Aicha!

By "Tamikrest"



The track "Aicha" is taken from Tamikrest's fantastic debut album "Adagh" (2010). Recorded in excellent audio quality. Listen and enjoy it.

"Tamikrest are a group of young Touareg musicians from the far north of Mali, where the parched landscape forms part of the Sahara desert. Their name means the knot, junction or coalition, a reference to the fact that the members hail from different regions, and Adagh is another name for the Touareg, who are also referred to by their language, Tamashek.

Theyre being dubbed the spiritual sons of Tinariwen the original exponents of the Ishumar rock (Touareg rebel music), and right from the first notes of this debut album, its obvious who theyve modelled their music on. If youre a Tinariwen fan who just cant wait for their next disc, Adagh is very much cut from the same cloth, with a few minor differences.

While Tinariwen have four lead vocalists and writers, Tamikrests Ousmane Ag Mossa is the sole featured singer and songwriter. His lyrics follow much the same themes as theirs, though, focussing most often on the Touareg struggle for self determination as an oppressed group in contemporary Malian society. Many Touareg have spent their lives in exile, after fleeing the fallout from one of several rebellions that have sparked off since Mali gained independence in 1959.

Like Tinariwen, Tamikrests default groove is an agreeably relaxed (and relaxing) lope that suggests a perambulating camel, typified by the likes of Amidini and Adounia Mahegagh. On most tracks Ousmane Ag Mossas simple, gnarled lead guitar is backed by two other rhythm guitars, providing a drone or subtle waves of reverb. What distinguishes them from their icons are Cheikhe Ag Tiglys rather mobile bass lines (which are perhaps a little too high in the mix) and the frequent introductory ululations by female backing singers Fatma Walette Cheikhe and Bassa Walette Abdamou."

"They are definitely the future of Tamasheq music!" (Andy Morgan, long-time manager of Tinariwen)

"..riffs that sound like a dream come true: Keith Richards, Ry Cooder & Ali Farka Toure picking side by side under an unforgiving sun" (D. Fricke from US-Rolling Stone)

Musicians:
Septett from Kidal (Mali, Africa)
Lead Guitar: Ousmane Ag Mossa

Produced by Chris Eckman (The Walkabouts, Dirtmusic)
Recorded at Studio Bogolan (Bamako)