Cat No 3130492

Barbès is the quartier of Paris with the most vibrant buzz; quintessentially West and North African whilst still suffused with cosmopolitan creativity. So no wonder that this small enclave has a notional national identity, and an Orchestre National.

ONB hit the scene about 10 years ago, with their first album ‘En Concert’. An audacious début album of a live set, conveying everything of the excitement of one of their stage experiences; a live album to revisit many times over. This was shortly followed by the studio album ‘Poulina’, and then, apart from a few sporadic live shows, silence. So it is with great excitement that the new studio album ‘Alik’ comes to light.

Ten songs of Algerian / Moroccan foundation with a nod or two to the great institution of Rock (c.f. track 7, Sympathy for the Devil), ONB have lost nothing of their driving basslines, exotic percussion and multi-voice harmonies; not to mention a sense of humour.