Tékitoi [Enhanced] [Limited Edition]

Amazon.com
Following up on the excellent Made in Medina, Algerian-born singer Rachid Taha returns with the equally impressive Tekitoi, his fifth album. Taha has long mixed North African rai and chaabi with alternative rock, electronic sounds (Brian Eno co-writes one song), techno rhythms and a smattering of other styles. But instead of turning these diverse sounds into a cacophonic bowl of mush, Taha and longtime collaborator Steve Hillage balance muscular rhythms, a panoramic feeling of space, and Taha's own rock star leanings--never has this fusion been better illustrated than here on "Safi (Pure)." Taha also shows a wicked sense of humor with his ironic and somewhat tongue-in-cheek version of the Clash's "Rock The Casbah," taking some of the funk out while adding strings (by Egyptian Strings Ensemble) that push up the kitsch value. This album and its maker's many fans prove that not everyone of Middle Eastern origin is a conservative or a fundamentalist. For Taha, though, it's simply another boundary breaking effort. –-Tad Hendrickson

Tracks:

Tekitoi
Rock el Casbah
Li Fet Met
Hassbouhoum
Safi
Maftouh
Winta
Nahseb
Dima
Mamachi
Shouf

Album Description

The 8th album for Taha, who routinely toes the line between what is considered "world beat" and the rock/punk/country sound of his music. Produced by STEVE HILLAGE.

Customer Reviews:

This stuff is most definitely haram.. naughty naughty naughty........2006-10-27

I've been a huge fan of Rachid since he rocked the sndtrk in Blackhawk Down. His tunes went a long way toward making that film the classic it is. And this album is in every way the equal of the white phosphorus power punk he laid down there.

This guy is unbelievable. Arabic is a truly incredible language, one that has not really been given full reign to flower due to certain -ahem- cultural restraints that have usually bound its speakers, historically. Rachid has shed certain of those constraints like the Hulk erupting through his Hanes. The language snaps like a bullwhip, tears & slashes like a powersaw.

Virtually every song here sneers ferociously, and is guaranteed to crease your knickers. Like the best wedgie you've ever gotten.

Do yourself a favor. Buy this album, slap it in your car stereo and drive to Key West. Or Argentina. Whichever is farther. Driving music for driving. You'll be there before you know it, a crap eating grin on your face.

I'm sure there's a sheik in some inner sanctum of Al-Azhar, windowshades drawn, jamming air guitar to this stuff.

One can only hope.

Average customer rating:

Rachid Taha is at his best!
One of the best, if not THE best album of 2004

Tékitoi
Rachid Taha
Manufacturer: Wrasse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Algeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Rock | International | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Made in Medina
Diwan
Live
Diwan 2
Ya-Rayi

ASIN: B00069FKLO
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Tracks:

Tekitoi? (Who Are You?)
Rock El Casbah
Lli Fat Mat! (Waht Is Past Is Dead And Gone!)
H'asbu-Hum (Ask Them For An Explanation)
Safi (Pure)
Meftuh' (Open)
Winta
Nah'seb (I Count)
Dima (Always)
Mamachi
Shuf (Look)
Stenna (Wait)
Ya Rayah
Viola Viola (Here It Is, Here It Is) (Spanish Version)

Amazon.com

Following up on the excellent Made in Medina, Algerian-born singer Rachid Taha returns with the equally impressive Tekitoi, his fifth album. Taha has long mixed North African rai and chaabi with alternative rock, electronic sounds (Brian Eno co-writes one song), techno rhythms and a smattering of other styles. But instead of turning these diverse sounds into a cacophonic bowl of mush, Taha and longtime collaborator Steve Hillage balance muscular rhythms, a panoramic feeling of space, and Taha's own rock star leanings--never has this fusion been better illustrated than here on "Safi (Pure)." Taha also shows a wicked sense of humor with his ironic and somewhat tongue-in-cheek version of the Clash's "Rock The Casbah," taking some of the funk out while adding strings (by Egyptian Strings Ensemble) that push up the kitsch value. This album and its maker's many fans prove that not everyone of Middle Eastern origin is a conservative or a fundamentalist. For Taha, though, it's simply another boundary breaking effort. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Rachid Taha is at his best!.......2005-04-11

Rachid Taha is truly innovative. He may not have the same voice qualities as Khaled, the King of Rai, or Cheb Mami, the Prince of Rai. However, he compensates the listener with truly unique music that carries the signature of his wounded voice. All tracks here are great and very consistent. The music is well done. Most lyrics convey a political message and written by Rachid, and also composed by him with the production of Steve Hillage, the Prince of Arabia. Rachid's music is so unique making it impossible to classify as rai, techno, rock, pop, etc. I classify it as Rachidmania. If you get the DVD, it basically documents his 2004 tour in Mexico.

One of the best, if not THE best album of 2004.......2004-12-22

Rachid is a master...this album is fantastic from start to finish. Highlights include the INCREDIBLY funky "Lli fat mat!" and "Nah'seb" as well as the title track and, of course, "Rock el Casbah." Two cool bonus tracks are included, one being "Ya Rayah" which was on his album "Diwan" and the Spanish language version of "Voila voila," which, after viewing the very cool DVD that comes with this album, you will understand its inclusion. This guy is amazing, and belongs in the same league with Bob Dylan and Caetano Veloso. He should be a statesman!! Bravo, Rachid.

Average customer rating:

Tekitoi

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0002UNQG8
Release Date: 2007-01-07

Average customer rating:

This stuff is most definitely haram.. naughty naughty naughty.
Taha Rocks the House
taha does it again

Tékitoi (Who Are You?)
Rachid Taha
Manufacturer: Universal/Barclay
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Algeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Rock | International | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00041DWFU
Release Date: 2004-09-30

Tracks:

Ttoi? (Who Are You?)
Rock el Casbah
Lli Fat Mat (What Is Past Is Dead and Gone)
H'asbu-Hum (Ask Them for an Explanation)
Safi (Pure)
Meftuh' (Open)
Winta
Nah'seb (I Count)
Dima (Always)
Mamachi
Shuf (Look)
Stenna (Wait)
Ya Rayah [*]
Voila Voila (Here It Is, Here It Is) [Spanish Version][*]

Amazon.com

Rachid Taha is often thrown in the same bin as Khaled, his fellow Algerian and practitioner of Rai, the Algerian dance-pop hybrid that crosses Western funk with traditional Arabic sounds. But, as Taha's startling new Tekitoi proves, grouping the pair together is kind of like saying David Bowie and James Taylor both wrote songs in the 1970s--true, but so what? Taha, an Algerian living in Paris, owes as much to the late 1970s' punk movement (witness his tongue-in-cheek Arabic translation of the Clash's "Rock El Casbah") and Western electro-industrial outfits like Ministry or even Nine Inch Nails as he does to traditional Algerian music, which means "Tekitoi" snarls more than most Rai albums. Still, rai and Arabic music purists might be surprised at how much they like this album. For every crunchy guitar riff on tunes like "Winta" and "Tekitoi?" ("Who Are You?") there are touches like the delicate mandolute (a cross between a guitar and an oud) on Meftuh' or the Egyptian string orchestra that shows up on nearly every track, making this that rare release that straddles the line between East and West without compromising to either. As a bonus, the disc comes with an extra DVD documentary (subtitled in English and Spanish) about Taha. --Ezra Gale

Customer Reviews:

This stuff is most definitely haram.. naughty naughty naughty........2006-10-26

Taha Rocks the House.......2005-02-08

What does it say of music when the most spellbinding artist in rock is a fire breathing Algerian based in France? And what does it say of the post 9/11 world when most of the world doesn't even know? Their loss, Tekitoi is the best album of 2005 (even though it came out in 2004). On his cover of The Clash's Rock the Casbah, the casbah rocks back-- harder that those limeys could have ever imagine, ditching the former's tentative funk for a devasting body quaking groove--and that's the worst song on the album! Of all the recent rai records this is the only one to come close to fulfilling the music's original rock and roll promise. And how. "Safi" pulls off the impossible: marrying Missy Elliot to Nirvana, then surpassing both. Indeed Tekitoi may be 2005's only true punk rock record. Furious with both Islamic fundamentalism and American paranoia he rages on like Primal Scream with a purpose. "Ask them Why," he yells to everybody and nobody in one song. "Who the @#$% are you!" he bellows in another (In Arabic and French, of course). Who said one has to mellow with age? And then there's the music. Taha had always flirted with punk, rai, funk, and techno but here he detonates with all at once. Angry and Proud, with music to burn, Tekitoi is most visceral music you will hear all year.

taha does it again.......2004-11-25

rachid taha-eclectic, surprising, master of any genre he chooses-has produced a wonderful new album! I heard it in the stores in Montreal in October and did not have the time to stand in line and buy it and I regretted it every day since! Rock el Casbeh is brilliant, funny, funky, you will love it. I am glad to be the first one to review and if you see this, Rachid, great job, my friend.