Marcus Gad ft. Tamal Tempo
"Tempo" captures a specific place and time perfectly, serving as a sonic travelogue from Marcus Gad's acclaimed album Brave New World. The track was born during the global standstill of 2020, emerging from an extended three-month stay in Morocco. Rather than fighting the isolation of the lockdown, the New Caledonian artist immersed himself in the local culture, allowing the surroundings to shape his writing. You can hear that influence immediately in the song's heartbeat: the loutar. Gad picked up this traditional Berber fretless lute while traveling through the High Atlas Mountains, and its raw, hypnotic looping sets the pace for the entire piece.
Collaborating with his longtime production partner Tamal, the duo manages to preserve the grit of that traditional instrumentation while building a crisp, modern electronic soundscape around it. It is a signature move for the pair—taking organic, earthly sounds and polishing them into something globally accessible without losing the soul. The track bridges the gap between ancient musical traditions and a future-forward production style, acting as a grounding force within the wider album.
The visual component is just as integral to the release. Directed by Hood.mov, the music video functions as a vivid diary of Gad's journey, contrasting the bustling energy of the ancient Medina of Fez against the silence of the Sahara Desert. Ultimately, "Tempo" is an invitation to travel. In a world that often feels like it is spinning too fast, Gad and Tamal offer a rhythm that feels deliberate and grounded—a souvenir from a wanderer who found inspiration in stillness.
