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Rainbow Nation Revisited: Innovative Approach, Outstanding Performance

09 July, 2009 04:55:00 Nasima Alli

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La France des Couleurs By Idir and other singers

Reviews: I came across an outstanding album of Algerian folk singer Idir, “La France des Couleurs,” is old enough since it was actually released in 2007 by the Saint George record label.

I was a bit surprised that the album has not benefited from more publicity and great promotion considering the quality of Idir’s work and that of the other contributors to the album.

Being familiar with Idir’s early work, I was surprised to hear the difference in style used in this latest installment of this genius musician and poet. The surprise comes from the fact that artist has adopted a wide array of R&B and hip-hop styles so unlike him and different from his earlier work. Obviously in this album Idir uses the latest musical styles to communicate with the younger generations, in particular the French and their minorities. Cleverly, Idir uses some of the best R&B talents of France to express his ideas around the changing ethnic landscape of France, identity, human rights issues, and immigration. Among those contributing are Nadiya (Nadia Zighem) singing “A Mon Pere,” Mali-born Oxmo Puccino (Abdoulaye Diarra) featu

Review by Nasima Alli
alli@north-africa.com

Album: La France des Couleurs

Singer: Idir and others

Sony/BMG

Record Label: Saint George

Purchase here: La France des Couleurs

red in “Pelerinage,” and Rim'K featured in ‘D’ou je viens.”

Though at first I was surprised by the infusion of hip-hop style in Idir’s work, I quickly realized that he has always been a master in blending other musical genres with traditional Kabyle music to express whatever feelings he has. In his very first and most famous album, A Vava Inouva, released in 1975, one can recognize a great deal of Irish style in his delivery, coupled with lyrics of traditional Kabyle story telling. Later he collaborated with Scottish folk singer Karen Matheson and others such as Gnawa Diffusion, Manu Chao, Dan Ar Braz, and Maxime Le Forestier, and in all cases, it worked magic.

The album gave the opportunity for Idir to write perhaps one of the most moving tributes a father could give to a daughter. The tribute was in form of a poet, with his daughter playing piano in the background. In an interview published in Agraw.com, Idir said the idea came when he discussed the project with French musician Grand Corps Malade. “I asked him to write a song about a Muslim father putting aside dogma, tradition and religious clichés in an attempt to lay himself bare and communicate with his daughter. That s where the idea for Lettre a ma fille (Letter to My Daughter) came from. It s one of the most important tracks on the album, a song that underlines the fact that you have to have a secular element in society.”

Even if you don’t necessarily enjoy hip-hop or R&B, I can almost guarantee you will enjoy “La France des Couleurs.” Even if French or Kabyle are alien languages to you. Idir will undoubtedly remain one of Algeria’s most prominent musician, folk singer and story teller. For the Algerians, and the Kabyles in particular, he is also a one-of-a-kind cultural ambassador who can deliver traditional stories through modern tunes.

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