Biyouna
A truly original artist, who is not only very popular in Algeria, but also in the Algerian community in France, Biyouna grew up in the working-class Belcourt district of Algiers in a family devoted to the arts. Queen of Algiers and princess of Paris, Biyouna transcends all styles. Her ardent and distinctive voice settles into an enthralling groove that owes as much to Bob Azzam and Maurice El Medioni as to Marianne Faithfull and Jah Wobble. Her music spans the continents and encompasses, at one and the same time, kitsch rock, baroque blues, Arabic swing, reptilian funk and voluptuous pop: it is quite simply a superb collection of outstanding modern popular songs. The idea for Blonde dans la cashab (Blond in the Kasbah) had been floating around for some time. Biyouna took her time with the album, carefully choosing a Franco-Algerian repertoire that drew on both cultures. Also providing support for the project were Joseph Racaille, who was responsible for the splendid arrangements and Christophe Dupouy, a regular partner of Jean-Louis Murat, who was in charge of sound mixing.