... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best Tuareg guitar records we've ever heard – and the Saharan psych soul soundtrack to Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai, billed as the first ever Tuareg language fiction movie – loosely inspired by Purple Rain! The film, like Prince's, focuses on the life of a struggling, motorcycle riding, soulful electric guitar genius, but Mdou Moctar wisely doesn't try to be deliver Saharan riff on the Minneapolis sound. His epic, hypnotic to the point of trancelike electric guitars are front and center, but never in a self-indulgent way, always in service of the moody compositions. Backed only by rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane and drummer Mahmoud "Achcouscous" Ahmed Jabre, the trio delivers an appropriately cinematic Saharan sound. Amazing! Titles include "Sibidoul", "Rhaicha's Theme", "Iblis Amghar", "Tahoultine", "Adounia", "Chimoumounin", "Jagwa", "Mdou's Theme" and "Tada Dounia". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare slices of work from Mdou Moctar – material collected from tapes recorded between 2017 and 2020, often featuring the group in a range of different settings in their native Niger! The work throughout is filled with the sublime guitar of Mahamadou Souleymane – but the shift in setting makes for a strong sense of variety, especially as some of the titles feature more guitar lines than vocals, which is always OK with us! Titles on this first volume include "Imouhar (drum machine version)", "Chismiten (drum machine version)", and live takes of "Sibidoul", "Layla", "Afrique Victime", and "Afelan". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare slices of work from Mdou Moctar – material collected from tapes recorded between 2017 and 2020, often featuring the group in a range of different settings in their native Niger! The work throughout is filled with the sublime guitar of Mahamadou Souleymane – but the shift in setting makes for a strong sense of variety, especially as some of the titles feature more guitar lines than vocals, which is always OK with us! Titles on this second volume include "Azawad", "Ibitilan"," Nakane Dish", "Iblis Amghar", "Chimoumounim", and "Asdikte Akal". LP, Vinyl record album