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UK DJ & Radio support:Craig Charles, Gideon Coe, Lauren Laverne, Deb Grant, Huey Morgan, Huw Stephens, Amy Lame, Chris Hawkins(BBC Radio 6 Music), Ex Friendly(Radio Alhara),Rita Ray & Max Reinhart, DJ Kobayashi (Soho Radio),Steve Barker(On the Wire),Debbie Golt(Resonance FM),EHFM, Celtic Music Radio, Poppyland Radio

BBC Jools Holland confirmed TV appearance (film 13th May, TX Sat 15th June)
BBC Radio 6 Music Playlist (2 x weeks B list, 1 x C list )
BBC Radio 6 Music Craig Charles interview (Broadcast 1st April)
BBC Radio 6 Musiclive session with Craig Charles (15th May)here
BBC Radio 3live session for Music Planethere
BBC World Service Session and ITW - here
BBC Africa(Africa Daily) Session and ITW -here

The Telegraph feature confirmed here
MOJO Rising feature published
MOJO album review confirmed
MOJO Playlist - Sharaf included here
Far Out Mag album review here
Songlines feature confirmed
Songlines Top of the World here
Songlines album review May 2024 (#197), on sale April 5.


Sahra Halgan, Somaliland's iconic singer, freedom fighter, and cultural activist, returns with third album Hiddo Dhawr, a culmination of enduring friendship and global exploration

Seamlessly blending age-old Somali traditions with abrasive guitar riffs, sun-drenched percussion, and vintage keys, the album offers a fresh take on the music of Somaliland, the independent but not internationally recognizedd state in the Horn of Africa

Inside a large, tent-like structure in downtown Hargeisa, Somaliland's tranquil capital city, the atmHiddo Dhawr, Somaliland's first music venue. Halganoured head scarfs, revealing elaborate hairdos and impeccable eyebrows, as they rise to their feet and start to dance. On the stage at the far end of the room a drummer and oud player up the tempo, while the singers pass the microphone to one another. The atmosphere is electric, and as the evening progresses, the joy in the room is palpable.

This is Hiddo Dhawr, Somaliland's first music venue. "I started it because I wanted to bring back our culture, so that people can be proud of it," says Sahra Halgan, cultural activist, musician, and founder of this lively Hargeisa cultural hub, which opened in 2013.

Hiddo Dhawr, which translates to "promote culture", is also the name of Halgan's new album, an electrifying blend of Somali melodies, distorted guitar riffs, thumping West African percussion, and Halgan's unique, warbling vocals. Halgan chose this name for the album to honour the women of Somaliland.

Jabal is the title of the forthcoming release by Kendojubaki and Dj Ali through Berlin based Label 'Live From Earth'. The release is the second instalment of the labels Live From Earth Klub series.

'Jabal' translates to mountain in Arabic. It is also where the two artists roots trace back to in their home country of Lebanon. The listeners receive a glimpse of the socio-political issues surrounding the jabal areas across Lebanon through unique sampling

KendojubakiKendojubaki is the pseudonym of Adam Rajab, an Australian-Lebanese Sound Designer and producer currently based in Melbourne. As the son of Lebanese refugees he spent parts of his childhood working in his parents Middle Eastern supermarket. In times of recreation he and his relative Ali would pretend to be an Arabic wedding band playing the tabla and the mijwiz to imaginary dabke dancers.Hatched from these activities and through years of back-and-forth between e Middle East and Australia, Adam has captured a unique sound-language which amalgamates traditional sounds of the Levant with modular synthesis, drum machines and industrial elements of unrelenting vim. His thematic music dwells on commonly unfair socio-political issues surrounding the east and the west, displacement and identity.

As a Dj Kendojubaki's sets are filled with long Arabic intros, old school hardcore rave tracks and tempos above 140. In his own productions and live sets, kendo recombines his sound design influence into powerful and cathartic riddims, along with thick echoes un-natural like drums.

Dj Ali Dj Ali is the stage name for Ali Chahine, an Australian-Lebanese live hardware act currently based in Melbourne, Australia. In his productions, Ali fuses sounds from his archive of field and foley recordings along with 90's hardcore rave melodies to create an emotive flow of fast techno music.As the son of Lebanese refugees, Ali also shares stories of conflict and socio-political issues through his music and art. In 2018 Ali joined the collaborative label 'Al Gharib' with relative Adam Rajab who is most commonly known as 'Kendojubaki's'. The two are collaborating on a 12' release named 'Jabal' in December, released through Berlin label Live From Earth.

Auf ihrem zweiten Album erweitern Psyché ihre einzigartige Mischung aus Groove und Psychedelia um eine subtile politische Dimension. In Psychés Vision dient ihre Heimatstadt Neapel als pulsierender Schmelztiegel, in dem Klänge aus Nordafrika und dem Nahen Osten auf die Echos ferner Küsten wie Brasilien und Kolumbien treffen. Ihr Sound bewegt sich zwischen Cosmic Funk und Desert Blues, Cumbia, Dub und Jazz und wird durch den Einsatz analoger Synthesizer und treibender Basslines getragen. Die LP gewinnt dank der Zusammenarbeit mit dem tunesischen Sänger Ziad Trabelsi und der türkischen Sängerin MERVE (Altın Gün) an internationaler und politischer Bedeutung. Psyché II ist die Essenz einer Reise durch Kulturen und Identitäten: ein Album, in dem die gegenseitige Befruchtung und ein nomadischer Geist die Grundpfeiler eines zeitgenössischen Sounds bilden – verwurzelt im Mittelmeerraum und gleichzeitig weltoffen.



b 02: Hurriya (We Must Resist) feat. Ziad Trabelsi


b 02: Hurriya (We Must Resist) feat. Ziad Trabelsi


[b] 02: Hurriya (We Must Resist) [feat. Ziad Trabelsi]


[b] 02: Hurriya (We Must Resist) [feat. Ziad Trabelsi]


[b] A2 | Hurriya (We Must Resist) [feat Ziad Trabelsi]

Abdou El Omari was born in 1945 in Tafraout, south of Agadir -- a village suspended between the pink granite peaks of the Anti-Atlas and the waves of the Atlantic. A landscape already musical in itself. He grew up in the dry mountain light, surrounded by the rhythms of nature and Berber's culture. Very little is known about the man -- a veil of mystery still surrounds his life, only deepening the fascination. In the 1970s, as Morocco was transforming, Abdou El Omari shaped a sound of his own -- a visionary blend of spiritual jazz, psychedelic funk, Moroccan traditions, and early electronic experimentation. Today, his work is resurfacing, rediscovered by a new generation of listeners in search of lost horizons. This record stands among its rarest and most precious fragments. At twenty-two, he founded his first group, Les Fugitifs, which gained him local fame. Soon after, he released records and cassettes on labels such as Cléopâtre, Hassania, Boussiphone, Hilali, and his own, Al Awtar, while performing on RTM (national radio and television). He also composed for artists like Naima Samih, Laila Ghofran, and Aicha El Waad. In 1976, through the label Gam, he released his only vinyl album, Nuits d'été -- a record that would become cult decades later, reissued in 2017 by Radio Martiko. In the 1980s, his music grew quieter, more secret. He tried to recover his old tapes from the studios he had recorded in, but gradually withdrew from the scene and returned to hairdressing. A pioneer of musical fusion, he opened paths that would remain unexplored for years. He passed away in 2010, never witnessing the rediscovery of his music by diggers, bloggers, and collectors online. One day, his close friend and poet Aziz Essamadi, rescued a cardboard box from the trash -- a box containing Abdou El Omari's personal archives. It was later entrusted to Casablanca based collector Ahmed Khalil, founder of the label Dikraphone. Inside were treasures preserved by chance: demos, rehearsals, private recordings, unseen photographs -- and a stunning, almost forgotten cassette. Here, El Omari sounds bolder than ever, exploring territories where pop, cosmic disco, electric blues, and Moroccan tradition merge without boundaries. Armed with his ARP Odyssey synthesizer, hypnotic grooves, and the celestial layers of his Farfisa, he expanded the dialogue between deep roots and electronic exploration. This album is the continuation of a vision -- a music of the Moroccan future: rooted, but reaching for the unknown. Colorful, magnetic and timeless, here is music for dancing as much as for dreaming.

Winter Sessions in Courchevel - compiled by DJ Ravin Bereit für den Winter? Mit Winter Sessions in Courchevel präsentiert der legendäre DJ Ravin eine exklusive Doppel-Compilation, die den Soundtrack für stilvolle Höhenflüge liefert - von glamourösen Nächten in den Alpen bis zu entspannten Après-Ski-Momenten. Die Auswahl vereint feinste World Lounge, Electro-Chill und festliche Deep Vibes - perfekt abgestimmt auf die Atmosphäre des Luxus-Skiorts Courchevel. Mit dabei sind renommierte Buddha-Bar-Künstler wie Majnoon, VS Prjct, DJ Phellix, Souhail Artwork, Omary, Carlos Campos und viele mehr. Ob auf exklusiven Partys oder in ruhigen Stunden am Kamin - diese Musik schafft Räume für Emotion, Eleganz und Eskapismus. Jeder Track ist ein Fenster in eine Welt zwischen Tradition und Moderne, zwischen globaler Klangästhetik und alpinem Chic.

The official retrospective on one of Somalia's most famous and beloved private bands, Iftin, and a companion compilation to our Grammy-nominated "Sweet As Broken Dates". Digitized from cassettes recorded between 1982 and 1987 at the legendary Al-Uruba hotel's secret studio and the jams for the masses performed in the basement of Somalia's national theater. Banaadiri rhythms from Somalia's south, Mogadishu's finest vocalists, Dhaanto reggae-like guitar licks, and smoldering brass blend seamlessly with the sounds of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to form one of rawest, most cosmopolitan eras of music anywhere. Iftin's Mogadishu is where the world's sounds begin and end.

Double LP gatefold with a 12" x 12" poster. Hardcover bookcase CD with 12 page booklet.

Justin Thurgur has been at the heart of the UK's World Music scene for over twenty years; principally in his collaborations with the former Fela and Femi Kuti keyboardist, Dele Sosimi, and with the pianist and composer Kishon Khan, most recently in his groups Lokkhi Terra and Cubafrobeat. He has also worked with the likes of Afrobeat drum legend Tony Allen, and with the Cuban giants Giraldo Piloto, Julito Padron and Changuito. Thurgur is also a member of the seminal English folk group Bellowhead.

'Many Faces' brings together this musical journey, with Afro-infused grooves and nods towards Cuban Jazz and Dub, with Thurgur's early passion for the likes of Miles Davis, Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, et al....

It features both Khan and Sosimi, who have contributed as co-writers as well as bringing their own inimitable sounds on piano, rhodes and hammond organ. Alongside them are some of the leading musicians on the UK's African, Cuban and Jazz scenes, plus collaborations with rising star singers Jade Pybus and Sahra Gure.

Justin Thurgur - trombone (and some additional keys)

Graeme Flowers - trumpet and flugel horn

Simeon May - tenor, baritone and alto sax

James Allsopp - bass clarinet

Jade Pybus - vocals (on 'Woman')

Sahra Gure - vocals (on 'Be A Little Wiser')

Kishon Khan - piano, rhodes and hammond organ (on tracks 1,3,4 and 5)

Dele Sosimi - piano (on tracks 2 and 6) and vocala (on track 6)

Phil Dawson - guitar

Suman Joshi - double bass (except track 5)

Jimmy Martinez - double bass (on track 5)

Tansay Omar - drums (on tracks 1,3 and 4)

Kunle Olofinjana - drums (on tracks 2 and 6)

Yoann Julliard - drums (on track 5)

Afla Sackey - congas and djembe (on tracks 1,2 and 6), shekere and cowbell, and vocals (on track 6)

Oreste 'Sambroso' Noda - congas (on tracks 3 and 5)

Evie Hilyer-Ziegler - violin and viola

Paul Sartin - violin

Track 1 written by J Thurgur and S Gure

Tracks 2 and 6 written by J Thurgur and Dele Sosimi

Track 3 written by J Thurgur

Track 4 written by J Thurgur and J Pybus

Track 5 written by J Thurgur and K Khan

Recorded at Fish Factory by Simone Gallizio and Sean Douglas, at Boneman Studios by Justin Thurgur, at Better Pass Your Own Studios by Phil Dawson, at Thank You Please Studio by Kishon Khan and at 224 Studios by Matteo Musetti.


Mixed at Hi Street Studio by Mauro Caccialanza.

Mastered at Gearbox by Caspar Sutton-Jones.

Artwork by Matthieu Dufour

Photos of by Siobhan Bradshaw, Justin Thurgur, Stephanie Sian Smith,

Chantal Azari, Alex Bonney, Heather Hoyle, Nicole Thurgur, Joanna Mendel, Tansay Omar, Richard Gearey, Faye Hilyer-Ziegler and Svetlana Onye.

The wind of change is blowing strong again in late 2020. Wich statement fits such worldwide transformation? We don ́t know, but we keep blending & interacting different cultures. One 7“ vinyl, two sides of the story. El Mago from Greece is hooking up with south american native ceremonials. The Berlin/Thessaloniki based ritual master (down)beats all strains of cultural appropriation with smart style and groove straight outta subcultistan. Followed by Mettabbana from the divided states of America, editing sahrawi classic on liberation, hope & vision. Seductive repetitions, subtle as the saharan sands, riding on trance- inducing guitar loops, arabic percussion & harmonies. This vinyl will last longer & will survive our thoughts and needs. For any queries: the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.

Through the combined brilliant minds of Fabrice Lig, Kiko Navarro, Karim Sahraoui and Jean Vanesse, the new musical force known as Quadra 163 has arrived. Working together in Jean Vanesse's Belgium studio, their debut EP, "Spin Coaster EP" was born.

Through intense live collaboration over 3 full days, the results are these incredible original tracks and a remix from the American house legend, Osunlade (Yoruba Records). Belgium's Elypsia Records have an absolutely essential release here for those looking for proper club weapons - each track dreamt up by a crew of producers with decades of critical acclaim and club credibility.

Osunlade kicks off the release on A1 with his rework of 'Spin Coaster.' The remix is a late night machine jam saturated with sharp synth textures and a shuffling rhythm which will lock the dancefloor tightly in place. A perfect blend between House and Techno, it's a shining example of Osunlade's keen ability to capture imagination with function, tension with release.

'Ghetto Beat' steps up as the A2, with a drum heavy cut full of off-kilter hits and tones which twist and turn in frequency and timbre. It's the type of track that will get the crowds cheering and jackin' and dancing without a break. A proper tool to slam into the set whenever energy levels need to lift higher and things need to get slightly twisted.

Title track 'Spin Coaster' sets up the B-side with a master session of prime time techno making magic. A playfully thick bassline resonates in and out of the analog rhythms while a synth tone builds tension over the track's entire duration. A few breaks for the clubbers to catch their breath are placed in the perfect spots - but only for a brief moment before things kick back in.

Rounding out the release is 'Ghetto Train,' an absolutely mental banger designed to melt the minds of those fortunate enough to be on the dancefloor when it's dropped. Relentless rhythms, huge hand claps and a sharp staccato shuffle drive the tune whilst synth stabs grow filthier with each passing phrase. Clearly the results of an insane studio session from the crew.

Don Dini geht wieder an den Start! Compost's langjähriger House-Spezialist Shahrokh Dini überzeugt mit zwei wahren House Sure Shots, abgerundet mit eleganten Remixes von Karim Sahraoui, LoYoTo (Eva Be und Clé aus Berlin) und einem schön fluffigem Digital Bonus Remix von Flo Førg.

House- und Hoflieferant der DJ-Spitzenriege Shahrokh Dini erfuhr in seiner langen Karriere schon immer breiten Support als DJ und authentischer House-Produzent. Bereits in den 90ern hatte er Releases auf Strictly Rhythm und mit etlichen Releases auf Compost Black Label geriet er seit jeher in die Plattenkoffer von Âme, Ron Trent, Jimpster, Dimitri From Paris, Rainer Trüby, Sasse, Laurent Garnier und vielen mehr.

Übrigens ist Shahrokh nicht nur House Produzent und -DJ. Er betreibt auch Clubs und Venues seit Mitte der 90er, promotet von Zeit zu Zeit große Musik-Events, hat mehrere DJ-Residencies und besitzt auch seinen eigenen Laden - Monk in Karlsruhe.

The Master is back, not many words needed to introduce one of the biggest pioneers of Deep & Emotional Electronic Music. Karim Sahraoui play on a league of his own, this is the second release of many to come. Thank you.