In Oranese dialect, "dellali" evokes the notion of a "close" relation or "dearest" friend. By extension, it means a being who is loved and desired.

This word often crops up in Rao songs, to mark the end of a verse or to express the intensity of a feeling. In this way, it associates the Oranese genre with "closeness" and spontaneity. It is therefore quite intentional on the part of Cheb Mami to have chosen this word for the title of his album - it is his way of illustrating, yet again, his attachment to his native land and his strong connections with Oran, the nerve center of Rao music. It is also his way of making special reference to his hometown, Saoda. While reflecting this sense of loyalty to tradition, "Dellali" also features the most modern (and the most daring) of sounds. Although the dominant musical influence is Rao - stemming from Mami.s early childhood - the album is literally vibrating with rhythms and melodies from the New World (Europe and the United States) and other parts of the world (Maghreb, the East and India).

From an instrumental point of view, "Dellali" has reintroduced the accordion, the instrument that marked the beginning of Cheb.s career. The electric and acoustic guitars (including Chet Atkins, among others) play a natural role, the synths are less aggressive, the violin (in Indian or Arab style) is well-integrated and the tablas are just as they should be. The derbouka and lute are there to represent ancestral tradition, intent on resisting modernization.

The first encouraging remark, on hearing this album, is that Mami is still just as fresh and still just as much a pioneer as he always has been. Greatly inspired by the poetry and threnodies of the most reverent Sheiks of Saoda (a part-urban, part-rural town), while taking stock in the giants of soul, funk and reggae, as well as various artists including Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, Barry White, Bob Marley and Edith Piaf, Cheb Mami has gradually built himself a consistent, tailor-made repertoire.

This patchwork of diverse, international influences is held together by Cheb Mami.s sensitivity and extensive creative energy. The result is a more meaningful, more melodic form of Rao, one that is always in tune with its era. Cheb Mami was the first to integrate hip hop (duets with Californian artist BabyGirl, and the Franco-Algerian K-Mel), raggamuffin' (Tonton David) and reggae (with Aswad), into his songs. Which explains why he is described as the most popular Rao singer among the young members of the public, while still remaining a favorite with his older fans.

The second positive - although not surprising - aspect is that, from a point of view of theme and composition, Mami.s Rao yet again combines seasonal undulations with the most fitting of nuances and tonalities. The autumnal melancholy of "Nesyane" marries the artist.s preoccupation with a lack of spirituality, as he talks about his solitude in these "difficult times". In this song, he is echoed by a highly-inspired gospel choir, for greater impact. In "Khalouni", a song inspired by " trab " (original Rao, complete with the pungent smell of the dusty steppes) and soul so poignant it could melt the thickest of ice, Mami takes on the chilling winter and the social complications it sometimes brings.

The typical "Tzazae" plunges us into the timeless depths of the Bedouins, while "Viens Habibi", the lyrics of which were provided by Charles Aznavour (this is a rare gift, given that the last song in which Charles Aznavour had offered his lyrics was "Retiens la nuit"), is a typically optimistic Oranese-style blues song. For Rao is like that: it can combine mournful lyrics with swaying music, as in the case of "Haoulou", a cry from the heart to a loved-one. Springtime returns with "Machi Chaba" and its New Orleans-style rag-time swing.

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