Taxi Kabir and Khalil Mounji release MBIRIKA, a contemporary reimagining of a traditional Gnawa piece where the deep pulse of the guembri meets an expansive electronic soundscape.
A shared sonic territory
MBIRIKA emerged from the meeting of two musical worlds already connected by live performance and a common taste for trance. Khalil Mounji brings the cyclical force, grain and spiritual memory of the guembri; Taxi Kabir extends that pulse through electronic textures, space and movement.
Rather than placing tradition over electronic production, the track lets both languages breathe together. The result preserves the hypnotic character of the source while opening it to a contemporary listening experience.
“The guembri remains the centre of gravity. Electronics do not cover its voice—they reveal another horizon around it.”
Heritage as a living practice
Released by Gnaoua Culture, MBIRIKA reflects Khalil Mounji’s wider approach: safeguarding Gnawa heritage by documenting it, transmitting it and creating responsible new contexts in which it can continue to evolve.
The single follows the artists’ previous stage encounters and is available on all major streaming platforms, accompanied by an official video.