Sami Galbi Says “Ylh Bye Bye”
Geneva’s Bongo Joe is one of those rare labels that are incapable or releasing bad records. Anything that comes with their logo is, by definition, at the very least worth a good listen. Sami Galbi’s debut album, “Ylh Bye Bye” (meaning “let’s go” or “see you”) is no exception. The Swiss-Moroccan producer rooted in Lausanne’s legendary squat scene, serves up a captivating hybrid of North African folk, chaabi, Moroccan trap, and electronica.
Galbi, the son of first-generation migrants from Morocco, spent seven years as a member of an underground collective in Lausanne that transformed an old restaurant into a cultural centre. At the same time as studying political science at university, he pursued his burgeoning musical interests during extensive travels across Europe and North Africa. As he delved deeper into the musical tradition of Morocco and, especially, contemporary North African electronic music, he developed into a gifted and innovative producer himself under the mentorship of the pioneering Tunisian producer, Ammar 808.
