Tinariwen – Amassakoul (Independent Records IRL014, 2004)
Carrying on from their much-lauded debut CD, released in the UK on Wayward Records, Amassakoul showcases this group of Tuareg musicians from a displaced community living on the borders of the Sahara Desert. Their involvement in initiating the emergent phenomenon called ‘Le Festival du Désert’
which takes place in Essakane, Northern Mali, in early January, has done much to increase their visibility internationally.
Tinariwen’s sound, essentially, approximates to that of North African neighbor, Malian master bluesman
Ali Farka Touré, both in the use of electric guitars and the rhythmic styles adopted. The main difference here with Ali’s music is that this is an ensemble performance, featuring the searing ululations of female vocalists and gruffly lilting workaday male chorus, the beat-perfect clapping redolent of cultures to the north, in Morocco, Algeria & Spain and subtly repetitive, mesmeric refrains. These are not easy, take a relaxing trip around the world type grooves. The music here challenges and questions, it’s not for the faint-hearted, but it is deeply and richly rewarding for the committed listener.
Author: Dave Atkin
