The Pop Corporation

Bab L’Bluz are one of the most exciting and fresh rock groups on planet earth right now. A wonderful mix of psychedelic rock and North African music, their ‘Nayda!’ album is a modern masterpiece and a firm favourite here at THEPOPCORPS, and exactly the kind of album you’ll casually put on the turntable and have half of your friends wondering where you’d uncovered should an insanely good gem.

For fans of the Habibi Funk series of reissues and the like, there’s a tendency to look backwards for this kind of music – but listeners can be more reluctant when there’s a band touring right now who are playing in a similar vein. From France/Morocco, Bab L’Bluz want to prove to you, in part, that North Africa is where the blues originated – a noble cause in of itself, but there’s so much more to this group than wheeling out dad-blues and sprinkling some local influences in the mix. Far from it – this is a group that will make your hair stand on end, with otherworldly drones, off-kilter drum patterns, North African funk, fuzz pedals and scorching, scintillating vocals and arrangements.

There’s so much in the mix that you’ll hear echoes of Afro Beat, West Coast ’60s psychedelia, garage punk, Ethiopian jazz, and of course, something that really is uniquely all their own. Vocalist Yousra Mansour will transport you to space and back, backed by gimbri player Brice Bottin, who has electrified his folk instrument for a metric fuck-tonne of magical powers. They say they’re proponents of the ‘Nayda’ movement in Morocco, which is all about homegrown roots, but their throwing in Gwana influences and more.

If this all sounds like a dizzying amount of record-collector jargon, we apologise, but Bab L’Bluz are worth getting overly excited about and pressing play on any of their albums is proof positive why.

They’ve returned with a brand new LP called ‘Swaken’ and from the off, there’s jolting drums and righteous melodies that’ll have you wanting to tear off all your clothes and dance around like your life depends on it. Opener ‘Imazighen’ is tough-as-nails, but so loose and vibey at the same time, that it puts us in mind of Tropicalia records from Brazil, only even more defiant and fired-up.

It feels somewhat trite to point out, but perhaps is important that Bab L’ Bluz is fronted by a woman, given that this has traditionally been a role for men. What comes with this is an artistic freedom, in that bucking the trend means that the group as a whole allow themselves to let their influences collide into each other for explosive effect.

We have to trust dodgy translation tools on the internet, but held within the grooves are diatribes against exploitation and shooting down the patriarchy. Never mealy-mouthed and always backed up by insanely good African psychedelia, a sermon never sounded as fun as this.

Bab L’Bluz are making the music that all those psychedelic rockers who made eyes toward some mystical east for real. Riff-heavy bangers and things that will get you up and out of your seat. The modern trance rock that is in vogue now doesn’t really hold a candle to this group who could do with going ten rounds with some Saharan funk.

There’s also less frenetic moments on the album which equal the firebrand rock ‘n’ roll. Our favourite on the LP ‘Bangoro’ is a whirligig of mid-tempo fuzz and woodwind. ‘Hezalli’ is a more acoustic number, which is moody, atmospheric and worth your time too. ‘Li Maana’ is a half-tempo bop that is tucked away toward the album, but should not be missed out on.

While the superb ‘IWAIWA FUNK’ will no doubt grab listeners with more immediacy, along with the wild ‘Zaino’, the album has light and shade so you don’t feel like you’re being wholly pummelled into submission, which is what a number of psychedelic groups can be guilty of.

No, Bab L’Bluz are the real deal and with this and the previous album have shown themselves to be one of the most brilliant, inventive and savage groups anywhere on any circuit right now. This is music that is in places a real fun time, but also, good for the soul and great for getting your anger up and out of the top of your head.

A band with a lot to say and the tunes to back it up. A fucking outstanding piece of work. Absolutely essential listening.