AMINE MESNAOUI & LABELLE
NEW MIX – ‘BLEU NOIR’ (BLOOD WINE OR HONEY REMIX) 15th APRIL 2022
DEBUT ALBUM – ‘AFRICAN PRAYERS’ – LO RECORDINGS – 1ST APRIL 2022
Berlin and Réunion based duo, Amine Mesnaoui and Labelle release a mesmeric version of the lead single from their forthcoming debut album ‘African Prayers’, from Hong Kong-based trio Blod Wine or Honey.
Blood Wine or Honey create their distinctive hypno-tropicalia sound in the industrial warehouses and hidden rural settlements of Hong Kong, surrounded by the low-end throb of heavy machinery, the lingering scent of hand sanitiser and the humidity of the South China Sea.
Debut Long player ‘African Prayers’ is a collection of seven new compositions that aims to bring a contemporary and fresh interpretation to the Lila Ritual of the Moroccan Gnawa masters – also known as the Ritual of the Seven Colors.
With a firm belief they can deliver a sound that finds its anchor in heritage and yet escape folkloric clichés and stereotypes, the two musicians have strived to make something that is rich in meanings, minimal but complex, simple but deep. This is a record that is universal and invites the listener to the depth of meditation, to the dance, even to the spiritual state of trance.
Mesnaoui plays a prepared piano that is modified by different objects, which are inserted into its strings while Labelle simultaneously plays electronic instruments and further processes the piano sound. These instruments are not native to the traditional context and their choice allows for a new perspective on the Lila Ritual. By pushing the boundaries of what those tools usually offer, the sound explores yet untapped territories. Each piece on the record refers to a specific color and its associated symbolic realm in the ritual.
They met when studying music at the University of Paris. Mesnaoui is a Moroccan pianist, who is trained in both classical music and jazz while Labelle is an electronic musician and composer from Réunion Island.
Their first encounter was at a party by the river bank of the Seine where Labelle played a Techno set. Mesnaoui attempted to swim in the stream and only Labelle saved him from drowning in the water. They soon became friends and dreamed of playing music together one day – fifteen years later and that dream has become a reality.
Website: http://lorecordings.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorecordingss