Establishing the mood with an astral, microtonal melodic riff which reverberates into the ether, expanding with a spiritually conscious roots meets reggae production, Syna Awel, GRAYSSOKER, Rishnu, I Roots and Fred Z open Arioul in Dub with dimensionality and a captivating vocal.
We immediately connect with the dynamic production of the track which fuses ancient notions with futuristic, celestial detailing. It has a summer vibe that fans of Manu Chao would be able to connect with. The ska horns and inflections are sublime.
Sonically, Arioul in Dub brings together Amazigh heritage, North African rhythms, dub music, and modern electronic sounds in a cohesive tapestry of sound. This bridge between ancestral traditions and today’s contemporary global music scene makes the track feel super unique.
As for Syna Awel‘s vocals, they are entirely captivating and we appreciate the journey that she takes us on. The echoing inflections are brilliant and the brief moments in English add a further global feel to the track, cementing the message to a wider audience. GRAYSSOKER’s production is absolutely hypnotic – spiritual, rhythmic, and contemporary.
For some background, Syna Awel is a Franco-Algerian Kabyle singer, songwriter, percussionist, and storyteller. Her name means “word” or “speech” in Berber. This reflects her focus on voice, memory, and cultural storytelling, which is apparent in Arioul in Dub. She tells us how she developed her music through tradition, travel and collaborations, including her role as lead singer of Ifriqiyya Electrique and her connection with Kabyle legend Idir.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Arioul in Dub to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discographies of both Syna Awel and GRAYSSOKER.