Track Reviews // Tinariwen - Taqkal Tarha


11th June 2019
1st Single from upcoming Amadjar (Wedge, 6th Sept 2019)

The wavy desert rock of Malian band Tinariwen hums over the dunes again, heralding in an album to come on September 6th – Amadjar, This will be their fifth studio offering from the very forefront of the West’s belated interest in Saharan, Tuareg and Makossa music which has also delivered Imarhan, Bombino and Songhoy Blues top billings at mainstream venues.

Where sub-Saharan Makossa or Malian blues styles often feature colourful vocalisations and licks borrowed from their North American cousin, the shuffling Bedouin sands of Taqkal Tarha bears Tinariwen’s droning string sound and hop-skip rhythms.

Previous albums have been over-baked in that high noon sun, drying out towards the end in a kind of weary resignation. This single however is a light-footed breeze through it akin to British Folk Revivalists Davy Graham, Bert Jansch and John Renbourn. This could be something to do with Micah Nelson’s (son of Willie Nelson) feature who introduces just enough harmonic familiarity in the melodies to keep things from entering peak drone.

Recorded just a small distance outside Nouakchott in a big ol’ tent with no effects and no headphones, Amadjar will also feature Warren Ellis of the Bad Seeds, Stephen O’Malley of SUN O))) and trippy troubadour Cass McCombs. Tinariwen have already affirmed their ability and vision with Western raw materials so I don’t expect these crossovers to dilute their sound, but if it can wind their hazy, guitar excursions down a more well-trodden path this could be their most successful output to date.

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