U-CEF ‘Halalwood’ is a tour-de-force which puts gnawa music, dub, sinuous classic Arabic arrangements for qanun, flute & violins, electronic beats, MCs, big drums and crunchy rock guitars into a giant blender to produce something fresh and original.

 A multi-talented drummer, percussionist, arranger, programmer and producer, U-cef has all the legitimacy and inspiration needed to navigate between cultures without any prejudice, disrespect or fear. Born and raised in Rabat, he absorbed much of his native Morocco's multiple traditions before moving first to New York and then to London, immersing himself along the way in the Western world's electronic & rock scenes.

His first CD ‘Halalium’ (2001) was a milestone in Moroccan urban dance music, and has inspired a whole generation of rappers, b-boys and pro-tools adventurers, from Tangiers to Taroudant and Melilla to Marrakech. ‘Halalwood’ will undoubtedly go many steps further and be adopted by a much wider audience of young musicians and listeners, across North Africa and around the world.

 "Halalwood’ boasts an exciting cast of high-profile guests including Damon Albarn, Natacha Atlas, Rachid Taha, Mirror System (Steve Hillage & Miquette Giraudy), UK Apache, Amina Annabi, Justin Adams, Moroccan rap duo Dar Gnawa and many more.

 U-cef recorded this album mostly in his London studio, but also "on the ground" in Marrakech, Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains and Paris. He drew no less than forty vocalists and musicians (from Morocco, the UK, France, Tunisia, Egypt...) into this adventure, which wonderfully blends Euro-American urban styles and North African traditions.