Coming out of the jazz scene of Lyon in France, Siwane is a project that flows across centuries of musical tradition with modern artistic flair. Fronted by the captivating vocalist Mounia Siwane, the ensemble brings together some of the city’s finest jazz musicians to explore a sound that’s at once ancient and modern, dripping in cultural memory while bursting with creative innovation. Featuring musicians like Vincent Domergue on electric bass and percussionist Wendlavim Zabsonré, the group’s identity is built on a unique concept, to reimagine the melodic legacy of Al-Andalus, the Muslim-ruled region that spanned much of the Iberian Peninsula from 711 to 1492, through the expressive language of contemporary jazz.
The band revolves around guitarist and composer Stani Jardel, whose writing forms the backbone of Siwane’s sound. His compositions draw on popular melodies from the Al-Andalus era, where centuries of cross-cultural exchange between Arab, Jewish and Christian communities gave rise to an unparalleled musical sphere. These melodies, infused with history and emotion, find new life in his hands as he threads them into intricate jazz arrangements to offer a sound that transcends time via a meeting point between the echoes of medieval Spain and the fluid improvisation of the modern jazz idiom.
It’s a concept that feels both adventurous and truly organic; Siwane’s approach is all about taking the essence of these ancient tunes and allowing them to breathe within a new framework. Mounia Siwane’s voice serves as the project’s guiding spirit, her delivery imbued with a delicate lyricism that instils the timeless beauty of the source material. Her vocals glide across the compositions, connecting centuries-old melodies to the energy of the present moment, while the band’s improvisations bring spontaneity and soul to the arrangements.
Capturing their sound in the studio, they made their entrance in April last year with their debut EP, Noufous and this year, they’ve returned with new material in the build up to their highly anticipated debut album titled Amann Amann, set to land on Friday November 21st. Released on on Protomaterial Records, a label known for its adventurous catalogue spanning electronic music, classical composition and avant-garde jazz, proving an ideal home for Siwane’s exploratory spirit.
The album starts with the recently released single “Ya Saki,” a song which thematically recounts the tale of a romatic evening between two lovers. Set up by the rustle of brushed drums, bright guitar tones and pulsing bass notes form a laid back groove as Mounia’s expressive vocal leads glide in to bring to life the original Arabic poetry, resulting in a superb jam that flows with slick lead guitar flourishes and mesmeric aesthetic.
“Nousfous” then drifts into focus with the soft shuffle of percussion a breezy guitar lines, forming a playful jazz scene as Mounia’s dancing voice flutter above to cast a stunning display of the band’s performance panache. The title track “Amann Amann” arrives with the hurried flurry of lively rhythms as flickering instrumentation sets up a bouncy energy for Mounia to spin spirited melodies above, progressing with smooth Latin jazz groove and catchy moments to deliver a memorable outing from start to finish.
Other highlights on the album include songs like “Hamami” with its lilting rhythmic sway and alluring vocal leads crafting a dreamy listening experience, capturing the more tender side of the record. “Shams” brings shimmering guitar textures and soft, pattering percussion to deliver an upbeat sound brimming with melodic charm and hypnotic vibes. Closing the album with “Ya Ness,” the roll of drums brings in twanging guitar plucks and popping bass notes to craft a hazy soundscape, offering a superb finale to the band’s incredible debut LP.
With this new release, Siwane continue their pursuit of musical synthesis, pairing the antiquity of Al-Andalus with the harmonic sophistication and rhythmic intensity of modern jazz. Their work is a reminder that innovation often begins with listening to the past, that every note carries an echo of history waiting to be reimagined and as Amann Amann approaches, Siwane are sure to delight countless listening around the world.
We caught up with the band’s guitarist and composer Stani Jardel to find out more about their musical journey so far, their debut album Amann Amann and what they’ve got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Siwane below.
How did you get together as a band?
The story began about ten years ago, when I met Mounia. Through her, I discovered Malouf — the Arab-Andalusian music of Constantine, the city she’s from.
At the time, I was already passionate about traditional and world music, and since I also have Andalusian roots myself, I was naturally drawn to this style.
So the band was born from the meeting of a voice, a story, a heritage… We started working on pieces from the Nouba repertoire. The first idea was to reinterpret this music by incorporating jazz, flamenco, and other influences.
But life got in the way, and the project stopped for several years — until it finally took its definitive form around 2023. Today, the band is built around a quartet.
Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?
For me: Nguyen Lê, Salif Keita, Pat Metheny, Paco de Lucía, Jeff Beck, John Coltrane, Camarón, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan… and so many others.
For Mounia: artists from the Malouf tradition — Fergani, Simone Tamar — and from the wider Arabic music scene: Fairouz, Oum Kalthoum, as well as Indian music like Ravi Shankar, and of course Flamenco artists like Estrella Morente.
Artists who are connected to something essential — the earth!
Those who come from the people, expressing above all life and human emotion.
How else do you find inspiration for your music?
The starting point for this album was these incredible melodies from the Noubas — a refined, scholarly music, full of history and dreams, which has survived orally thanks to generations of North African musicians who preserved it and passed it down to us.
That alone is already a vast source of inspiration — a treasure of humanity waiting to be rediscovered.
And of course, our inspiration also comes from Mounia’s voice, which brings that oriental musical universe and the poetry of Arabic song.
As for the compositions that accompany it, they draw from the many influences I’ve encountered along my journey — but above all, I try to let myself be guided by intuition, emotion, instinct. Out of deep respect for this music, I try to craft a setting that gives it a new dimension.
The feeling and human exchange between the musicians are essential for creating and feeling the music.
What’s been your highlight of 2025?
Meeting our label Protomaterial and Joan Arnau Pàmies, who led us to the creation and recording of the album.
That’s no small thing!
What do you love about the French music scene?
Ouch… these days? Not much! (laughs)
It’s not easy in France — everything’s complicated and works only through networks. Even small labels rarely take artistic risks. Proof of that — ours is Spanish! Maybe that’s destiny, since this music was born there.
Culturally, music isn’t really embedded in popular life here. Add to that streaming, mainstream media flooding people with flavorless content, AI… it’s not easy. But we also see many bands emerging with a genuine artistic vision.
What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?
Simply let yourself be carried away by the journey!
How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?
There have been many experiments since the beginning…
The band has taken different forms — an acoustic duo, a trio with a percussionist, etc. After many trials, Mounia and I decided to go for a more modern sound — electric, with bass and drums.
Once that foundation was set, I explored the different sounds I could get from the guitar, which is the only harmonic instrument in the group — and therefore central to our sound and atmospheres. In fact, on the album, all the sounds — even the synth-like ones — were made entirely with the guitar.
Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?
Honestly, there are so many interesting but little-known artists — even just around us. We’re already collaborating with amazing people!
The members of the band — Vincent Domergue and Wendlavim Zabsonre — are exactly the people I want to work with. And also everyone who’s been part of this adventure, near or far: the Moroccan percussionist Mohamed M’Sahel, sound engineer Jérôme Doncel, or Joan Arnau Pàmies…
If we’re talking about famous artists, there are just too many to name — we’ll leave that to the chances of life.
How did you find making your debut album ‘Amann Amann’?
It was intense! A few months of preparation, and the recording took a week at Studio Polycarpe in Lyon.
We already had some tracks ready and had recorded an EP, but we needed to compose more to make a full, coherent album with diversity.
At the same time, we were searching for our sound and working in a fragmented way, since each of us had other commitments. But we did it!
What message did you want to get across with this release?
Sharing.
Cultivating respect for differences — seeing them as a source of richness.
Encouraging curiosity about others, especially in times when people tend to close in on themselves. That’s very important to us.
What artist have you been listening to most recently?
I rarely have long stretches where I sit down just to listen to music — but recently it was Yerai Cortés, and Lole y Manuel.
What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?
A feeling of journey — through time and cultures.
And if it brings them happiness or emotion, then that’s perfect.
What’s been your favourite live performance so far?
Since we’re just starting out, we haven’t done a huge number of concerts yet — but the most recent one, in the gardens of a Gallo-Roman museum at sunset, with about 450 people who came to listen — no one expected that. It was a beautiful moment.
Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?
Maybe the stage we dream of most would be at the Alhambra in Granada — such a magical place.
As for the artists… there would be too many to choose from! Impossible to decide.
Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow in your footsteps?
We’re not quite there yet! (laughs)
But I think if you practice any art, it’s because it’s an inner necessity — an obvious thing for you. You don’t really have a choice; it’s vital. It’s your balance.
Being able to make a living from it can be a goal — though not necessarily — but in that case, you need to understand it’s a business with its own rules. So finding balance and staying true to who you are seems most important to me.
The blue pill or the red one! (laughs)
And above all — don’t take yourself too seriously.
Finally, what do you have lined up next?
Now that the album is finally out, it’s time for us to get our music heard.
We’re going into a residency phase to better prepare for concerts, so we can perform the album live wherever possible — maybe even in England soon!
Siwane are set to release their debut full-length record Amann Amann via the Protomaterial Records imprint on Friday the 21st of November.
More from Albums
New full-length record from Divergent
While some musical ambitions take a little longer to find their moment, the journey for Iowa-based trio Divergent has been …
New album from Ashot Danielyan
Based in Moscow, pianist, composer and improviser Ashot Danielyan has spent more than a decade developing a musical output that …
Bryan Howell returns with new studio album
Originally hailing from central New York and now based in Nashville, Bryan Howell has spent more than a decade developing …
