THE WORLD'S BEST NEW MUSIC

Led by Moroccan-born vocalist Lamiae Naki and Portland, Oregon-bred oud (Middle Eastern lute) player/flamenco guitarist Nat Hulskamp, ensemble Seffarine has long stood at the crossroads of Arabic, Andalusian, and Mediterranean folk traditions. Named after the ancient brass-working square in Fez, the group specializes in interweaving distinct regional lineages, pairing intricate vocal ornamentation with fiery string work and expressive world percussion.

Taking its name from the historical trade hub near Mhamid El Ghizlane in southern Morocco, Abaraz ("Gateway to the Sahara") treats the desert not as an impassable barrier, but as a historic, fluid highway of cultural exchange. Over eight tracks, Naki and Hulskamp orchestrate a dialogue between North Africa, Iberian Europe, and the Sahel, enlisting prominent collaborators to trace shared rhythms across borders. Abaraz frames the trans-Saharan routes through eight distinct regional perspectives, demonstrating how music, memory, and community flow uninterrupted across geographic divides.

The album opens energetically with "Ah Ya Liyyam" ("Oh, Days"), a song anchored in North Africa and the Sahel. Malian luthier Daouda Mangara’s djeli ngoni (lute) joins Rachid Berazougui’s calabash (gourd percussion), Yahya Guenni’s percussion instruments - darbuka (tabla) and bendir (frame drum), and metallic Gnawa qraqab (iron castanets). The song reimagines the caravan trail as a living rhythm connecting southern Morocco to West Africa. "Shahal Min Merrah" ("How Many Times") moves the narrative north, across the Strait of Gibraltar to Andalusia. Dual acoustic guitars (Hulskamp alongside Pau Figueres) merge with palmas (flamenco hand-clapping), capturing the acoustic warmth of southern Iberian flamenco traditions.

"Ma Bqali Hal" ("No Choices Left") brings together West African djeli ngoni, Moroccan bendir, and Western double bass, creating a contemplative dialogue that illustrates the shared heritage of trans-Saharan storytelling. "Al Qithara" ("The Harp") is fiery, virtuosic centrepiece featuring acclaimed Spanish flamenco guitarist Antonio Rey. Supported by palmas and percussion, the track highlights the deep historical links between the Arabic oud and the Andalusian guitar – representative of their cultures of origin.

Next, we hear the reflective Mediterranean acoustic ballad "Entaha" ("It Has Ended"), in which steel-string textures pair with warm double bass and subtle palmas, tracing themes of displacement, change, and memory. Reaching deep into West Africa and the heritage of the Mandé culture, we hear the hypnotic groove of "Jitu Lina" ("You Came To Us"). Here Blaise Traore’s kamale ngoni leads the session, whose mesmerising rhythms are grounded by Gnawa qraqab and sub-Saharan calabash. "Moshattatoun" ("Those That Are Scattered") centres around themes of exile and longing, it’s stripped-back flamenco rhythms underlining Darija vocal poetry that mourns the separation of distance while celebrating enduring, shared roots. Finally, "Yeddiha" ("He Takes Her Hand") represents a climactic finale that brings together all the album’s key sonic elements: Arabic oud, sub-Saharan qraqab, bendir, darbuka, and multi-part choral harmonies, celebrating the Sahara as a timeless connector of cultures. 

And, just as this enchanting album transports listeners’ imagination to the region, leaving a subtly-drawn but indelible impression of the cultural exchanges that have been carried out there over time, it is equally a reflection of meeting of contemporary cultures in the New World: alongside the timelessness of the cultures on which they draw, the heart and soul of the album remains that of Lamiae Naki and Nat Hulskamp, of Portland, Oregon, whose peaceful warmth and wisdom is evident in every note.