Syphax, a Berber group formed in exile in the Paris suburbs, fused psychedelic rock, funk, disco and North African rhythms with Amazigh (Berber) spirituality, cultural values, poetic lyricism and the rebellious spirit of the 1970s. Side A's "Thamghra" (sample 1) — the title means "party" in Maghrebi — is Maghrebi funk brimming with festive energy, while "Skate Dance" (sample 2), released years before skate culture spread across the globe, is a solid slice of Maghrebi disco-funk that captures just how far ahead of the curve this band was. Utterly killer. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)