Elephantine

"Elephantine sees a point of further evolution for Louca's vision. Stepping more firmly in the cosmic jazz realm he has been able to still retain the traditional elements of his music and his minimalistic and exploratory aspects. Considering his previous works, Elephantine stands as his most accomplished moment so far".

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"Egyptian experimentalist ushers Middle Eastern jazz into fresh territories ... Now influential enough to corral a dozen seasoned musicians into his grand vision, [Louca] walks them over blazing coals here, lulling floating voters with "The Leper"'s repetitive acoustic figure before it builds into a colossal slab of hypnotic cosmic jazz. Its brassy off-kilter climax meets its match in "Laika"'s ever evolving modal explosion, "One More For The Gutter"'s controlled cacophony or "Al Khawaga"'s mammoth jerky ensemble riff. Elsewhere, flickers of old Egypt lurk in the oud and violin-driven "The Palm Of A Ghost", sensuously voiced by Nadah El Shazly, and the title track's deep-pile atmospherics. Big, but clever with it, "Elephantine" is a dazzling, trance-like triumph".