Watcha Clan

Watcha Clan

Watcha Clan are a French group formed in 1999. The line-up includes Nassim Kouti, Matt la Bess, Sista Ka and Suprême Clem. The group works across folk, dub, electronic and fusion-oriented styles, drawing together North African, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, French and modern electronic influences.

Style and language

The band describes its approach as nomadic, with no single style treated as a fixed home. Their music reflects that idea through a mixture of sources from around the Mediterranean and beyond. Their compositions use Hebrew, Arabic, French, English and Spanish lyrics, and the group spends time in places including Algeria, Cuba, India, Spain and Hungary absorbing local musical traditions.

Releases and label history

Watcha Clan's debut release is Live au Cabaret Rouge, which appears in 2001 on Mosaic Music. The group continues to release material on Mosaic in the following years, including Nomades A.K.A. in 2002, Le Bastion in 2005 and Live Injection in 2006. In 2008 the band signs with the Berlin label Piranha Musik for its fifth original release, Diaspora Hi-Fi.

Reception and performance activity

Diaspora Hi-Fi enters the Top 20 of the World Music Charts Europe and remains there for three months. The group maintains a busy touring and club schedule, with performances across Europe, including in the Netherlands, Spain and France.