Gorgeously multi-layered exploration of cultural identity by 7EMA
Entitled “Hassan”, the debut album from Algerian-Swiss guitarist/singer 7EMA is available now via Irascible. Composed between Algiers and the oasis of Tighmert in Morocco, the elven tracks were recorded in the artist’s own studio in Berne.
The son of a Belgian mother and an Algerian father, 7EMA aka Marwan Hemma was born in Bordj Bou Naama, a small town in the mountains of northwestern Algeria. Surrounded from childhood by Arabic musical traditions as well as his mother’s more European leanings, 7EMA arrived in Basel to study classical guitar and baroque singing. After several years of appearing in various classical settings across many stages in Europe, 7EMA turned to his own muse in order to create music that reflected a mixture of experiences and influences that were entirely his. The result is a truly innovative and beautiful collection of songs that brings together electro-Arabic raï and gnawa trance rhythms with fingerpicked acoustic guitar, a hint of synth-pop and the odd dance beat. 7EMA sings in French and Moroccan Arabic; taking inspiration from the Algerian writer Kateb Yacine, amongst others, his lyrics frequently return to questions of cultural and personal identity with poetical depth. In other words: a great record all round!
