rap, bringing you an interesting melting pot of styles, quoi.

Myrddin will be presenting his third volume live in concert at the Minard, Gent on the 5th of march: https://apps.ticketmatic.com/widgets/vooruit/flow/minard?event=371455320941&l=nl#!/addtickets