The first of the recommendations from the Rare Racy music and book shop on Division Street, Devonshire Green in Sheffield. A definite winner but I have to admit that the first blast of the music caused panic in GondwanaTowers, I thought my speaker cones had blown and immediately turned off the stereo before embarking on further investigation. The album starts with a vocal intro and then boosh..... Fortunately, there was no reason to panic, its just the unique experience of listening to Saharawi guitarist, Doueh. The opening track is the sound of being caught in a suprise sandstorm, with grit and sharp sand grazing your skin, whilst Jimi Hendrix is cranked up full blast on the amp in an effort to block out the pain and the home made speakers and loose connections strain under the weight of it all.

The sleeve notes from Hisham Mayet, documents the journey made by an awestruck Sublime Frequencies label boss, Alan Bishop and his quest to find the source of the "searing brash electric guitar that cut through the air like a buzz saw."from a radio broadcast he stumbled across whilst in Essaouira, Morocco, 2005.

A journey that eventually led him to the old city of Dahkla on the Atlantic coast, described as the last outpost of Western Sahara. A young boy, who heard his radio recording led him through the streets to a studio of sorts. After explaining his mission, a man invited him into his house where they shared tea before playing him the recording...."as the opening chords blared through the boom box speakers, he looked at me with the most ecstatic grin and said that's me!"

Doeuh was born Baamar Salamou in Dakhla in 1964. Just like so many great guitarists he started making music on hand made guitars fashioned from found peices of wood and steel strings. His influences early on, came from Mauritanian musician Yassin Oueld Enana with the addition of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown as the Americian cassettes and radio came over. Later on he began to hone his skills and incorporate music from his Saharawi roots, in particular from Sadoum Ouled Aida.

Alan Bishop had met with a legend from Saharawi music, Doueh, who performed at local weddings and religous before forming Group Doueh, in 1981 who went on to play festivals all over Western Sahara, Morocco, Mauritania, France and Portugal. In the late 80's they added keyboards to the repetoire of traditional instruments and electric guitar and also received many offers of recording deals, all turned down.

This is one reason why this album, with its poor sound quality is of great significance. As Hisham Mayet writes in the sleeve notes, " for the first time ever, he (Doueh) has given his permission and material form his archives to facilitate the release of these recordings ! Fidelity be damned ! "

The album has eight tracks and after a vocal introduction opens with the song that started it all for Alan Bishop, Eid for Dakhla. There's some extraordinary guitar talent with vocal accompaniments that border on shreiks from Bishiri and Halima ( Doueh's wife) who also plays the tbal. I can't help wishing that Vincent Kennis had been there with his knack for field recordings or at least someone had been there to monitor the levels! But perhaps that's the harsh reality of the Saharawi people and the difficulties of their lives not only in a political context of the refugee camps but also the harsh reality of living in perhaps some of the most arid land on the planet.

This is a jam session with a difference, the music and rythms do shine through as we get to the third track Tirara.
There are also a couple of cuts from recordings made by Hisham Mayet in February 2006 at Doueh's compound in Dhakla.
Wazan Samat and Cheyla Ya Haiuune which make a welcome relief form the intensity of the distorted tracks form Doueh's archives.

Whether the compiler should have opened the album in such a challenging fashion is questionable. The poor sound quality could detract many from continuing on with the album. After persevering, I became used to the distorted sound and started to rock to Doueh's unique musical style that shone throughout. This makes a welcome addition to the more polished albums from European record company favourites, Tinariwen, Tartit, Mariem Hassan and Terakaft all seem quite smooth in comparison.

The album has a UK release in April 2008 and is sold out from the Sublime Frequencies website.

At the time and living up to their name Rare and Racy have a copy in stock. Check the Rare and Racy Website for contact details.

If you want to find more Saharawi Music then checkout
Sandblast Arts.