Tinariwen are the face of gritty desert blues. Human,
nomadic, lacquered with a relentless and hypnotic rhythm, the Malian group have
carved an enduring critical and commercial niche from the blossoming wilderness
of their homeland and the guitar style of Jimi Hendrix, whom they cite as an
influence.
For those who don't know, the band were soldiers in Algeria/Libya (I won't pretend to know the details). As guitar slinging desert warriors fighting for their homeland though,
they are pretty much musical mana for anyone with a belief that music means,
and must mean, something. A political, social outlet. Whatever. That music has
communicative powers is what Tinariwen
are all about. Watch the short 15-minute for their last album Tassili (it's the first result for
Tinariwen on youtube) and the emotional pining of their beat dances
unflinchingly to the fore.
Emmaar, their
sixth album, is the first not recorded in the sahara, but the States. But don't
be worried. It retains all the self-possession of its predecessors and doesn't
concede to fancy effects.
Like most of the tracks on this and other albums (which, I'm not gonna lie, all sound pretty similar) Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim is a brave, stomping slow-burner. Things get a little more unusual on Tahalamot where we get a more sombre vocal and guitar style, but otherwise this is business as usual. Standout track Chaghaybou thrives on chants and flickering licks.
Like most of the tracks on this and other albums (which, I'm not gonna lie, all sound pretty similar) Imidiwan Ahi Sigdim is a brave, stomping slow-burner. Things get a little more unusual on Tahalamot where we get a more sombre vocal and guitar style, but otherwise this is business as usual. Standout track Chaghaybou thrives on chants and flickering licks.
