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Think Of One

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Good news !! The long awaited new Think Of One album is ready and will be in stores on the 29th of October 2007 (Belgium) and February 2008 (rest of the world)

OFFICIAL BIO: The antagonism between Belgium's two communities has never been as pronounced… the Arab world and the West are more at odds than ever… Yet, our favourite musical explorers (i.e. Antwerp-based band Think Of One) couldn't think of anything better than to put out a new album blending vocals in Arabic, in French and in Antwerp's Flemish dialect, written and recorded in collaboration with Moroccan musicians, and released on a rather francophone label…Is this some form of provocation ? Of sheer irresponsibility ? Or a desire to try and bridge the gap between alienated communities ? There's probably some truth in all of these, but the main impulse behind this album comes from Think Of One's immoderate love for Moroccan shaâbi, that popular style which is directly derived from traditional Berber music and from its irresistible rhythms. Shaâbi songs were originally (and still are) performed at parties and weddings, mostly in an urban environment. But, for a good number of years, Shaâbi has become massively popular with the young : just listen to FM radio or lend an ear to the music blasting from car stereos, not only in Casablanca or Marrakech but also in certain areas of Brussels and Antwerp. Shaâbi is nevertheless still considered as a lesser, inferior form of music by many *, which makes Think Of One's current endeavour all the more exciting: the band's aim is to get as many of us Westerners deeply addicted to the groove of shaâbi…

(© Rob Walbers)

So how did they create this album ? In the wake of their musical adventures in Brazil (which resulted in Tráfico, their previous album), the band decided to bring the fusion between shaâbi and Euro-American urban music to a completely new level, and started writing these songs in the company of five Moroccan collaborators (some of whom they had already worked with in the past **): singers and percussionists Amina Tcherkich and Lalabrouk Loujabe (who are both members of an all-woman Houara band based in Marrakech), Gnawi musician and singer Ab el Kebir Bensalloum (also from Marrakech), and "The Twins", Hicham and Hakim Bouanani Moulay, who are renowned musicians in Brussels' shaâbi scene. The album also features remarkable guest appearances by Mustapha Bourgogne (one of Morocco's biggest shaâbi stars), Belgian/Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali, Belgian/Algerian rapper Brahim Tayeb, singer Véronique Vincent (ex-Honeymoon Killers) and vocal group Laïs.As always with Think Of One and their leader/composer David Bovée, this isn't about mixing things up in a crude kind of collage: Camping Shaâbi integrates the Moroccan elements into the fabric of the band's characteristic sound & compositions, to create a strange, original and delightful musical object. Many songs start off from the typical Berber 12/8 rhythm —the hallmark of Moroccan shaâbi –which sometimes becomes hardly recognizable as it is transmuted into some bizarre form of R'n'[Shaa]B[eat] (as in the title track), or into a quasi-punk cavalcade (in Alela Minena, based on a traditional counting rhyme). The album also includes tinges of abrasive rock (Hamdushi Five, based on a different North-African rhythm), of jazz (the always inventive horn arrangements), of electronica (with plenty of subtle sound treatments and deliciously vintage-sounding keyboards), of dub and hip hop (Oppressor). Moroccan percussion, violins and keyboards meet guitars, basses and drums, wailing houariyat voices respond to laid-back refrains in Flemish, and the whole thing is processed in typical TO1 style.Let's not forget the lyrics: sometimes surreal and dream-like, but often connected to social issues which concern the band (racist stupidity, for instance, in the hilarious and politically explosive Trap het af). Other examples: the autobiography of an old car, recycled as a taxi (J'étais Jetée)… or the uncanny Mon Verre and its evocation of certain dangers with which lonely female moviegoers can be confronted (pay special attention to the text chanted by Amina and Lalabrouk: it's not all in Arabic…).Camping Shaâbi was composed in Marrakech and in an Antwerp suburb, recorded in Brussels, mixed in Paris, and produced by Yann Arnaud (who has worked with Air, Syd Matters, Phoenix and Cibelle).

Of course this cd-release can’t go without a live album presentation. Therefor Think Of One will perform Camping Shaâbi live at the KVS (Brussels), Vooruit (Gent), Trix (Antwerp) and Het Depot (Leuven)

THE MAKING OF CAMPING SHAÂBI:

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Member Since: 3/30/2006
Band Website: thinkofone.be
Band Members: Tobe 'Tuba' Wouters (tuba, trombone)
Roel 'Porino' Poriau (drums, programming, percussion)
David Bovée (vocals, guitar, synths)
Tomas 'Matsi' De Smet (bassguitar, bassdrum)
Eric 'Javil' Morel (sax)
Glenn 'Herbal Horn' Magerman (trumpet)
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Record Label: Crammed Discs
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

UK reviews & summer dates 2008 !!

Think Of One started 2007 with some excellent reviews as a result of their new album 'Camping Shaâbi'.  The English national newspaper 'The Observer' made Camping Shaâbi cd of the week and is tal...
Posted by Think Of One on Thu, 22 May 2008 09:12:00 PST

Think Of One in Japan

    Think Of One is invited to join the 'World Beat 2008' tour in Japan.On the 5th, 6th and 9th of July Think Of One can be seen in Osaka & Tokyo, together with Balkan Beat Box and ...
Posted by Think Of One on Thu, 08 May 2008 02:09:00 PST

London show & BBC interview

David Bovée, lead vocal and guitar player of Think Of One, just did an interview with Dj Ritu from BBC London radio! This because of the release of the new album 'Camping Shaâbi' and the concert at 't...
Posted by Think Of One on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 05:35:00 PST

Think Of One @ Kinshasa

King Sasha!Think Of One was invited by the Brussels theatre KVS to go to Congo for 10 days and perform 3 concerts with their Congelese friends. Glenn, the trumpet player, kept a blog during the their ...
Posted by Think Of One on Mon, 18 Feb 2008 03:19:00 PST

Think Of One nominated for the Music Industry Awards (MIAs)

The Belgian national television VRT and Music Centre Flandres have announced the nominations for the Music Industry Awards (MIA's). There are twelve categories whereunder 'Best Worldmusic' where Think...
Posted by Think Of One on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:17:00 PST

NEW ALBUM OUT SOON !!

Good news !! The long awaited new Think Of One album is ready and will be in stores in October ( Benelux) and February (rest of the world) After the musical adventures of the band in Brazil (ch...
Posted by Think Of One on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:13:00 PST

King Sasha !

KING SASHA.... an exclusive collaboration between Think Of One and 5 Congolese musicians!Monday 10 september at KVS, Brussels.more info on www.thinkofone.be
Posted by Think Of One on Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:05:00 PST

Dj Javil - 5th of July @ Beursschouwburg, Brussels

Saxplayer Eric Morel, aka DJ Javil will be tacklin' the Beurscafe on the 5th of july eclectifying da joint with old and new dreams. Electrocuting ya with acoustimatics and jacked up global sounds from...
Posted by Think Of One on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 02:00:00 PST

Think Of One  Artist in Residence at the Dranouter Folkfestival 2007

This year Folkfestival Dranouter will for the first time invites an 'artist in residence'. The honour goes to Think Of One who will present each day of the festival one of their unique projects. Some ...
Posted by Think Of One on Wed, 09 May 2007 02:19:00 PST

Think Of One in studio

Think Of One is currently recording their 9th album in Brussels with four Morrocan guestmusicians...  The album-release is planned for later this year or early next year on Crammed Discs (http://...
Posted by Think Of One on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:20:00 PST