Mutant is evocative. From the first seconds, the album by the Moroccan producer conjures up images where a day-to-day routine of the urban anthill reveals adventurous, nearly surrealist details. Intense, throbbing and multidimensional, it connects various dots on the world map: North Africa, the Caribbean, Detroit and London. On the opening ‘Drift Of Drummer’, a swirl of looped traditional djembé percussion, distant chants akin to muezzin calls break into energetic Detroit-style techno. Here, the soundscape of a megapolis, with ambulance sirens delivered by analogue synths, merges with palpitations of djembé, customarily played in rural areas of Guinea to invigorate workers in fields.
Following the debut Vexillology, Mutant is the first album released on Smugglers Way, an imprint of prestigious indie label Domino. With its balance between niche and infectiously danceable, this work seems to have found a perfect home. While Hassak’s moniker manifests a connection with his native land (in Southern Morocco, guedra is a variation of a traditional dance as well as percussion), Abdellah M. Hassak looks for alternative means of expression elsewhere. During the album, the listener is treated to folk music from different regions of Africa, such as Tanzania and Guinea. Those inevitably bring to mind other parts of the world: the call-response singing on ‘Paradigm’ evokes waiata songs of Māori descent.
The approach of Guedra Guedra is not far from Nyege Nyege Tapes artists such as the singeli duo Sisso & Maiko, foregrounding modern trends in Tanzanian music. Nevertheless, traditional components here serve as building blocks, presenting the artist’s vision of the world where contrasting elements form a volatile and vigorous unity. 3D sound experience across the album (courtesy of Marta Salogni and Heba Kadry, in charge of mixing and mastering, respectively) benefits the idea. When listened to through the speakers, the call and response singing sounds as if it were produced in the same space.
Just like a megapolis and socio/cultural/financial issues it entails, Mutant, with its hectic, unstoppable and at times suffocating energy, might seem too much. Yet, it is as addictive as the rhythm of a big city at its most productive. If Tom Tykwer were working on Run Lola Run now, he wouldn’t need to look any further for his soundtrack.
