A couple tracks from another recent Rough Guide release: North African Café. As usual it’s a solid compilation, this time of music inspired by or coming directly from the café scene in North Africa and its outposts abroad.

Jean-Pierre Smadj is a French-Tunisian oud player who likes to mix up North African music. Today’s track is by his S.O.S. project, a collaboration between Smadj, Orhan Osman and Savas Zurnasi. It reminds me a lot of early Gotan Project.

Akli D is an Algeria-born, Berber musician who also likes to mix it up a bit, combining shaabi music and other Kabyle sounds with a variety of styles. Parisian readers might remember his group Les Rebeuhs Des Bois.

Manu Chao produced his latest album, Ma Yela, where today’s track comes from. I’ve been meaning to see him live for a while now but I’m never free when he’s playing. Soon, soon..

Smadj presents S.O.S. Project – Hat
Akli D – Barman