Sahara Band - Habibi

Format : 12"

Label : Best Record

Catalog # : BST-X088

Genre : Disco

“Habibi”: incredible Egyptian-influenced Italo piece with Arabic vocals.

Many typical elements of the ‘Italo-Disco’ era give the song a very friendly and reassuring mood, especially the (probably) Linndrum beat with tom fills and tambourine, alternating bass, a sequencer emphasizing the eights, and strings- However, a few peculiar touches give the song its unique twist a nice hammond harmonized headline on an open hi hat, an effective synth line playing the vocal melody in the middle of the song, and "arabic" ones, including some lyrics sung in an unidentified language (besides english). Structure-wise the song is basically a succession of many different instrumental and sung choruses, while the playing and singing are quite basic, there are a lot of catchy elements that make the song interesting.

"Habibi" was conceived in 1983 by Arcangelo Li Calzi even if the success of the one-off project Sahara Band is to be shared with Giancarlo Ragni, the excellent arranger from Genga that produced the piece entirely in his Vallemania Recording Studio, where most of the afro-cosmic songs of the dee-days of the nearby Baia degli Angeli were made, including the album "Africa Mediterranea" by Fabrizio Fattori.