Super Stambeli

Description

Sofyann Ben Youssef alias Ammar 808 is the artist behind the albums "Maghreb United" and "Global Control/Invisible Invasion", manifestos of a raw, unpolished bass music infused with a rich traditional heritage. Initially rehearsed through the late Bargou08 project, for which he was the behind-the-scenes orchestrator, Ammar 808 produces music with multiple layers of meaning. At a time when technology inexorably infiltrates humanity, Ammar 808's next adventures take place in the realm of the invisible creatures of Stambeli, an ancient Tunisian tradition rooted in the depths of the African continent. Stambeli is a therapeutic musical ritual established by the Afro-descendant communities of Tunis. During ceremonies, music, dance, and songs blend so that participants can be possessed by supernatural entities. It is a syncretism between Islam and Voodoo animism, which were spread during the slave trade by the Yoruba populations from the present-day Gulf of Benin. It is a precious heritage that symbolizes the exceptional diversity and complexity of North African identity. Using drum machines and analog synthesizers, Ammar 808 invites these supernatural creatures to visit our material world to taste human incarnations. Carried by the singing and gumbri of Bellassan Mihoub, heir to his father's knowledge and mastery, he embodies the avant-garde of the Stambeli revival.