Brahim, Aziza
Mawja
Sahrawi singer-songwriter activist Aziza Brahim's fifth album 'Mawja' ('Wave' in Hassaniya Arabic) is fashioned from a simple but powerful foundational palette: Saharan and Iberian percussion entwining with stately guitars and warm, enveloping bass. Co-produced by Brahim with long-time collaborator Guillem Aguilar, the record from her oeuvre that 'Mawja' most sonically resembles is her revered and graceful debut 'Soutak' (2014). That noted, there is a confident eclecticism found here, an expansive take on her vision that even includes a drum pattern inspired by The Clash. Brahim's voice, as always, is a wellspring of deep and resonant emotions. The yearning for homeland. The struggle for freedom. The love for one's elders. The unfurling of time. Waves of history, waves of sound. 'Mawja.'