following the meeting between masomenos, vadim svoboda and m hamed el menjira, abdessamad boussahfa and sanhaji, cosmo records is once more exploring the crossover between western electronic music producers and traditional african instrumentalists. this time around the casablanca-based label is welcoming a new artist to the fold. cesar merveille has been active in the european house and techno scene for many years, releasing on labels such as cadenza and visionquest while always pursuing his own unique creative agenda inside and outside the conjines of club music. cesar s recent adventures have found him launching roche madame, a label for his most personal and expressive work. in the spirit of this exciting new phase in his career, this release for cosmo jinds him working with the captivating tones of senegalese vocalist malik diop across a range of tracks that capture the crosscultural spirit of cosmo. -kosmos- is a thoroughly delicate production, using intricate threads of percussion that fall in intriguing, fractured patterns behind the layers of malik s voice. the melodic content follows this hypnotic format, drifting in and out of earshot in a playful key that speaks to west african traditions even as it transmits through contemporary synthesis.

last year saw casablanca-based cosmo records launch its most ambitious project todate, celebrating five years of cross-cultural collaboration. the three vinyl releasesfeatured producers such as san proper, radiq, pier bucci and dandy jack working with moroccan musicians to create a true fusion between modern electronics and ancient traditions. the purpose of cosmo has always been to find a natural meeting place between thesedistinct musical forms, bringing out the best strengths of each practice through real time spent together in the studio, where each artist can truly understand the other in a shared quest for sonic harmony. as such, this latest release marks a step forward in exploring this idea through a new series entitled cosmo jam. as the title suggests, the focus here is on live improvisation. in late 2014 parisian producers masomenos and vadim svoboda travelled to morocco and set up their equipment at the coda casablanca music center. they were joined by m’hamed el menjra playing bass, abdessamad boussahfa on violin and sanhaji on darbuka, and the ensuing jam sessions between these musicians now make their way on to vinyl. no editing or post-production took place – the music you hear on the record was created entirely in the moment. each track highlights the magic of a different instrument – on “be” menjra’s double bass comes twisting through effects processing and subtle distortion, meeting with a low-slung broken beat groove from the visiting french producers. sanhaji’s thrilling percussive flair on the darbuka flirts perfectly with the crisp programming of drums and bass on the uptempo “kaled” and the more laid-back “petit”. boussahfa’s violin makes for some of the most arresting moments on the release, meeting with intricate minimalist rhythms on “mon” and shining in the heart-rending ambience of “frere”. presented across two 12”s, this collection of six tracks tells a most honest account of how gifted artists from entirely different disciplines can find a common ground and create something truly unique. without any studio trickery to hide behind, this is the concept of cosmo records laid bare, and the results prove it is a concept worth exploring further.

the next part of mr raoul ks album >still living in slavery<. it is delivered in a picture sleeve that will hold all three records and will also look very good on your record shelf. musicwise, the first side features all three chapters of >dounougnan magni< stretched over almost eighteen minutes. pure afrofunk bliss with beautiful keyboards played by kuniyuki takahashi. the track also features the vocal talents of hamed sosso who accompanies the listener throughout his journey. an emotional trip, starting in hot desert plain and ending on cloudy hilltops.