El Hal

“Haal” is a complex Sufi concept. One possible definition is the result of a Sufi's spiritual practices on their path to God. Electric Jalaba describes “haal” as a “feeling” of intense unity, but at the same time, a loss of connection with reality. The group is led by Simo Lagnawi, a Moroccan-born singer and sintir (سنتير) player, who is one of the leading performers of Gnawa music in the UK. El Hal is Electric Jalaba's third album and their first release in five years. It features a strong presence of Gnawa traditions, mixed with the sounds of analog synthesizers and elements of Afrobeat. The language of the songs is Arabic, but in a nod to the centuries-old nomadic lifestyle of the Gnawa performers, it is infused with elements of West African dialects from the Bambara people of Mali, Fulani, and Hausa from the Sahel region.

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