Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe

♬ Ouine M’Hamelni Ya Lasmar

The person who sold this record to me said it was Raï. It’s from Algeria and sounds like Raï, right? But no. It’s Staifi.

Raï music started in western Algeria – most notably in Oran, as well as surrounding cities of Sidi Bel Abbès and Aïn Temouchent. Staifi music originated from eastern Algeria – primarily Sétif and other cities in the region like Annaba, Guelma and Tebessa.

Bekakchi Khier – also seen as Bekakchi El Khier – is from Sétif. He is apparently still active. Here is a performance from Algerian television from November 2020. Also, someone has uploaded a few of his more recent releases to SoundCloud.

Many thanks to Loïc Guillaume of Phono Mundial and “the Algerian guys working on the bathroom of the flat” for the help with this post.

Catalog number HL 46 on EtHerLux of Setif, Algeria. No release date listed.

Welcome Back!!! Greetings from Korea!

Comment by ferasttttt@hotmail.com June 24, 2021 @ 4:57 am