‘Bayati Shiraz’ fuses Azerbaijan folk and organic house vibes
Rockin Moroccin & Davide Ruberto collaborate with local artists to highlight the country’s cultural history & heritage
English artist of Moroccan origin, Rockin Moroccin, has collaborated with revered Italian producer and composer, Davide Ruberto, in releasing the rhythmically organic ‘Bayati Shiraz’. Rockin Morrocin joins Ruberto’s list of esteemed artists he’s remixed for, including Cher, James Brown, Joni Mitchell, George Duke, and Ce Ce Peniston.
Out via London and Milan’s Villahangar imprint, the original version comes accompanied by three other mixes to suit sonic escapades at any time of day and night. At the very heart of each track is Rockin Moroccin’s decidedly melodic and tribal trademark style that unites the whole release, underlined by his visceral passion for percussive elements.
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The source of inspiration for ‘Bayati Shiraz’ is the influential, organic, solemn and mysterious atmosphere of Azerbaijan. Merging resonances of electronica with live instrumentation and hauntingly beautiful traditional singing from local artists, the producers highlight the transcontinental country’s thousand-year-old cultural heritage and history in compositions that transport you through a multisensory journey to the capital, Baku.
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“Bayati Shiraz being an actual folklore song is very dear to the people of Azerbaijan and means a lot to them as a country in whole. So it was very important to me to do the original song justice and not butcher it while at the same time making it relevant in today's electronic music scene and also something DJs can get behind and people are able to dance to. Also the opportunity to record live out in Azerbaijan was amazing and to work with local musicians was a great experience I'll never forget,” Rockin Moroccin shares.
Consistently supporting the likes of electronic music heavyweights such as Solomun, Black Coffee, Damian Lazarus, Jamiie and much more, Villahangar champions diversity in its aural offerings — it’s no wonder Rockin Moroccin’s distinctive organic house sensibilities are part of its roster.
Listen to ‘Bayati Shiraz’ in all its versions below.
Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.
