SPILL TRACK OF THE WEEK: CHEB I SABBAH – “KEEP COMING BACK” (FEATURING PETER MURPHY & AZAM ALI)

CHEB I SABBAH – “KEEP COMING BACK” (FEATURING PETER MURPHY & AZAM ALI)

SIX DEGREES RECORDS

The late Cheb i Sabbah was one of the most important and influential artists on the Global Fusion scene. His six classic albums for Six Degrees Records combined the traditional music of South East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East with what he termed “DJ Science.” Before his untimely death in 2013, he completed a final record and “Keep Coming Back” is the first single from that project. The song was co-written by and features the legendary vocalist Peter Murphy, as well as vocals from Azam Ali, herself a hugely popular artist who has amassed a fervent following for her solo work, as well as her work with the group Niyaz. The three-song EP was released August 6, 2021, a day before Cheb i Sabbah’s 74th birthday and features an Azam Ali remix and an Opium Sabbah remix.

The record was 95% finished by Cheb i Sabbah himself before he passed away and was completed by Gaurav Raina from the Midival Punditz under the supervision of Chebi’s family.

TRACK FEATURED BY DJ DREAMDOCTOR ON THE SENSORIA PODCAST | AUGUST 20, 2021

Quotes From Opium Sabbah And Eva Cherokee El Beze (Both Involved In The Opium Sabbah Remix)

Opium Sabbah, Chebi’s son explains his involvement in the project, “This song is, and always will be, very close to my heart as it is the last musical project my father and I worked on together. It is also a testimonial of brotherhood between Peter and my father, a coming together of two greats that was mektoub. On my Chebi Habibi remix I tried to include musical genres I grew up on and was introduced to by my father; World Music, Punk Rock and of course Hip-Hop. A message to all ‘to keep coming back’ – back to the memories, music, and legacy of Cheb i Sabbah.” Cheb i’s daughter, Eva Cherokee El Beze, who does a spoken recitation on Opium Sabbah’s remix adds, “Keep Coming Back resonated deeply with my father after Peter (Murphy) shared a personal story of how the song idea came to him. It was an image and sentiment that could be related to reincarnation, survival, being able to return home and always being given a second chance. In the piece I wrote for the Chebi Habibi Remix I wanted to encompass all of the fragments that embodied our dad through the many, varied stages of his life. My wish is that my father’s belief, music heals, continues for multiple generations and they too, keep coming back. For the sound, the healing, the joy. Inshallah.

Cheb i Sabbah (Featuring Peter Murphy & Azam Ali)
[Single]
(Six Degrees Records)
Release Date: August 6, 2021

Artist Links

Photo Credit: Anushka Menon