Volume 3 and 4

By 1984, Dur-Dur were the house band at the legendary Jubba Hotel, building a live sound that felt deeply rooted in Somalia while sounding strikingly modern. Their early cassette releases, Volumes 1 and 2, travelled widely, but Volumes 3 and 4 captured the band at their creative peak.

Made during a period of personal loss and growing national crisis, these recordings find Dur-Dur stretching their sound in bold new ways. After the departure of singer Shimaali Ahmed Shimaali and the tragic death of founding bandleader Isse Dahir Qassim, Adan Handal helped steer the group into fresh territory.

Volume 4 stands as one of their most adventurous sets, bringing together electronic percussion, unusual drum textures and reggae-inspired grooves with the unmistakable spirit of Somali music. It remains a powerful reminder of creativity that endured through war, displacement and decades of silence.