The Deal: Celebrated Algerian Rai singer returns after a long break from recording.
The Good: Khaled is flexing his musical muscle while going organic on his newest disc, Liberté. He has set aside synth pop that drizzled into some of his past recordings while returning to Rai roots on this outing with Egyptian orchestral strings added into diwan (traditional Algerian Gnawa). The results are organic compositions where the foundational Rai remains intact. The word Rai means “opinion” and since appearing on the scene in the mid-1970s, Khaled has written subtle to not-so-subtle lyrics, sung in Arabic and French, to become the uncrowned king of Rai. On Liberté, the aura is mature and global, yet distinctly Algerian. The percussion is utterly infectious with a range of instruments including accordion, gumbri, ney flute, the guellal and strings. Several tracks have intros, vocal-based preludes showcasing the song that’s to follow. Rai is party music, with its roots in Bedouin music, but it also celebrates love and life through social commentary.
The Bad: Not a heck of a lot except the long break since his last album.
The Verdict: Khaled’s voice is deftly commanding and the beats, the rhythms and the words that color Rai are as vibrant as ever.
This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2009.
