What does it sound like?:
I’m not an expert on World Music by any means, being a fairly recent convert from the time of the Buena Vista Social Club album and film, and the compelling series of albums released on the World Circuit label in the 90s and 00s. Desert Blues is a genre that crept up on me slowly with its subtle woozy and loping guitar workouts and seductive vocal stylings. Tinariwen were, and remain, I guess the best known exponents of the Saharan / Malian / Tuareg traditional music heavily mixed with a Western rock’n’roll sensibility. It’s a heady and irresistible brew. Artists like the superlative Bombino, Terakaft, Tinariwen and any number of compilation albums feature heavily on my list of most played World Music records.
And then there is Tamikrest. The band’s first album Adagh was released in 2010 on the Glitterhouse label and produced by Chris Eckman, ex-Walkabouts frontman after they met his then band Dirtmusic at a festival near Timbuktu.(Dirtmusic’s albums are well worth a listen). 7 albums later and Tamikrest remain with the label, now renamed Glitterbeat, and for me the new one, Assikel, is their best yet. It’s a totally compelling listen with 8 songs of captivating rhythms, fabulously intricate and dizzying guitar workouts and fabulous vocals. For my money, more than any other band working in this genre, Tamikrest have achieved the perfect melding of their traditions with Western music, without seeming to lose any of their authenticity. I’d be hard pressed to articulate why I like them or this kind of music so much. It is just so utterly seductive. The new album from Tinariwen, Hoggar, released earlier this year was an absolute belter, subtle, acoustic, irresistible. Assikel from Tamikrest is even better, a career highpoint. Highly recommended.
What does it all *mean*?
Traditional and modern are never mutually exclusive.
Goes well with…
A pair of headphones, crystal clear sound, closed eyes and the ability to drift away.
Release Date:
May 2026
Might suit people who like…
Hypnotic rhythms, guitars and mesmeric vocals.
Marvellous review of a marvellous album. I suspect this will be up there in my year end top picks.
Thanks Bones, yes there is a world beyond Tinariwen. . Refreshingly well represented on the streaming services.
I’ll give this a listen.
Excellent review, Boneshaker. Interesting to read that Chris from the Walkabouts had produced their first album.
I scurried off to see what the TUBE had to offer.
A track from ASSIKEL.
And now an excellent KEXP live session from two years ago. The introductin surprised me. They are a very international band.
And another live track
Thanks KFD, that KEXP performance is fantastic, or as the Whispering Bob soundalike presenter puts it – “freakin’ awesome”.
Glad you enjoyed it. I do like KEXP and I like their presenters because of their enthusiasm about the artists. Well worth looking through their back catalogue.
Here are the XX who seem to be as chuffed to be there as presenter Cheryl Walter is to have them.
I didn’t know it was out until the weekend, but it is in my ‘to buy unheard’ list – I have a handful of their others and they’re all great.
They are playing at Green Man this year – I will make sure to see them. I have a friend who loves desert blues and has been to see Imarhan in Cologne and Tinariwen in Paris this year. I might have to buy this album for her.
Great band. I remember seeing them at WOMAD and they were incendiary. In the same vein, I am sure you know Mdou Moctar, who I’d love to see. He played Leeds on his last tour, but I couldn’t make it.
I’m listening again and again. When I first heard the term Desert Blues, this is the kind of sound I hoped for. Assikel is superb. Deserves a bump!