The Tuareg rock group will reprint The Radio Tisdas Sessions (2002) and Ammasakoul (2004) with an unreleased track “Taskiwt Tadjat”.
Recorded in June 2002 in the UK, this track is produced by Justin Adams (guitarist of Robert Plant and Brian Eno). Performed during the same session as “Ténéré Daféo Nickchan” from the album Ammasakoul (“the traveler” in Tamashek, the Tuareg language of Mali), the track remained confidential for a long time. It will be available on wax for the first time, joining the tracklist of the reissue scheduled for March 25. The song, performed by Hassan Ag Touhami, is already available on listening platforms.
A multi-generational group that is not set in stone and winner of a Grammy Award in 2012 (for the album Tassili), Tinariwen has been making moves since the 1970s. Hailing from Tessalit, a region split between northern Mali and southern Algeria, they blend traditional West African music with electrified rock’n’roll, addressing themes of nostalgia and exile. Their first album took them on an international tour; the second represents a shift to a more produced, complex sound – while preserving the moving rhythms, call-and-response vocals, guitars, and hand-clapping that characterize their sound.
Join us on March 25 to celebrate “Kel Tinariwen” (“the people of the desert” in Tamashek) and immerse yourself in their incredible journey. From the Sahara desert in northern Mali to festivals like Coachella (2009), they have gathered a number of fans, including Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, who came to see them play at the Festival in the Desert (2003).
Release scheduled for March 25: on vinyl and on CD: remastered, with exclusive photos and brand new liner notes.