RecentMusic - Bab L' Bluz New Releases

Bab L' Bluz

Bab L' Bluz is a trailblazing Franco-Moroccan band that has carved out a unique space in the contemporary music scene with its genre-bending fusion of traditional North African Gnawa beats, psychedelic rock, and blues. Founded in Marrakech by Franco-Moroccan singer Yousra Mansour and French guitarist Brice Bottin in 2018, Bab L' Bluz has quickly gained recognition for their innovative sound and empowering messages. The band's name itself is a nod to their cultural hybridity, with "Bab" meaning "gate" or "door" in Arabic—symbolizing an entrance to a multicultural sonic universe—and "Bluz" referencing the blues genre.

Their debut album, "Nayda!" which means “to rise up” or “to get moving” in Moroccan Arabic, was released in 2020 to critical acclaim. It's a vibrant call to joy and resistance, blending the spiritual and musical traditions of Gnawa with heavy guitar riffs and a pulsating rhythm section. In addition to Mansour's commanding voice and guembri playing—a three-stringed bass lute central to Gnawa music—the band also features innovative sounds like the qraqeb (metal castanets) and a variety of other world instruments to create their revolutionary sound. Bab L' Bluz’s commitment to cultural preservation through contemporary reinterpretation and their string of electrifying releases has established them as a dynamic force in the world music arena.

Genres