Rachid Taha has always argued that North African styles and rock are closely linked, and this is his most convincing evidence to date: a furious, declamatory album that is firmly rooted in his native Algeria but has the sparse vitality of a punk classic. The stand-out track, inevitably, is Taha's tribute to his hero, Joe Strummer. It starts with a wailing burst of desert flute and hand drums before introducing the familiar guitar riff of what is now titled Rock el Casbah.

Elsewhere, Taha's blend of anger and angst has been distilled into a set of songs that match crunching guitar chords, simple riffs and angry French and Arabic lyrics with subtle, wailing flourishes of North African embellishment. Steve Hillage has been Taha's producer for the best part of a decade now, and he, along with Brian Eno, helped write the music for the most powerful, original and direct rock-and-rai fusion album that he has released, ranging from the chugging, insistent H'Asbu-Hum to the pounding and thoughtful title track. Strummer would approve.