As one of the biggest French-born raï superstars of all time, Faudel Belloua—the son of immigrant parents—has carved himself a special place in the Algerian diaspora. It helps that he flits between languages with consummate ease, cleverly weaves Maghrebian folk instruments into heady dance-pop cuts like “La main dans la main” and embraces the chunky synth rhythms of old-school raï on “Eray”. His golden tones lend a smooth edge to devotionals as well as songs that tackle socio-political issues like migration and nationalism.