Watcha Clan

Watcha Clan emerged at the dawn of the new millennium as a French foursome whose sound draws from the varied backgrounds of its members. The group blends North African, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, French, and contemporary electronic traditions, refusing to anchor itself in any single genre and instead embracing a roaming creative outlook. From the start, this nomadic spirit shaped both the quartet’s music and its constant movement across borders. Bassist Matt, electronic contributor Soupa Ju, vocalist Sista K, and keyboardist Suprême Clem each spent extended periods absorbing local sounds in Algeria, Cuba, India, Spain, and Hungary. Their songs incorporate lyrics in Hebrew, Arabic, French, English, and Spanish, attracting audiences on every shore of the Mediterranean.

The band’s first recording, Live au Cabaret Rouge, appeared in 2001 through Mosaic Music. In the years that followed, Watcha Clan issued additional titles on the same label: Nomades A.K.A. in 2002, Le Bastion in 2005, and Live Injection in 2006. Extensive live work between these projects helped build a loyal following in dance clubs stretching from the Netherlands through Spain and across France. In 2008 the group moved to the Berlin-based Piranha Musik for its fifth studio album. Diaspora Hi-Fi entered the Top 20 on World Music Charts Europe and remained there for three months. The next twelve months brought a steady stream of festival and club dates throughout the continent.