Release · September 2022 · vinyl only
Hamed Farras
Introducing Hamed Farras: singer, musician and performer from Abidjan. Two tracks from his 1991 debut tape, on vinyl for the first time after almost thirty years, plus a remix by Lipelis.
The singer
Hamed has been at the centre of Ivorian reggae for over thirty years, the sound Alpha Blondy made famous in the eighties.
In 1991 he released his first album, Deni, named after his breakthrough track. But two songs on that debut never got the attention they deserved.
The songs
“Chef, C’est Pas Moi”, or “Chief, it wasn’t me”, features a 17-year-old Hamed singing about his friend Polo, who got into trouble with the police. “Slaman Djougou” is about a cultural Muslim who only prays during festivities.
Both tracks have Hamed’s characteristic singing and an infectious groove that can match any of the famous Ivorian reggae classics.
The session
Together with composer and arranger Georges Kouakou, who worked with Alpha Blondy on many of his projects, and Hamed’s brothers, the magic happened in a studio in downtown Abidjan.
But Deni only came out on a very limited run of cassettes and CDs, so “Chef, C’est Pas Moi” and “Slaman Djougou” never really saw the light of day.
Until now…
The release
It’s a real pleasure to release these songs with Hamed, on vinyl for the first time after almost thirty years. The EP comes with a stellar DJ remix by one of our favourite producers: Lipelis.
Please note: this is a vinyl-only release. The digital files that come with the record are low quality and only meant to give you an idea of the sound. If you love music, buy the record.
Credits
