There’s a kind of frustration that only those who’ve been through their parent’s collection of cassettes will know. It’s the kind you feel when you come across a gem and not be able to listen to it everywhere you go. As loads of projects are yet to be digitalised and made accessible online, many of our region’s past is being left behind picking up dust on shelves. But you can officially say goodbye to those days as one platform that is trying to change that. It’s called Moroccan Tapes and they’re your rabbit hole into Moroccan blasts from the past.
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The website’s catalogue is perfused with niche Moroccan music compilations from the pre-2000 era. As of right now, users can navigate through 51 different digitalised projects. Each piece is contextulised further by the platform with a description, biography and important fact about the artists. Undeniably insightful, Moroccan tape also goes into the specificities of their digitalisation process.. Supported through donations from dedicated listeners, the streaming service is split into genres and accepts individual submissions which provides enthusiasts with a portal to go back in time and switch through retro classics or undiscovered gems. On a philanthropic mission to democratise access to sonic archives, all financial contributions are spent to cover online storage costs.
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Founded by Amino Belyamani, a Casablanca-bred composer and multi-instrumentalist, whose own sound is recognised for the abundance of influences he shares through Moroccan Tapes. Although aware that the platform does not own any of the rights associated with the published tapes, he invites artists and representatives to reach out to them which reinforces the altruistic nature lying behind the self-built initiative.
Think of it as an uncovered treasure. Completely free of charge, the platform is a repertoire culture that was once thought to be lost.
