Tinariwen are a combo of musicians from Mali; all the songs are titled and sung in their native tongue. So unless one is conversant with the language, it is of no real value to refer to the lyrics with respect to an English-speaking audience. However, if you are prepared to be enchanted by some truly dusty nomadic sounds that reveal a passion for Hendrix and American blues, this is for you. A prolific band with a fluid line-up, Tinariwen strongly assert their identity. And true to their nomadic heritage, the songs themselves exude stoic torment at times but always hint that you can walk on and walk through, forever forwards, even through a burning desert full of mirages and into the unknown. It is the knowing of nothingness that drives them forward.
Heck, their name means ‘empty places’ for starters. And they know their subject matter intimately, having had to flee their homeland due to political and social unrest. Most songs sound like campfire singalongs with massed voices. Maybe it’s the strength of the harmonies that make this record an example of what can be achieved by rapidly layering melodies to ascend into some sort of transcendence, despite the listener having no idea what the songs are about.
The presentation has a freshness that even at full-throttle, Tinariwen maintain a composure that comes from knowing each others craft and working off each other. Ponderous instrumentation and lyrics which are most probably full of astounding insight suggest that unlike the peculiar and arid landscape from which they hail, they do not lack ersatz with their boutique sounds.
BY BRONIUS ZUMERIS
Best Track: Emajer
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: RY COODER, DANIEL LANOIS, JIMMY HENDRIX, BAMBINO
In A Word: Educational
