Sawt el Atlas is Arabic for “Voice of the Atlas” (a mountain range in central Morocco). The band’s music, however, is true to heart of Arabo­French community – characterized by the pulsating sounds of pop-raï, and equally enriched by reggae, funk, hip-hop, a hint of Latin rhythms, as well as a traditional Egyptian string orchestra. The result is a deliciously textured, powerful and driving mix, and will sweep an audience off its feet.
    Sawt el Atlas is quite a family affair. At the core of the ten-member group are two sets of three brothers, from the Moroccan families El Habchi and Mirghani. The brothers met in the late 1980s in the French city of Blois and, fronted by the warm vocals of Kamel and Mounir, began to play together locally at weddings, Ramadan fests and the like. (Kamel and Mounir were just 12 years old at the time!) The kids were listening to a musical mélange that in addition to French music included Khaled and Lofti Bouchnak, Kool and the Gang, and a lot of reggae – especially Bob Marley. At home, they heard traditional Moroccan music and the great voices of Arabic song ­ Oum Kalsoum and Farid el Atrache.
    Soon after its formation, Sawt el Atlas began to tour—first in France and then all over Europe, opening for the likes of Khaled, Cheb Mami, Youssou N’Dour and Natacha Atlas. In 1996 the group released its first CD, Généraliser, and in 1999 they released their second recording ­ Donia - now available in the US on Tinder Records.
    Wanting to capture both the popular sounds of Paris-based raï as well as the orchestral style and microtones of classical Arabic music, the band recorded the CD both in Paris and in Cairo. Going to Egypt to record was an incredibly moving experience. “Egypt is the capital of Oriental music,” says Kamel. “All the classical Arabic singers made it there. It was such a great privilege and honor for us. The way they record there is so different ­ the power of unison, of quarter notes, and the musicianship… The vibe was great, the studio was Sawt el Hob (‘Voice of Love’) right near the pyramids…”
    The music is set to lyrics in both Arabic and French, with love as the dominant theme ­ love for one’s religion, one’s parents, one’s community one’s lover, and love for people in general. Sawt El Atlas views the record as a voyage between Morocco, Egypt, and France, with influences coming from the United States, Jamaica and Cuba. But mainly, their music is about warmth, about dancing, about moving and being moved. And they dedicate the album to “people who are short of exoticism and warmth!”