KasbaH’s ‘Blédard.es de France’: The Sounds of A Generation in Transit

In 2023, KasbaH - a French DJ and producer with Algerian roots - cemented himself in France’s electronic dance scene with the release of his collaborative project ‘Mektoub 303’ with producer Bab. A compelling fusion of influences from Algerian music of the late 90s and early 00s with bass music, jungle and breakbeat, the EP established KasbaH as one of the most innovative talents in Europe.

In his latest offering, ‘Blédard.es de France’, he further refines his own sound - the self-dubbed tradi/club - by dabbling into the minimal shades of house music spectrum and threading tones of acid with rai sentimentalities. For KasbaH, the record is a register that is more specific and personal; a fruit of memorable evenings and personal experiences as a child of immigrant parents in France.

“I wanted to go further in my search for identity, push my creative process and present another version of my inspiration,” KasbaH said. “Some of the tracks that make up ‘Bledard.es de France’ deserved an extension, like a response to myself.”

The project’s title itself, a play on the French slang term ‘blédard’ (referring to someone of North African descent), sets the tone for a generational narrative deeply rooted in the experience of those navigating a dual heritage. It represents the energy of a generation that is forging its own identity, whilst also constantly negotiating between past and present; between inherited traditions and the complex realities of living in the modern French society.

On the opening track ‘Flouz’, which translates to ‘money’, he addresses the sacrifices immigrant parents had to make, detailing the story of people who are willing to depart their homeland and be uprooted in order to provide a better life for their loved ones.

On tracks like ‘Fina’, KasbaH finds his own sonic identity in the hyphen between the two worlds: Europe, where he was born, and the Maghreb, where his roots lay. He interweaves influences from UK electronic dance stars the likes of Four Tet, Aphex Twin and Floating Points, with Arabic samples drenched in effects.

On ‘Daka’, Palestinian rapper and beatmaker Osloob’s rap flows and evocative verses add a bittersweet element of nostalgia to KasbaH’s two-step, minimal house electronic production.

Meanwhile, on the titular track ‘Blédard.es de France’ and tracks like ‘Musique de Fete’, traditional Algerian dance music is given more space, showcasing the vibe of celebratory rituals through uplifting rai rhythms and classic percussion of darbuka outlined with minimal house beats.

In ‘Aman’ (which means ‘water’ in Kabyle) and ‘752 Km’, water is a common denominator, which KasbaH utilises as a symbol of the sea separating Marseille and Alegris, his two distinct homelands. ‘Aman’ features mundane recordings of a conversation between KasbaH and a group of friends in a car somewhere in Tunisia, one that then turned into a spontaneous beatboxing session amidst an emotive piano melody. ‘752 Km’ meanwhile highlights the specific distance between Algiers and Marseille, underscoring the different lifestyles of both territories. The two tracks feel as if they were written as a response to each other, forming an imagined bridge between two identities, and proposing a rhetorical question: “Why should such few kilometres shape the possibilities of experiencing life?”