Adounith

Ahcene Adjroud is from Kabylia, a region in northern Algeria populated by the Kabyle people, a Berber ethnic group whose culture and language have long been suppressed by the Algerian government. Songwriters, singers, and poets like Adjroud have been crucial to the conservation of the Kabyle culture, and while Kabyle rock sensations Les Abranis appealed more to the young diaspora, Adjroud stuck closer to tradition, taking inspiration from the folk tales he grew up listening to and writing lyrics in Tamazight about the Berber struggle. On the lovely, poignant  “Athamourthiou,” for example, Adjroud sings about the love for his country, accompanied by a flute, mondol, darbouka, banjo, and electric bass. An evocative, soul stirring record.