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Sought-after 1983 private press album by Algerian group Les Abranis Recorded in paris and mixing funk, reggae and kabyle rock. First-ever reissue curated by Cheb Gero featuring original artwork, remastered audio and new liner notes by Rabah Mezouane

WeWantSounds is delighted to continue its Algerian music reissue program with the release of Les Abranis' coveted 1983 LP, Album No. 1. Originally recorded in Paris and privately pressed by the group, the album is now being reissued for the first time. Curated by Cheb Gero, who recently compiled the Sweet Rebels Rai set for Wewantsounds, Album No. 1 is a masterful blend of Kabyle grooves, funk, and hints of reggae.

Also known as Id Ed Was, the album is reissued with its original artwork, remastered audio by Colorsound Studio in Paris, and a two-page insert with new liner notes (in French and English) by journalist Rabah Mezouane. — (via Label)

- New addition in the WeWantSounds Arabic Music series exploring the Algerian music scene

- Rare private press reissued for the first time.

- Featuring cult classic "Avehri".

- Curated in Paris by Cheb Gero and annotated by Rai authority Rabah Mezouane.

- Remastered by Colorsound Studio in Paris

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Les Abranis were founded in the late 1960s by singer Karim Abdenour and organ player Shamy El Vaz, two young Kabyle immigrants from Algeria, after they had arrived in France and fallen in love with the music of The Beatles et al. Named after an ancestral Amazigh tribe, the group released several albums in the 1970s, forging a unique blend of traditional Berber music with Western psych and garage rock that celebrated their North African culture and identity. By 1983 when they recorded Album No. 1 – also known as Id Ed Was after the opening track – Shamy and Karim had been joined by drummer Dédé Ceccarelli and Tony Bonfils on bass and their repertoire had matured into an eclectic melting pot of timeless Kabyle rhythms, funk, reggae, jazz, prog rock and proto-electronica.

Released as a private pressing and distributed exclusively within the Algerian communities in France and the Maghreb this is the first time Album No. 1/Id Ed Was has been made re-available in more than 40 years. From the Berber reggae of ‘Avehri’ to the funk-driven ‘Thadoukli’ via the lushly orchestrated North African disco of ‘Thassousmi’ and the almost Tinariwen-like groove of ‘Achethkhi’, the music has hardly dated at all. — (via Songlines)

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Label: WeWantSounds 
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Reissued: 2025 / Original: 1983
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Folk, Algerian

File under: Global Sounds
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