The Best North African Songs Right Now

It seems like everyone in North Africa is working on larger projects right now. This month, rappers from Morocco to Egypt released albums and EPs - TIF dropped his long-awaited debut SAVASHUIA, Dizzy Dros staged a successful comeback with AFLAM, and Stormy released DESPERADO, a follow-up to his ICEBERG debut. 

Diaspora artists like Saint Levant, Ghalia Benali, and Sulaf tap into the region’s traditional sounds to craft music that feels more of our parents’ time than ours, but we’re not mad because they do it well.

Dua Saleh - “Breathe” (Sudan, US)

Sudanese American artist Dua Saleh released Of Earth & Wires, an album on which instruments, whimsical vocal lines, and poetic vulnerability envelope moments of angst and pain; what lingers is a lightness that can hold its heavy subject matters. Between heavy distorted synth chords and light piano melodies, track two, “Breathe,” strikes this exact balance.

Saint Levant - “Sabah El Ward” (Algeria, Palestine)

On “Sabah El Ward,” Algerian Palestinian star Saint Levant sings sweet lyrics about a morning of flowers over traditional strings that evoke the golden era of Arabic music’s classic tarab. Opening with a nostalgic saxophone, the track goes on to lean into the mundane beauty of daily life. 

Ino Casablanca, aupinard - “P&P” (Morocco, France)

On “P&P,” Moroccan French artist Ino Casablanca teams up with rising French singer aupinard, known for blending traditional Brazilian bossa nova with modern French pop and RnB. Casablanca lends the track, which is built around simple, muted beats and bass rhythms that have a retro feel, and his signature playful vocal delivery.

Ghalia Benali - “Muzan Alneel” (Tunisia, Sudan) 

“Muzan Alneel” (Arabic for Muzan of the Nile) is Tunisian veteran singer and songwriter Ghalia Benali’s tribute to the late Sudanese engineer, writer, and political activist Muzan Alneel, who tragically passed away in April 2026. Benali turned a poem by her longtime collaborator, Ibrahim Al-Bekri, a Sudanese multidisciplinary poet and researcher, into a haunting song carried entirely by her deep voice and the piano. 

Omar Taa’i, Abyusif, Barakat - “7aleyan Dawal Mota7” (Egypt)

Not only did Egyptian rap founding father Abyusif surprise his fans with the Bal Masque EP, but he’s also featured on two tracks of Egyptian producer Omar Taa’i’s album Monologue. In line with Taa’i’s hard-hitting trap production, the track follows a simple, muted beat and gives space for Abyusif’s raspy voice to flow in a melodic, heavily synthesized vocal line. 

Sulaf - “Naada” (Sudan)

Sudanese singer, oud player, and composer Sulaf has begun the rollout of her upcoming album ABA, on which she draws on Sudan’s musical heritage from Nubian-rooted rhythms to devotional and folk traditions. “Naada” draws on the Sufi poetry of Sulaf’s great-grandfather to explore loss, identity, and resilience. The album was created in collaboration with French producer Maxime Kosinetz, who helped her channel the reality of unexpected exile into her music. 

Dizzy Dros - “PEGASUS” (Morocco) 

13 years after his debut, 3azzy 3ando Stylo, Moroccan rapper Dizzy Dros released his sophomore album Aflam. “Aflam is not just an album. It’s time. It’s patience. It’s everything that comes after the noise fades and you’re left alone with your thoughts,” the artist wrote on Instagram. The project’s standout track, “Pegasus,” is proof that while Dros grew and evolved in the past decade, his rap skills are still as strong as they ever were. 

Soulja, Huda Arabi - “15 Hikayat” (Sudan)

Beloved Sudanese rapper Soulja teamed up with Sudanese legend Huda Arabi and top producer Mshakil to unite two completely different sonic worlds and generations. “15 Hikayat” is built around Sudan’s signature rolling drum patterns, the organ and the santir, Soulja’s lyricism, and Arabi’s traditional singing that you know from weddings. 

Fares Lünn - “Bla Ndama” (Algeria)

Algerian musician Fares Lünn released “Bla Ndama” (Arabic for “without regret”), a track that merges mellow melodies with energetic percussions. Playing with atmospheric synth keys and sounds, Lünn’s voice carries the song through introspective lyrics.