Volumes 1-2-3

Description

Having recorded nearly 150 cassettes, Cheb Hasni remains one of the most prolific and talented raï singers of his generation. Nearly thirty years after his death, this 3-volume compilation of rare tracks from his cassettes released on the Oriental Music Production label is a tribute to Cheb Hasni's enduring legacy - ya raï! The three volumes are presented in a vinyl box set (12'') including liner notes and large postcards, released in 2022 on the Outre National label under license from MLP. LIMITED TO 300 COPIES WORLDWIDE. Raï is the music of a youth with a hangover after Algeria's recent independence. It became a space for liberated and transgressive dialogue that speaks the social truths of its time. A frank yet poetic voice that covers the taboos and frustrations of daily life, expressing emotion without detour. This voice is heard at weddings, cabarets, nightclubs on the Oran coast, or even in the street. With the rise of the audio cassette, an avalanche of raï cassettes was produced in Oran and distributed throughout the country. Produced in Oran and distributed worldwide, women and men sing and listen to this new sound, because raï is intimately linked to celebration, alcohol, and the night. With the spontaneous improvisation of its singers as the main element of each song, raï constantly reinvents itself. In this style, Cheb Hasni, along with Cheb Nasro, embodies a second generation of musicians. With "raï d'amour," or sentimental raï, Hasni sings of love, passion, and its setbacks, thus moving away from the bittersweet daily chronicles of the early chebs and chebates.