Ammar 808 - Maghreb United

Bandcamp Daily

On “Maghreb United,” AMMAR 808 blends dance beats with desert blues and more.

The Guardian 80

(Glitterbeat Records)

It starts with the sound of distant voices at what could be an ancient North African ceremony. Then come repeated, chanting vocals from Sofiane Saidi, urged on by the pounding, insistent electro-percussion that dominates this intriguing blend of ancient and modern styles.

Ammar 808 is the name currently used by Sofyann Ben Youssef, the band’s Tunisian leader, producer and arranger, responsible for the electronics on the album, and it was inspired by his love of that vintage drum machine, the TR-808. Until now, Youssef has been best known for providing the bass rhythms for the rousing Tunisian folk-rock band Bargou 08, who matched electronica against traditional acoustic instruments. Now he has applied the same technique to music from right across the Maghreb, with even more impressive results.