Common to all his later music is his use of the mandole as a lead instrument. Much of the music he does are instrumentals. Rouane has said repeatedly that his use of the mandole for his music is a tribute to the Chaabi musician El Anka, the musician who helped develop the instrument as it is used today in Algeria. Although Rouane blends different musical forms with jazz, he draws the "soul" of his works from Chaabi for inspiration.
