Abdelkader Ariaf - Mlih Mlih

Here's a nice album of Riffi pop tracks from singer/songwriter Abdelkader Ariaf. I picked this up in Tangier in 2001. 

Ariaf was born in Nador and lives in Rotterdam [1]. His Facebook page indicates that he performs often in Europe, but I could find little biographical information about him online. There are a couple of video interviews with him on YouTube ([1], [2]), but they were in Tarriffit (which I don't speak) and did not appear to address the beginnings of his career or its trajectory. He first traveled to Europe in the year 2000, but I don't know how long he's been living there. 

Ariaf is active on social media (Facebook, YouTube, TikTok), and continues to release new music. In addition to YouTube, much of his music can be found on the international streaming platforms (Apple, Spotify, Amazon), including albums that date back to 1996. This particular album doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

Enjoy!

Abdelkader Ariaf
Mlih - Mlih
Disco Melilia cassette

A1 Wazzay Adhzouigh وزي أذزويغ
A2 Amsrqigh أمسرقيغ
A3 Adhqsagh Idoudan أذقسغ إضوضان
B1 Thite Inou ثيط إينو
B2 Allah Ihennik الليهنيك
B3 Mlih Mlih مليح مليح

320 | FLAC

[1] "Welcome Thamazight  ويكلوم تمازيغت" Episode 8 الحلقة الثامنة, Directed by Said Azar إخراج سعيد أزار, SNRT 8 Tamazight 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nJ6pItwLjk

[2]  "Abdelkader Ariaf عبد القادر أرياف", Episode of "Rqehwa Akd Unazur قهوة مع فنان", Directed by Mourad Mimouni إخراج مراد ميموني, NadorCity 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4SsWDRkamk

More Riffi Riffs - Mimoun Ousaid

Our final Riffi tape post is an album by Mimoun Ousaid, who is based in Nador. He has been composing, performing, and recording since the early 1970's. Many photos and videoclips on the web feature him playing an oud, though I don't hear any oud on this cassette. (A large black bird is pictured in the top right corner of the j-card, and it looks  flying away with the oud... symbolic?) Many interviewees in this odd promotional documentary testify to the beauty and quality of his lyrics.

Texturally, this album features a palate of musical timbres that, to my ear, sounds closer to mainstream North African orchestrated popular music than the other Riffi tapes I posted. Synthesized sounds include strings, qanun (zither), and accordion.

Rhythmically, Track 1 is the only piece whose rhythm sounds like the standard Riffi rhythm heard on my other Riffi tapes. The other songs map to typical Maghrebi 2/4 and 6/8 structures, except for track 4, which has a Middle Eastern 2/4 feel.

Note that the cassette shell and j-card use Spanish instead of the French seen on most Moroccan cassettes - a legacy of the Spanish colonial presence in northern Morocco.

And once again,  cassette company logos!

Disco Melilla Présenta Mimon Osaid (2000)
1) Temsaman Jari Doura
2) Arahad Enhara w Tjar Tiwousha
3) Hjegh Timour

4) Asber Yahanjar
5) Men Zidham Zemaregh
6) Urzough Ghesâd Inou


Get it all here.