Aladean Kheroufi - Studies In A Dying Love

Canadian-Algerian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, producer, and DJ Aladean Kheroufi, releases new single “Now & Forever,” taken from his highly anticipated debut album, Studies In A Dying Love which is out now via Toronto-based label, We Are Busy Bodies. “Now & Forever” is released alongside a music video conceptualised by Aladean Kheroufi and directed by Dale Bailey. The video depicts a heartbroken Aladean at a tattoo parlour, surrounded by a group of people laughing and drinking. Completely consumed by his own thoughts, he slips away from the crowd and heads straight to a tattoo artist. While getting inked, he sings, “The heart I’ve got—it’s not just for now, baby—it’s forever.”

Speaking about the new video Aladean Kheroufi says:

“What’s more permanent than a tattoo? Not much. I do think love is permanent whether or not the love is lost. This video represents how I feel most of the time—there’s a lot going on around me, but I usually feel pretty stuck in my own thoughts. Ignoring the world around me while being comfortably present.”

Aladean Kheroufi goes on to describe the music:

“This song is about the moment you realize your love for a person has gone beyond the romantic relationship. No matter what happens, you still love them and will always be there for them. Reaching this point brought me true relief and a feeling of closure.”

In the meantime, the excitement continues to grow for Aladean Kheroufi’s debut album “Studies In A Dying Love” which features previous singles “Here With Me”, “Why Do You Call For Rain” and “Love!… Is The Answer”. The album is a stunning and cathartic portrait of a relationship’s collapse. Aladean looks to classic soul, forgotten Chicano rhythms and dreamy folk-rock for an emotional dive into the ebbs and flows of the heart.

Created at his Ninth Street Sound studio in Edmonton, Canada over an extended period between 2019 to 2023, the album soundtracks the evolution of heartbreak. “The space is in the basement of a restaurant with no windows,” states Kheroufi, who also goes by Cheb Khero. “It was pretty easy to get lost down there. To me, the sign of a good song is that it takes as long to write it as it does to sing it. The closer to the heart the better.”

Aladean writes songs that are idiosyncratic, soulful and devastating – with a glass-half-full optimism that turns heartache into melancholy party anthems. Drawing inspiration from legendary songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield and Neil Young, combined with a deep passion for hook-laden soul singles, Aladean has created an achingly warm and sophisticated album, with emotive songwriting that explores the complexities of a love lost. Recorded using a selection of analog techniques and instruments, including an original 1970s Tascam 8-track machine, the album has an old soul sound, ultimately informed by his time working at The Daptone House of Soul under the tutelage of Wayne Gordon (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, badbadnotgood, Mark Ronson).

Across its 11-tracks, Aladean plays bass, organ, synthesizers, guitar, percussion, vibraphone and piano, with support from a slew of beloved friends and collaborators. “This record is the result of community. I was always able to call my friends when I needed a helping hand or a second opinion. If it wasn’t for the people around me, I wouldn’t know who I am.”