Strange lights have been seen coming out the work shop at all hours, and a low, steady thrum has been emanating deep into the night from the subterranean lair of the elves, as the final preparations for the birth of Electric Moroccoland/So Below are made.

On April 5, 2011 the band will release it’s tenth CD, and first on its own label, Face Pelt. Not content with merely ONE album, the release consists of TWO complete albums, with D’Elf Does Maghreb on Electric Moroccoland, and So Below representing the sample-heavy, DJ & electronica-driven side of the band’s sound. Primarily instrumental in nature, there are also vocal turns by Gnawa music legend Hassan Hakmoun on Electric Moroccoland, singing the Cream classic “Sunshine Of Your Love” in Moroccan Arabic as D’Elf gives the tune a decided North African slant, as well as D’Elf’s own oud maestro Brahim Fribgane singing his haunting “Sidi Rabi”; and dubbed-out & psychedelicized versions of blues & spirituals “Pharaoh” & “I Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down” from the field recordings of Alan Lomax, sung by Boston roots rocker David Johnston featured on So Below.

The band pays tribute to inspirations from all corners, including seminal Moroccan band Nass El Ghiwane (“Ghir Khoudouni” on EM), Berber musician Hadj Belaid (“Ambib” on EM), Squarepusher (“End of Firpo” on SB), psychedelic avatar Terence McKenna (“Trance Meeting” on SB) and Morphine (“Rope On Fire” on EM). Special guests abound, with John Medeski appearing on many tracks, as well as DJ Logic, Duke Levine, Dave Tronzo, ex-Bowie guitarists Reeves Gabrels and Gerry Leonard, Ghanaian master drummer Dolsi-naa Abubakari Lunna, XTC drummer Dave Mattacks, John Brown’s Body drummer Tommy B, Dana Colley and the late Mark Sandman of Morphine, in some of his last studio performances before his death. D’Elf regulars Erik Kerr, Dean Johnston, Mister Rourke, Alain Mallet, Tom Hall, Jerry Leake, Paul Schultheis & bassist/leader Mike Rivard are amongst a roster of over 25 musicians who appear on the 25 tracks (150 min of music!). Artist Doug Sirois (who did the cover art for Now I Understand) returns with yet another stunning cover image, and the sounds were captured by long time D’Elf audio engineers Randy Roos & Tom Dube.

Produced by Rivard and recorded over a period spanning 11 years and in over a dozen studios, it represents the true D’Elf Manifesto, with the band’s take on the myriad types of trance music – Moroccan gnawa, dub, hip hop, psychedelic rock, jazz & electronica – fully realized and glowing like a red-hot charcoal from the fire sizzling in your lap. Publicity for the CD and subsequent tour is being handled by Rock, Paper, Scissors, with radio promo handled by Powderfinger Promotions. A string of east coast April tour dates w/ Medeski joining the band can be found on the Shows page. The touring band will consist of Medeski, Brahim Fribgane, Mister Rourke, Mike Rivard & Dean Johnston, with special guests along the way including Hassan Hakmoun, Dave Fiuczynski, Steven Bernstein, Duke Levine, Dave Tronzo & more.

This is an exciting chapter in the annals of D’Elf and we look forward to taking many a face pelt along the way, be it live audience or over the airwaves and interwebs. Tell your friends and enemies alike that the spaceship is a-comin’!

The elves have been hard at work on the studio follow-up to Now I Understand. Slated for an early 2010 release is Dos, a double-CD comprising two distinct albums: Electric Moroccoland and So Below. Mastering took place in late August with Michael Fossenkemper at Turtle Tone Studios in NYC and artwork and packaging are currently being completed. Teaser medleys of snippets of tracks from both albums is being offered as a sneak preview: Electric MoroccoLand clubdelf.com/mp3/Electric_MoroccoLand_medley.mp3

So Below: clubdelf.com/mp3/SoBelowMedley.mp3

Cover art is being created by Doug Sirois (www.dougsirois.com). who did the stunning work for Now I Understand. A.Minor (www.myspace.com/allbrightmoments) is creating the logo for our new label, Face Pelt. She also created a stunning Limited Edition 11th Anniversary Poster autographed by the band. This is an extremely limited edition run of only 70 prints, each signed by the artist A.Minor and the following musicians:

Micro Vard (Mike Rivard), John Medeski, Erik Kerr, Brahim Fribgane, Mister Rourke, The Dux (Dean Johnston), Dave Tronzo, Randy Roos, Paul Schultheis, Tom Hall, Jerry Leake, Mat Maneri, Duke Levine, Fuze (David Fiuczynski), Geoff Scott, Alain Mallet, Matt Kilmer, Vicente Lebron & Danny Blume.

Proceeds from sales go towards completion funds for Dos.

D’Elf plays visionary artist Alex Grey’s new Chapel of Sacred Mirrors Art Sanctuary in upstate NY on Hallowe’en, and as anyone familiar with the band knows, D’Elf is ALL about Hallowe’en! This should be a most memorable evening and details can be found on the Shows page

Leader Mike Rivard has been honing his skills on the Moroccan sintir, and recently posted a couple of videos on Youtube:

Shipibo Sintir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiaqyeH-T20&feature=related

Candlelit Sintir in David Lynch Room
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps6jP83MR5Q&feature=related…

-micro (updated 10/22/09)