Following their groundbreaking collaboration with Art Ensemble of Chicago, Comme à la Radio, Areski and Brigitte Fontaine began recording almost exclusively together as a duo.
Deeply rooted in North African and European folk traditions, the album features evocative vignettes with breezy vocals and minimal accompaniment of classical guitar, strings and woodwinds.
As always, there is a mercurial quality to their lyrics. The title track (translated as "I Do Not Know This Man") suggests at once Apostle Peter's denial and a poetic acknowledgement. On "C'est Normal" Fontaine playfully questions the status quo while Areski offers satirical answers. What makes Je Ne Connais Pas Cet Homme one of their best-loved albums, though, is its remarkable sense of intimacy – as if Areski and Fontaine beckon listeners into their strange and beautiful world.
This first-time domestic release continues Superior Viaduct's reissue campaign of Fontaine's classic '70s catalog.